I pretty frequently shave my head. For a while I shaved my head completely bald every 3 days. It had nothing to do with any kind of ideology but I did it. Like someone above mentioned, if your a white guy and you shave your head you are immediately a target for people to point at and say: "That guy is a racist skinhead." No, sometimes I just don't want hair is all.
Not really relevant. SHARPs actively dress in a similar fashion to skinheads with slight subtle variations that aren't obvious to people who don't care. Whether or not they know it, they are visually co-opting the reputation of intimidation of skinheads.
Then, if SHARPs beliefs and ideology are so completely different to the racist skinhead variety, how come they still dress and look so similar?
If I were completely opposed to their version of skinhead, I'd do all I can to avoid being grouped in with those who bogarted my style.
Is preserving their old style really worth being grouped in with them?
Or do they, on a less obvious level, not even mind being confused with them?
Do you see what I mean?
Not really relevant. SHARPs actively dress in a similar fashion to skinheads with slight subtle variations that aren't obvious to people who don't care. Whether or not they know it, they are visually co-opting the reputation of intimidation of skinheads.
I'm aware. Hence the S.H. in S.H.A.R.P., I was attempting to bring another issue out into the open, which I felt was within the bounds of this issue. I'll visually co-opt you!
I was not aware there were any types of Skinheads besides the stereotypical racist Neo-Nazi ones. In fact this is quite a revelation for me, thank you. It sucks that they stole your identity and made everyone think that all Skinheads were like them.
I'll keep that in mind from now on. And I think SHARP should do more to educate people about this, or else if they become widely known people will just think of them as the stereotypical Skinheads and no one will take them seriously.
SHARP has existed since 1987. Since then it is less of an organization, more of an individual designation for people who associate themselves with anti racism. Well considering that, 'SHARP' has already started that. Yet I have to stress out again that it's not entirely my identity. I'm just pointing this out to indicate the difference between racist skinheads, and sharps.
BallPtPenTheif said:
Fine, you're a SHARP. How do you think old Jewish people feel when they see a bunch of militan shaved headed sharps coming up the street?
I can see your point. They are some similarities in dress. Yet that friend of mine would probably smile, while the nazi would remark on his nose, then punch it, or something. I guess some christian fellows could be annoyed by seeing them 'devil worshipping goths' (satire). Yet they have the same right to walk on the street as anybody has.
PedroSteckecilo said:
We actually had to read an article on SHARP in a high school psyche class.
Still...
Racist Psychos or not, I see a big dude with army boots and a shaved head, I'm gettin my ass across the streets. You skin heads look SCARY.
Hehe some do indeed. I can be intimidated by some, yet the one's I know are lovely people.
Skeleon said:
Even if you aren't racists, you shouldn't use the image of skinheads.
For example, one shouldn't use the swastika anymore, either; just because it used to be a symbol of the sun, doesn't mean it's okay to use it today. Meanings change and acting like they don't just makes you look hypocritical, like you simply use the old meanings as an excuse to live your hatred.
I don't get your point really. Some Buddhist temple use an inverted swastika as symbol (I think MatronAdena should know what it signifies, unfortunately I forgot). Should they stop using that? Should we ban the use of army print on clothes entirely, because wars are being fought? Should we ban Burqa's, because it's an Islamic symbol and Christian's might be offended by it?
The image of skinheads used by sharps is just the clothing, and even there it differentiates (nazi's often have black jackets, with lots of badges on them for example).
new_age_reject said:
I would like to say that the best way to tell us apart is that generally the militant racists lack shirts, wear cammo jeans and army boots.
The real ska loving, everybody loving fellows generally wear shirts, blue jeans and doc martins.
At least in my experience.
1. I can't give a good answer on that. I think it is because there was a sudden influx of cheap labour in the country (in the form of South Asians). Therefore, the existing native lower class became rather annoyed of the people getting these jobs, and becoming jobless themselves. This kept on going until it escalated, and the anger could not be contained anymore. Violence ensued (speculation, but this seems like a likely answer) .
2. As I have pointed out before, I myself am not a true skinhead. No, I don't shave my head. I don't wear boots or braces. If you would meet me in the street, you would see me as yet another normal guy. With a cool leather jacket. Yet I have skinhead friends who fit the description, and I like the idea of anti-racism.
Kukul said:
I knew all that and still the idea behind S.H.A.R.P. seem idiotic to me.
Even if Skinheads are not racist, they're still rude and "don't give a fuck" by definition. Organising them into any human rights organisation makes them look like a bunch of carebears.
Also S.H.A.R.P. is way to leftist for my taste.
