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. “Has the simple thumb-and-forefinger ‘OK’ hand gesture become a white supremacist hand sign? Well, no, it hasn’t, but you are likely to hear just the opposite from social media, thanks to the latest hoax from members of notorious website 4chan,” read a post from the anti-racism group.
Earlier this month, liberal activists accused a Jewish-Mexican former Trump administration official, Zina Gelman Bash, of making the “white power” hand gesture during the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, prompting derogatory descriptions of her as a “neo-Nazi” or “white supremacist.”
U.S. Attorney John Bash, her husband, defended Bash: “The attacks today on my wife are repulsive. Everyone tweeting this vicious conspiracy theory should be ashamed of themselves. We weren’t even familiar with the hateful symbol being attributed to her for the random way she rested her hand during a long hearing,” the tweeted, noting that Bash’s grandparents are Holocaust survivors.
#1: Justified To: All (#0)
When will this crap stop?
This guy should sue MSNBC for their defamation of character.
Justified posted on 2018-09-15 10:32:15 Reply Private Reply
#2: misterwhite To: Justified (#1)
I wasn't aware of the double meaning until the MSM started talking about it. Now that I know what it stands for, I'll be using it more.
O-tay!
misterwhite posted on 2018-09-15 10:41:04 Reply Private Reply
#3: Justified To: misterwhite (#2)
Justified posted on 2018-09-15 10:53:23 Reply Private Reply
#4: goldilucky To: Justified (#1)
goldilucky posted on 2018-09-15 10:57:38 Reply Private Reply
#5: Fred Mertz To: misterwhite (#2)
I knew this was offensive in some countries as an insult, but not in the US...until now. I had no idea it was some sort of white power sign. Crazy!
Fred Mertz posted on 2018-09-15 11:25:19 Reply Private Reply
#6: sneakypete To: misterwhite (#2)
Why not? We all know Buckwheat was a racist. He only hung out with white people/
sneakypete posted on 2018-09-15 11:26:25 Reply Private Reply
#7: sneakypete To: Justified (#3)
The first time the ADL refuses to support a Jew accused of racism is the same day they start going out of business.
sneakypete posted on 2018-09-15 11:27:40 Reply Private Reply
#8: Justified To: goldilucky (#4)
There is no proof that its anything other than nothing.
Even the ADL calls this crap. If far left radical SJW people call it crap then there is no story. If you are left of ADL you just have your brain scrabbled by constant msm bs trying to give their radical listeners something. Remember this started with accusing a Hispanic jewish women of using a white supremacy symbol that has never been seen before. They just made shit up and you bought it!
Basically you need to do some soul searching!
Justified posted on 2018-09-15 11:39:58 Reply Private Reply
#9: misterwhite To: Fred Mertz (#5)
Following your post I looked at the video. You're right. He wasn't saying "OK".
misterwhite posted on 2018-09-16 10:49:48 Reply Private Reply
#10: Hondo68 To: Justified, Super Honky (#0)
Hondo68 posted on 2018-09-16 12:56:11 Reply Private Reply
#11: goldilucky To: Justified (#8)
You need to do some research!
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/gayle-cotton/cross-cultural-gestures_b_3437653.html
goldilucky posted on 2018-09-17 23:02:33 Reply Private Reply
#12: Dead Culture Watch To: misterwhite (#2)
I’ve been going to 4Chan for years, and read the thread where they talked about getting idiots to believe the ok sign was a symbol for white power. They did that to make stupid people out themselves.
Seems like it’s still working, stupid is forever.
Dead Culture Watch posted on 2018-09-18 10:51:44 Reply Private Reply
#13: Liberator To: Dead Culture Watch, misterwhite (#12)
A-HA!! Busted.
Thanks, DC, for clarifying exactly how this dopey rumor got traction. Yet one more propagandist-Psy Op created one more HOAX out of thin air to demonize Whitey (or Christians, conservatives, Trump, Men, patriots, etal.)
There are obviously a core of bots/trolls whose "job" its been to do just this; It's one reason why all Confederate statues are being removed; The Left lies/inverts the truth all the time and gets away with it.
THIS crap is exactly why some ditzy lying Leftist broad can be taken seriously after 35 years in the Judge Kavanaugh hearing.
Seems like it’s still working, stupid is forever.
Yup. That "STUPID" will remain and grow for as long as the Left/Globalists own 95% of Media, Academia, Entertainment, Corporations. IOW, we/NORMAL America are all probably screwed.
Liberator posted on 2018-09-18 11:07:07 Reply Private Reply
#14: Liberator To: hondo68, Dead Culture Watch (#10)
https://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=57239&Disp=12#C12
Liberator posted on 2018-09-18 11:09:45 Reply Private Reply
#15: Hondo68 To: Dead Culture Watch, Liberator (#12)
Worked like a charm with the Donnell.
He's even dumber than Jimmy Carter & Bush.
Hondo68 posted on 2018-09-18 11:40:10 Reply Private Reply
#16: Justified To: goldilucky (#11)
No! Again this is a non issue made up by far far leftwing nutballs that even the ADL will not defend.
Justified posted on 2018-09-18 11:49:26 Reply Private Reply
#17: Justified To: hondo68, Dead Culture Watch, Liberator (#15)
And yet he is crushing the neoclowns(antitrumpers), MSM, socialist and pretty much everyone that gets in his way of righting this ship we call America.
How can that be?????
Justified posted on 2018-09-18 11:55:14 Reply Private Reply
#18: Liberator To: Justified, hondo68, Dead Culture Watch (#17)
Bwaahaa!!
He IS.
Saboteurs all -- Neos, Anti-Trumpers, Marxists, Globalists, Deep State, MSM, and Hollywood threw ALL of their massive weight against Trump. AND STILL GOT REKT.
That "be" because Trump has persevered and weathered the the storm and every lie designed to beat him (and the rest of us) down. Now THEY are on the run. When the GOP wins the mid-terms, they are DONE. Trump lowers the Boom we've been waiting for.
Liberator posted on 2018-09-18 12:49:29 Reply Private Reply
#19: Liberator To: goldilucky (#4)
HOAXES. (Both the degree and contrived "derogatory" symbolism. AND selective the "Freedom of Speech" you deem unacceptable as the entire Left and its Media Machine are constantly inciting violence).
The Left is lying, dictating and creating lying narratives and bogeymen. The Left is demonizing groups that threaten their monopoly on power. This is a classic case of "BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY".
Unfortunately some well-meaning people are getting trawled by their net of deception. Like you.
Liberator posted on 2018-09-18 12:55:39 Reply Private Reply