fingers crossed different ways?!...

we posted a photo of a couple young men who posed with their fingers twisted in an odd manner. a concerned reader contact me and asked if these were gangtas presenting their gang signs.

this is my reply...

its funny you raise that question. we had a discussion about that in the studio the other day. i inquired to a young designer who works in the studio. gang sign? 'yeah'.

did that bother me? having a photo of someone sporting a hand sign? no. when i was a kid, i wore a black, leather motorcycle jacket. i didn't have a bike, but i felt i looked cool and kinda tough (an important quality growing up as a teenage boy) and so i wore it. years later, i thought about that jacket. it was the same kind of jacket that white motorcycle gangsters wear to this day. and yes, i hung with some guys who also wore similar clothes. but we never behaved in the manner that REAL bikers behave.

i look at many of these young men with the same eye. teens who aren't so secure about themselves. they hang with their boyz. they may drink. they may hang around and they may even give their crew a name. sometimes they may even venture to the legal line with some activities. not acceptable. but not uncommon behaviour while growing up.

don't misunderstand. i am in no way excusing or condoning thug activity. but i am inclined not to make a big issue of boyz in dress shirts crossing their fingers in a certain manner. the vast majority of these young men will grow out of their attempts to be cool and tough and grow into their confidence as they become men.

it is how we as their community treats them that will make the big difference. while it is disappointing to see young impressionable men lean in the direction of thug life, peer pressure and family male role models will make a huge difference. it is the responsibility of everyone in a community not to exclude young people who have the potential to go astray. we should demand these youths be be included and part of the community at all times. because as soon as feel they are no longer part of their community, they cease to feel included and answerable to that community. that's when trouble can begin…