No? Then Let Me Turn It up for You
Mood:  a-ok
Now Playing: something from the Knights in Satan's Service
Okay, so it's cute enough that the Bush family's "Hook 'em, Horns!" hand gestures at yesterday's inaugural parade were widely interpreted in Norway as a sign of devil-worship. After all, how would your average godless Norwegian know that we University of Texas Longhorn fans and alumni have been using that gesture for a half-century? But how does the local CBS affiliate here in Austin approach this amusing story?

This afternoon, KEYE reporter Julie Simon goes and interviews "international hand gesture expert" Jurgen Streeck, who helpfully observes that:

"It just confirms stereotypes that people already have and reinforces negative views."

What the hell is that supposed to mean?! What, is this culture and our government perceived around the world as actual Satan-worshippers? What nonsense! Is that a stereotype that "people" have ---or is that just Streeck's own particular view of his host country?

How about if ---just this once--- the fault of ignorance isn't ours? Norwegians don't understand some hand gesture used by sports fans at an American university? Really? I don't understand why Norwegians are [shocked] and [confused] by something thats context is pretty obvious. Let's see: the Bush family wasn't flashing that gesture at any other group of parade participants before or after the marching band from the University of Texas went by ---replete with enormous displays of long horns--- but they chose to do so only then because that would be the perfect opportunity to profess reverence for the Prince of Darkness? Am I to believe this? Are Norwegians actually that imaginationally stunted?

Simon continues:

And since one of the meanings [of that gesture] has to do with the Devil, Streeck says, before flashing any hand gesture, one might want to think about how it could be interpreted half a world away.

What? And forfeit my right to practice my local and tribal customs? Somebody, get me the UN!

Simon also says:

The "Hook 'em, Horns!" sign, for hundreds of thousands of people, is really the ultimate symbol of school pride. But with the ever-increasing negative perception of Americans around the world, many say this misunderstanding is the last thing we needed.

No, Julie, the last thing we needed was for you to take a funny story and make it into this hour's reason to blame America ---and those uncouth Texans, in particular--- for being insensitive to The Other.

Me, I'm just itching to show an Arab the sole of my shoe.