Educating the Ignorant

Once again, we must comment on having some of the smartest readers in the world.

But that being said, some of the dumbest motherfuckers ever seem to stumble in, trip over the furniture, spill the whiskey, soil the carpet and leave us with an unholy mess to clean up. We're talking of course, about the liberal-minded, willfully blind, excuse all forms of ignorant behavior, pilgrim haters.

We posted a picture of 7-year-old Heaven making hand signs with her fingers. We did not post one word blaming her, accusing her or lambasting her. We merely pointed out the propensity for people to have pictures of their children making questionable gestures. We ended up letting a few of the tamer defenses of Heaven go through, but quite a few ended up calling us names, accusing us of harassing the dead and the old tired saw of "racist!"

To you we say, "Fuck off."

If you "fly-off-the-handle" types did any research whatsoever, you are aware that a "peace" sign is done with the palm facing outward and two fingers extended. Reversing the palm inward is an insult, not unlike the "05" jerseys sported in the 'hood. Reverse is an insult if you remember any sort of basic gang/graffiti shorthand.

To those who said it was a "chuck a deuce" sign, nice try. That is a sideways peace sign with the knuckles showing outward and may be moved in an up-and-down waving motion. Unfortunately, Heaven's fingers are not knuckles outward - they are splayed on her right hand and her left hand is showing three fingers. As a side note, we have never seen a two-handed "chuck a deuce" sign, and neither have you.

Knowing the history of some of the persons present at the candy stand, the neighborhood and that corner, there is no question that this is a gang sign.

That being said, no one here has accused Heaven of being a gang banger. She was seven for chrissake. But unfortunately for her, she lived in a shithole, was surrounded by shitheads, and had pretty much zero family structure to guide her. What she is showing in the picture is something she probably saw every day of her short life. And someone with a camera thought it was cute when she represented, so they snapped a pic that will live forever as a mute symbol of a life failing against near impossible odds.

So to those unable to read the written word and to those seemingly able to divine our innermost thoughts from a fucking blog entry, you are morons.

To the sanctimonious asshats accusing us a racism, there's nothing racist about pointing out what a fucked up situation Heaven lived and died in. Maybe you ought to direct your outrage at a community that values life so little, they overlook the sensible bedtimes, the need for structure and maybe, just maybe, setting a good example for your kids.

That isn't a race thing - it's a parent thing. And it isn't getting done.