Skinhead

[D.A.L.U.I.]

There's this loopy woman at our church that told me with all seriousness that she's afraid of me because I look like Saddam.  Two weeks ago, I was talking to these people that I'd just met, and she walks up, and proceeds to ask me if I've blown up any planes lately.  She also wanted to know where my sheet was.  (Please don't blame Christians for stupidity;  I'm NOT saying that you're doing that).  I just give this woman a 's)wide birth and figure that she's a nut job!  (Worse yet, I think that she's in her late 60's, early 70's).

I don't think this has a thing to do w/ religion--whatever creed--this woman is as you put it nicely, loopy.  There are crazy people in churches everyday, we had a woman who somehow brought her dog into our church this morning.  Well behaved lady and mutt, but--considering it is an Episcopal church--I couldn't resist asking the priest on the way out if we're going to start ordaining dogs next.  He laughed loud and hard on that one.  At least for now, it doesn't appear that the church will make the headlines for animal ordinations--but that's only a short term prediction.   No your church doesn't have a lock on loonies---and God must love them, consider how many he made.

Finally Bubba, being called Saddam--it's not yours alone.  About two years ago while working as an attorney for the City, one guy in negotiations called me Saddam too.  Nice thing, though, he's now in Federal prison on other charges brought by the US Attorney.  So, I think that's a plus for this "Saddam,"  I really do.

[wpruitt]

---and God must love them, consider how many he made.

Or He wants to insure a steady stream of people to keep committee meetings lively !

[Jodah777]

Be extra nice to all people, especially people darker than you, and nobody will think you're a skinhead.

[KentBaldGuy]

The neo-Nazis, and their political arm in the UK, the BNP tend more to a full head of hair these days in order to appear more mainstream.

I must say that in the ten years (on and off) I have been sly, I have have never been openly accused of being a skinhead or even being racist. For all I know there may have been people over that time who thought it (and they are welcome to their thoughts) but it has never ever been said out loud.

I add my vote to the smiling, the chatting to people, and the acts of kindness. It disarms the nervous very quickly, and I have have talked to far more people of all ages since I went sly than I ever did when I wore hair.

Tony

[The Noggin]

The neo-Nazis, and their political arm in the UK, the BNP tend more to a full head of hair these days in order to appear more mainstream.

Same tendency here in Germany.
Whenever I see some of them, however, I am reminded of the old saying: "True ugliness comes from within!"

[D.A.L.U.I.]

The neo-Nazis, and their political arm in the UK, the BNP tend more to a full head of hair these days in order to appear more mainstream.

Same tendency here in Germany.
Whenever I see some of them, however, I am reminded of the old saying: "True ugliness comes from within!"

This ilk in the Southern States still wear sheets in all the pictures we see, so it's hard to tell what their hairstyle is.

[Klibese]

I shaved my head once in High School for a project I'd been working on (Where I saw myself in ten years... Ironically, LOL, it was dead-on).  As you can expect with teenagers of any day (THen the late 90s), I had a few people call me skinhead outright or tell me they had friends that would beat me up if they ever so much as saw me, just for shaving my head!  I was pretty much the nicest, clean-mouthed person then, too, so it really was depressing.

When I was 26 I worked for a Hotel Barge cruise that was operating in the States.  Far less clean mouthed but I was still a polite, professional human being.  My Boss, however, was very, very put off by the head, confrotning me on more than one occaison (Even once when I was otherwise busy helping guests off the barge).  Six months later I quit, tired of the constant attitude that I was some sort of racist, tired of peope treating me like crap and leaping at every chance to discredit me and "get out of their home."

Ignorant people are out there.  By nature, their minds aren't going to change.  It's as much human nature as it was to have to deal with bullies in school if you didn't care to be into what was popular.  ARK is a good mindset, but I belive it should be stressed that it's something that should only be done for yourself, done because it's what you believe is -right-.   Self-righteousness is, after all, just another form of ignorance.

So be strong, Brother.  You're far from alone.

[CarlCarl]

I'm 22 years old and pale skinned so I was really worried that people would label me a racist.  So for a while I acted really nice, particularly to minorities.  But I quickly realized that almost NOBODY assumes I'm racist. The only time I've heard skinhead is when friends are joking around.

Don't dress like a thug/punk/hick, don't glare at people, and remember your social niceties (hello, thank you, etc) and no one will think your a skinhead. I don't think its good advice to act extra nice to specific people.  Just treat everyone the same.

[phigg]

Since more black guys are sly than white guys (at this point), are they supposed to be skinheads too?
It's just stupidity. And ruditity. (yeah I made that word up just now )

Ain't it great?  You try to do something to make yourself look better, and yet so many elements of society seem to WANT you to look like bozo the clown. I guess it makes them feel better about themselves to put others down or oppress others. Well,  screw them - I refuse to have a hairy toilet seat around my head!

Maybe they should get some of their own medicine: 
If an overweight person said that to me, I'd say, "No, are you a spokesperson for Weight Watchers?";  if a black guys says that, I'll say, "Yeah right, me and Michael Jordan, and ({name about 10 other black sly guys};  if I couldn't find anything specific to pick back on, I might say, "I thought people who rode the short bus were not allowed to talk to strangers.."   etc..   

People who are rude are generally so because they lack the human capacity for empathy.  A little turning of the tables can be quite an educational experience for them!  I would never pick on someone without being provoked, of course.

Of course, it helps if you don't have a swastika tattoo'd on your pate! 

[tomgallagher]

Half, if not more, of the black guys in the NBA and the NFL shave their heads. Does that make them racists.?

[CliffCoultas]

I've been called a skinhead and I've been mistaken for a black guy. Identity crisis. Help! Maybe it's the combat boots when am walking and the ODB bumpin when I'm in the truck.

[BaldWriterBob]

Just remember to smile and be nice to your neighbors. 

[yep_yep]

These stories are great for making me even more self-conscious about balding... 

[KC]

I'm pleased to say that no one has ever called me "skin head".  My hairstyle is part of my persona, but doesn't define me. 

[KentBaldGuy]

Just remember all skinheads have shaved heads, but not all shaved heads belong to skinheads!! In the year and a half I have been shaving, I have never met this reaction.