Posted on 09/15/2018 9:05:28 AM PDT by Drew68
The U.S. Coast Guard says it “removed” a member from its Hurricane Florence response team Friday after he made an “OK” hand gesture on live TV that the service branch deemed “offensive.”
The unidentified team member was caught looking into the camera and then swiftly making the hand gesture, prompting a backlash on social media.
The hand signal was seen in the background of MSNBC’s live interview with Sector Charleston Commanding Officer Capt. John Reed, who was providing an update on actions taken by the Coast Guard in response to Hurricane Florence.
Many social media users called for the firing of the individual, accusing him of making a so-called “white power” hate symbol.
The agency immediately responded to the outcry and distanced from the controversy.
“We are aware of the offensive video on twitter - the Coast Guard has identified the member and removed him from the response. His actions do not reflect those of the United States Coast Guard,” the agency tweeted.
The Guard is now investigating the matter. In a statement, the agency said the incident was a “frustrating distraction” amid the dangerous hurricane that is poised to affect more than 10 million people this week in the Southeast.
There have been at least four deaths since the storm reached the coastline on Friday morning, according to officials.
There’s no clear consensus whether the “OK” hand gesture constitutes a hate symbol. While it has been adopted by some fringe far-right figures, it has also been commonly used by many Trump supporters.
The Anti-Defamation League previously noted that the “OK” gesture isn’t a hate symbol.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I didn’t know that all scuba divers, everywhere, were racist.
You are spot on. He is not making any kind of gesture to the camera.
Totally overboard
Oops, I didn’t realize that several of you had posted those photos individually, before I posted my composite one.
Gang affiliation hand signals? A-Okay...
Signalling A-Okay? WTH, why no way, call out the national guard!!!
+1
Fake News from Fox!
This is the result of some outstanding meme work. You see, literally everything is White Supreemist, including the “okay” sign.
I have no idea what a white power symbol is. And I’m white.
But that’s not the “Okay” symbol.
It is the “Otay” symbol.
As the great Mark Steyn says....no civilization can survive such institutionalized stupidity
**************
We are attempting to disprove him. The stupidity meter is pegging on this one.
PSST, Kilroy was here. Pass it on.
The insanity brought on my liberalism knows no bounds.
This case is just another classic example.
And we’re supposed to coexist with these stupid POSs? I don’t think so.
and probably used at one time or another by anyone born before 2001. How can we let "them" take something so pervasive in our culture, so benign in meaning for countless decades, and suddenly make it a symbol of hate???
Heck, even my cellphone suggests the ok hand sign as an emoji when I type "ok" in a text message. Does that make me racis? Is my phone racis? WTF
People are telling the Coast Guard via Twitter that this guy should be court-martialed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.