new thread
Seriously, I am considering starting a Hair Club for local longhairs and anybody who supports us. The purpose of this club will be to ban together against discrimination. Letter writing, petitions, boycotts, whatever.
I already have some fairly good ideas for tee-shirts and bumper stickers.
This is what I'd like from you guys (and girls), ideas for a name, suggestions on legal aspects and problems I may encounter with minors joining. I suspect that high schoolers would be the most enthusiastic since a lot of them are pissed about the school's hair cut policy. I always had a way of relating to teenagers, they usually think I'm a "cool old guy". (I'm just not as boring as most of the people my age.)
I would also like some very honest opinions about just how "hair-brained" this scheme is. If you think this is a totally stupid idea I'd rather hear it from you all than look like a fool irl.
Here is a partial rule list;
1 Don't talk about Hair Club
2 Break rule #1 as often as possible.
I asked for it,
Paul
Hi Paul,
I don't think your idea is hair brained as I'm one for
volunteerism, and starting clubs is one aspect of that.
I'm not sure I remember where about you live and if there are plenty of local longhairs in your area. What your thinking of undertaking is not an easy simple thing and more work than you may think. Volunteering as MLHH Prez often consumes large amounts of my time which I'm happy to offer.
The legal end of things may differ from state to state MLHH is registered in California where the laws are a bit more laid back.
Bill Choisser would be great at touching on this but after spending 10 years devoting much time to MLHH he has moved on to other pursuits.
I really don't have much else to offer for advice so lets see what the masses have to say.
Kevin
Thanks Kevin,
There are enough longhairs in Jefferson Co. Alabama but I have also had a lot of support (verbal anyway) from women and men with short hair. Most everybody was aghast when I told them about the school making us trim our sons' hair.
Indeed, I might be biting off more than I can chew and that's one thing I am worried about.
Paul
Hi Paul (and also to Kevin, if he reads this as well),
If I were in your shoes, I'd just let it evolve naturally. Things can have a way of gaining momentum, when the timing is right and the need is there. Also, it can help tremendously to have one or 2 "Patners-in-Crime", so to speak (lol)!! Sounds like you already have an excellent built-in partner who will support you 100%: your wife! It's always good to have someone else to bounce your ideas off of, just in case your ideas might get a little too, ummmm... "HAIR-BRAINED!" (no pun intended - LOL)....
MLHH History in-a-nutshell is basically pretty modest in its early days:
1) MLHH was started by Victor Engel in Texas (see Moderators page for a pic of him as Founder). It was just a hobby that he attached to his website in the mid-'90s ('95, I believe). He actually had an equal or possibly even greater interest in a long beard support group, I've been told, and had a similar discussion board to MLHH; but, fell apart for some reason or other.
2) Bill Choisser became very active w/ Victor's site very early on in MLHH's history, volunteering in countless ways, --- especially w/ his wizardry at computer skills, and also with his legal background. If it weren't for Bill's technical skills and watchful, careful attention to detail in setting up a good moderating system, MLHH probably wouldn't be in existance today.
3) As Victor gradually began to lose interest in his MLHH hobby, more & more regulars realized that MLHH was just too important to see it just fade away, --- and around that time was when Victor agreed to help transfer power over to a Board of Directors that were made out of faithful, hard-working MLHH volunteers that included both Moderators and Technical guys alike.
Kevin, if I'm incorrect on any of the above MLHH info, please don't hesitate to correct me on my "facts!" (LOL)....
There's a lot more details that could be added to my above summary of MLHH's history; but, I'll leave it to others to chime in and add their own comments...
Hope that helps, --- and good longhaired luck down in Alabama!
- Ken in SF
Thanks Ken,
It' always a pleasure. I had no idea that this board was that old, that surprises me. I also had no idea that it even existed until a few weeks ago.
I been researching ideas on starting clubs but I haven't found out a single thing about legal ramifications of minors in the club. Without high school students it would be pointless to even bother with as they are the ones with the most personal reason.
Paul
Maybe you might want to think along the lines of an advocacy group rather than a club. You would essentially take up the cause of defending long hair without having to worry about club membership and minors and all their legal issues.
Aha... the plan takes shape. Excellent idea, Matt.
Thank you,
Paul
This seems to me to be a good idea Paul. Discrimination based on hair length should be illegal. In addition to petitions and boycotts, picketing may be effective. If an employer fires you for not cutting your hair which you patiently spent years growing picketing can be sweet revenge. This will cause some customers to take their business elsewhere. Chase away thousands of dollars in business and they will take notice. AFAIK it is legal too, as long as you are honest. Labour unions have been doing it for years, and it is effective.
Picketing would probably work for school hair discrimination too. A child's hair is part of his own body and it is his God given right as to how long he wants to keep it. It is not the choice of the school board. This happened to me in middle school about 1967. I was a scared little kid then and complied. Back then, kids had far fewer rights and were considered second class citizens.
They also had corporal punishment back then too. One kid (who was a karate black belt) refused corporal punishment. If the school authorities had tried to administer corporal punishment on him, they probably would have ended up seriously injured. To me, that kid was a hero, he stood up to them and won.
Scott
Scott! I was hoping you'd respond to this post, I had thought of picketing too but only if I got enough people interested in it.
I've been carefully considering names, the first hurdle, without a good name I don't think it has a shot.
I've got a lot of ideas such as t-shirts they could wear to school and such. One of the other things I'm in doubt about is money for it. I certainly don't have bundles of it to throw into this, it may be doomed before it starts.
I also think I may need a webpage. I know a couple of people who may know how to do this. I haven't talked to them yet.
The one thing I am not in doubt of is my own enthusiasm.
Much thanks,
Paul
Paul wrote:
Maybe you could put MY PERSON IS MY PROPERTY on one. I'm sure all the conservatives would understand the word "property", and beyond that you could join with everybody else that had a similar gripe about something else (strength in numbers, y'know--everybody help everybody else). And really, it *is* ultimately a property-rights issue--we don't have any need to justify ourselves in something like this.
My Myspace page
Hi Paul
I seemed to have overlooked this thread for some reason so being it has traveled down the board a bit not sure if you'll read my response.The club concept sounds like a neat idea as if I lived near you I'd certainly be interested but hey I'm just another old guy:)LOL.I understand your point on trying to recruit school age kids as they probably would be your biggest supporters in numbers that is.My only concern is kids being kids would they remain dedicated to the cause or tire of it after awhile.You may see a lot of longhaired kids but you have to wonder if you checked back with them in 5 years would all of them be shorthaired.I consider myself a longhair survivor as I've never lost interest and have had longhair for well over 20 years.I can safely say that I see no short haircuts in my future as well.As far as I'm concerned I'll live the rest of my life with lots of hair:)Whatever you decide to do I support you 100% my friend.
mark
Hey Mark,
Thank you for you vote of confidence.
I'm sure a lot of them are just going through a phase but I also believe that if longhair was either praised or even ignored by teachers and administrators more of them would keep it into their adult lives. Most of the people I know growing up who wore it long have cut it and nearly every single time it has been about their job.
Also, the first task of my purposed club (or group) would be to challenge the school board. Participating in that may install enough confidence and pride to reject anyone in their future who says, "get a haircut".
Long live the Hair!
Paul