Skinheads are not by definition rude, and some of them actually give a fuck. Since I don't know a lot of skinheads the average skinhead might fits your description, but that would be saying that Americans are idiots by definition, while we all know through previous topics that that is untrue, yet a large portion of the US seem to fit the description.
I don't know where you got the human rights organisation idea from, but I do like the idea of carebears, they are quite the awesome critters.
Also, S.H.A.R.P. does not carry a political ideology, it is mostly a self designation of the opinion that racism is a bad thing.
1) So what exactly is being a skinhead, besides listening to Ska and Soul?
2) Are you so attached to the word, "Skinhead" that you can't let it go in favor of a identification with less bad press? I mean, its just a word. I stopped useing the term, "******" when it came to be associated with gays instead of a bundle of firewood, no big sacrifice there even though I liked the word. So basically, does the word itself, "Skinhead" have some specific significance and meaning that's worth holding on to?
Not really--the Confederate flag was always associated with slavery. The skinhead movement didn't get connected to fascism until long after skinhead's inception.
But some Southerners associate the Confederate flag with their independence, it serves as a symbol of identity. Surely not everyone who has a Southern Cross on their wall is a horrible racist.
The thing is, though, that the South is not independent. They lost that war. They are just as much a part of the United States as any other state, and not some special group above or below the rest of the states. When Southerners wave their flag like that, they're simply being sore losers who are trying to act special by saying, "Look at us, we're rebels!" And what was their war for independence based on? There is much debate on this, but nobody can deny that slavery played a huge role in it. In fact, if slavery had been outlawed in the Declaration of Independence and/or the Constitution, the civil war probably wouldn't have happened. Proudly displaying a Confederate flag not only brings up memories of a war most would rather forget (though forgetting history is never a good thing, still in this case it is at least understandable), but it also seems like poor sportsmanship on the side of the South. You lost guys, and you need to be curteous about it- its not like the North is still pursuing you with a poorly-put-together reconstruction process.
Putting all of the stuff I said above aside, people who use Confederate flags as decor should realize that that action usually scares the hell out of minorities, specifically black people. Which means that if you are going to go around waving a Confederate flag, don't be abrasive, which is something that so many people who wave their flags like that often are.
Great post, I'm a big fan of skinhead style and music, I listen to a lot of ska and dub and I wear a lot of braces, polo shirts, turn ups and trilbys but I'm not quite commited enough to the style to shave my hair or get a pair of docs. It does annoy me when people blame so much racial prejudice on a style that has as many black roots as it does white ones.
The similiarity of our avatars is quite disturbing in many ways...
It's typical media trick to demonize a minority. For example, people still think that Mormons support polygamy even though it has not been the official stance of Mormon Church for over hundred years.
Most of us don't have time to go muck around in the convoluted rules of engagement for each and every subculture so don't cry foul when people mistake you for a skinhead. Yes, it is ignorance on our part but it's probably a ridiculous identity crisis on yours.
Does that mean all the people in the world who wear keffiyehs and turbans should instead put on backwards baseball caps and ironic trucker hats because ignorant westerners associate their head-centric fashion choices with terrorism?
I think I like you. Also, some of the skinheads I know are very cuddly and nice like carebears...I'll have to check their stomachs the next time I see them. This may be a conspiracy...
Didn't know there was a SHARPie hanging around these boards. Interesting, and nice to see you. I've had this argument with several people before. Along with the straight-edge argument where people assume because I am sXe I go around beating up and destroying property of people who smoke. Yay for the media showing the worst facet of a subculture and making life lovely for the rest of us!
Why should they give up their culture because some jerks came along and started making it harder for them? Do you think Christians will give up the cross if some idiots come along being jackasses? Do Muslims renounce Islam because of Al-Qaeda? Would you stop dressing and acting the way you do because someone else's ignorance? No, and you shouldn't have to.
Think what you like, it probably won't matter to either the SHARPS or the Boneheads or any in-between.
I never stated an ethical value on prejudicial behavior being "okay". Oh, c'mon Cheeze, you're better than this. Inserting words in my mouth and posing rhetorical questions as points doesn't suite you.
Fine, so CHEEZE, are you saying that it is the responsibility of all people to be aware of all social groups and the social norms and behaviors of those social groups at all times? Hmm, not exactly the most realistic attitude towards awareness, I would say.
Seriously Cheese, we could re-post straw-men for each other all day but that's not productive and is quite frankly a waste of my time. If you have a sincere question about what I stated than I would be more than happy to answer. But I will not defend a statement that you are making for me in place of my ideas. You can look in the mirror if you want to do that.
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