If you'd rather watch than read:

The media is getting the public whipped up over the last controversy: Baraboo, WI high school students in a prom photo who are "all" showing white supremacy/Nazi signs, including people of color! A petition has been signed by 5,000+ to have the offending students suspended. The community of Baraboo had a meeting condemning the photo and are working to not only demonstrate that Baraboo isn't a hateful place but are also trying to figure out how to deal with any such hate groups there.

In response, my school, Rufus King, put out their own statement showing love:

However, I think we need to keep the backstory in perspective or, more specifically, we need to undistort it. Let me explain.

White Power (and Other) Groups Groom Disaffected Youths

First, apparently, there are some (not just in Baraboo) who are being seduced by the white power movement. It's called grooming. This is nothing new. Young people are easy victims to rhetoric and the tricks of groups that are willing to manipulate them (like political groups, religions, cults, hate groups, spy organizations, entrapment by the FBI, etc.), especially when their parents are so busy earning a living that they don't have time to give their kids enough love and structure. Watch Christian Picciolini on YouTube:

Media Feeding Frenzy?

Second, the media loves to stir up a frenzy, remember, through sensationalism! But, to be fair, it wasn't just the media - individuals posted crazy claims online, including that all +60 students saluted, that they even got "the black kid" to salute, and so on. People are race-baiting, drumming up better sales, following others blindly, etc.

The Photo, Examined Carefully

Here are my observations:

(1) The photographer stated that he told the seniors to wave to their parents (who are behind the camera). It seems unlikely that a professional photographer would ask the students to salute and also release it to the public, especially in front of a large group of adults. The photographer stated that there was no intent to be offensive. There is one student (top right corner) who was interviewed that corroborated that statement, but also said (how he knew this for sure is not clear) that some of the boys DID use the salute. He further stated that juniors didn't wave because they're not leaving [for college]. He also said that one mother was screaming at those boys to stop, but was ignored.

(2) There are several students (~15) who are doing nothing.

(3) Some of the students clearly have their arms bent, several of the hands are slightly cupped and/or the fingers are splayed as many would while naturally waving (rather than straightened), and some have their hands up far too high for the Nazi's "Sieg Heil" salute. In addition, the Nazi sign has the thumb against the hand, not spread out, which - between these factors - eliminates ALMOST ALL of the boys. My apologies if the following images trigger anyone. They are used to demonstrate the angle of the arm and the position of the thumb based on the historical precedent.

(4) At least 2 (top right, 4th & back rows, middle) are using their left hand, 1 is using his thumb and first 2 fingers, and may be Hispanic (middle right, second row, blue bowtie), another appears confused as to what to do with his hand (front row, blue suit, 4th from right), and one boy is using both (4th row, second to the right of "Notice" post). One boy (front row directly under the left corner) has his hand in front of his thigh and it's in the "ok" configuration, but that could also be a marijuana sign (holding a joint)...Or unintentional.

(5) 4 apparently have a raised fist, which could be for white power, but that sign is also a triumphant gesture - you know, the kind you'd make because you're happy you're going to be done with boring school (left end 2nd row, 4th row under left corner of "Notice" sign, 3rd row under right corner of "Notice" sign, and front row directly under him). Let's face it, US education doesn't enthuse a lot of students because it's still largely based on an educational system that's designed like an assembly line from 3 centuries ago.

(6) If the camera is high speed then that explains the apparent lack of movement: high-speed exposure, such as you'd use for action photos, coupled with bright sunlight would not catch most movement in the picture. That would be what a professional would use!

(7) Of the students who are apparently saluting, it is possible that it is a trick of the eye (the human brain is easily fooled by visual stimuli); some may have their hands extended towards the crowd behind the photographer, where parents were located; several have their bodies twisted in a manner inconsistent with the Nazi's salute, arm at the wrong angle, and/or the thumb is incorrect; and some may have their hand as it is simply because of limited space, although that cannot be said of all of them. It is also natural for a person standing behind others, who feels s/he is partially obstructed, to put their hand forward.

The Hand Sinestral

Finally, let's not forget that only about 10% of people are left-handed, so the fact that almost all of the boys are using their right hands is understandable.

How Many Were Involved?

Third, the claim that "all" of the boys were involved, INCLUDING the black boy on the far right and the Hispanic(?) on the front left, is entirely hyperbolic. Take a look at that Baraboo image and read some of the info out there!

Thus, based on what I've shared so far, at least HALF (but, really, almost all) of the students are NOT potentially saluting!

Okay Hand Sign is Hateful?

Finally, the claim that the "ok" hand sign is a white power sign is pretty flimsy. Just because a white supremacist used it in conjunction with Trump doesn't make it so. If I start flipping everyone the bird, does that mean it's an anti-bullying sign because I work for GAB? Should I stop using the "ok" sign when I'm scuba diving because the thumbs-up sign means "go up", for fear I'll be called a racist? I've used the "ok" sign throughout my life and never once has anyone misconstrued it as being associated with anything other than..."okay". Let's not destroy a perfectly decent sign for some publicity.

Conclusion

Shall every photo with people waving - caught at a moment when it looks like some sort of offensive salute - be deemed so? Hyper-sensitivity is, I think, causing us to see what we are predisposed by our biases to see.

I hold accountable the media and those individuals who have deliberately distorted this situation in support of whatever agenda they have. The media should be responsible and neutral instead of routinely trying to stir up trouble. Yellow journalism lives on, as do the Internet trolls. If only a handful of people are ACTUALLY using hate group signs, then this has been very poorly handled, indeed. The only good to come of it are pictures like the one from Rufus King and the action the Baraboo community is taking.

We, as a species, need to stop allowing ourselves to be led by the nose anytime anything sensitive is brought up. We're far too easily manipulated, far too ready to jump to conclusions, and shockingly weak-minded in many cases. All it took me was: don't react as intended, research, observe analytically and make logical conclusions via critical thinking. If most people cannot even do that, it is a sad statement about the human species.

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