Some seem to be bothered by my raising certain issues so I will make this as brief as possible.
Bill, you are 100% correct! Civil Rights Legislation is definitely needed, but you are also correct stating that nothing will come of it since it requires work on the behalf of many to lobby the Government to pass nondiscriminatory laws.
it took years for African-Americans to gain civil rights in the south as well as many of these aforementioned groups that have been previously mentioned.
Long Haired Men could do the same, but I tend to agree with you it does not look like it's gonna happen anytime soon
To Michael ''Strong Bear'' Taylor ,
Dude, you would not even have to even ask for opinions on whether to cut or not to cut your hair for a job if such legislation was ever passed. think about it.
To James in Tampa: Violence is not the solution, my friend. it will only land you some time in a jail cell.
it's better to organize in your state and write your state representatives and keep on them until they are willing to listen. Be assertive and stand firm, but refrain from violence including violent rhetoric.
To Hairball and Absalom: you two seem like you would make great leaders in this civil rights struggle and I would highly suggest you consider organizing some type of group(s) online for starters for these common goals.
change doesn't happen overnight and it's only with persistence and large numbers of people that change comes about
three people protesting won't get you anywhere, but if 300,000+ show up in Washington D.C. protesting for Men's Long Hair rights it will make a HUGE difference!
imagine the Media coverage of such a historic event!!
make your voices be LOUD and CLEAR and DO NOT let them ignore you because it is a civil right and one which you all should pursue as a group, and not try to take on individually!
Good luck in your fight for freedom for Men`s Long Hair rights!
Respectfully,
LongHairFromTexas
Relax, it's just hair. What if you suddenly go bald ? Plus there's so more important rights to fight for in this poor world than the rights of the long hair men. See : you have access to water, to electricity, to the internet, you have the right to buy your own house, your own car, your own computer, you have the right to eat as much as you want, you have the right to not to go to war, to talk, to write. Go to north korea, and then tell me more about the rights of the long hair men.
See you,
Vivien.
I have not posted here in some time but I visit the board almost every day....but I had to respond to Vivien's comment about "RELAX, IT'S JUST HAIR".....no its not!!!! to some of us it is very important and I am quite offended about your comment.
Didn't mean to offend anyone, but keep in mind : Just because we're living in so-called 'civilized and developed' countries, we must not forget that a great majority of the world fight for more important things than hair, even if hair can be viewed as a way to express oneself. Just not the same scale.
Vivien.
I'll fight for my hair - the world can do as it wishes.
Issues tied with identity are not superficial. It sounds like you don't particularly identify with having long hair. Many here on this board do, however, and when that is threatened by bigots and employers hung up with a 1950s "Leave it to Beaver" mentality, it angers us.
This is one of the key purposes of this board: to provide a bulwark against this discrimination and a place where longhairs can garner support in their fight against it.
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I fully agree Jason as there is nooooo way I look at my mane as .....eh, it's just hair.Almost like if I was told to cut it tomorrow I'd then say why not today as "it's just hair".Sorry Vivien, you are an awesome guy but I have to totally disagree on this point.I know there are people with real problems in this world but that's how I feel.I have to feel good about myself and my hair does that for me.Cheers
Mark
No need to be sorry ;-) Different opinions, that's all.
Vivien.
They are not, indeed. (I'm being picky haha =) What if you are severely burn on the head and you have no hair anymore. Are you still... you ?)
But come on. It sounds like some of you are going to create the equivalent of Black Panthers for Long Hair Men. Plus the message from LongHairfromTexas sounds a lot like Martin Luther King's "I have a dream".
Stopping here, otherwise the Godwin point will be attributed very soon.
Vivien.
If I lost my arm or my leg in an accident, I would still be me but that doesn't mean I'd feel whole. If my hair suffered such an unfortunate fate, I would take some solace in the fact that I could begin regrowing it ASAP.
I'm pretty militant about defending my right to have long hair. Do I find discrimination against longhairs as abhorrent as racial bias? No, but that doesn't mean it's acceptable.
Nope, no Nazi comparisons from me; just emphasizing that this board exists to help longhairs in any and all aspects of intolerance they may face.
Just stopping by quickly but see you never responded to my posting far below, so here it is again. Now I know that you will see it this time.
Hi! :-)
Though I was on this board for many years and even the First President, it is getting rarer and rarer that I have a chance to visit. No longer aware of all that is going on. Oh well, that is what "retirement brings I guess." LOL
I noticed that you post alot, but no avatar? It helps everyone to see the members photos and this would be a GREAT way for you to be able to do hair updates and fun!
Just a suggestion, post one today and have it appear on your postings, and then perhaps change in another 6 months. Wow, you will be AMAZED at how well your hair is doing, and this MLHH being all about long hair is always thrilled at someones progress and success.
Justin~
just kind of busy this week.
The only place in the USA with a law protecting 'hair style' is DC. I can't be fired for my hair!
How did it come about? To protect black people with cornrows from discrimination. The city is majority black, so any employer not hiring black people would have difficulty finding employees atall, and there were of course already laws against that, but it was becoming a real problem that the kind of employers who were bigots were trying to stop black people from having black hair styles.
My point is we need to unite with minority groups in general to get anywhere atall. United we stand, divided we fall.
I totally agree with the above statement elektros. Perhpas a very large class action suit to cover all of the minority groups that face discrimination is needed. United together they would be a very strong force. The only minority that do not face discrimination are in general the super-rich corporate and political 'elite' who run America.
Duncan
I like the idea of this message but there is one point that bothers me. African-Americans? What a thoughtless and stupid term! Not all Africans are negroid! I wouldn't call a Tunisian person an African-American, would you? Heck, even some people from Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia look more caucasian than they do negroid. If you called a Tunisian person African-American they would be quite offended or think you're pretty dense upstairs! Why not call these racial negroids the name that describes them best: black people! Frankly, I don't give a damn if you call me politically incorrect, it's better to be called that term than stupid! J.M.M.
I loathe this term. I am white. I am also African American (whatever the hell that term means) because I was born in South Africa but my parents returned to the United States shortly after I was born. I am an American citizen born in Africa.
I find the term demeaning and racist. As if black people need some special term for their race. Black and white people are completely equal. To come up with some special term is condescending and implies some inherent difference between the races. I've talked to black people about this and many hate the term as well.
Hey friend.
I'm sort of baffled. Honestly.
I find it hard to believe that America is THAT discriminatory towards blokes with long hair and that you (and other long haired fellows in America) need to get this serious about the issue. Is the issue really that huge in America?
Here in England I have had my suspicions that my hair may have stiffled my attempts to get a job, but really it's never been that big a deal - the people who have rejected me in the past are probably losers I would have walked out on anyway because of differences.
Surely, it's about ability and aptitude rather than hair style?
Take care,
Neil.