Is giving someone the 'OK' sign with your hand hate speech? Thursday, the Anti-Defamation League added the 'OK' hand sign to the database of hate symbols, citing white supremacy concerns.
However, after a quick search on Google, one can see that the hand sign is everywhere.... from NBA players after making a three-point shot, to a Pepsi Commercial, and even your IPhone's 'okay' Emoji.
"Hate speech is a social category that folks use to identify hateful ideologies in their expression," said Patrick File, Assistant Professor of Media Law at the Reynolds School of Journalism. "It is not a legal category that is not protected by the First Amendment."
That means anybody can legally do anything they want with their hands, as long as it doesn't incite violence. Other signs and symbols are more ubiquitous, though.
"Everything is contextual," said Lonnie L. Feemster, President of the Reno/Sparks NAACP.
Feemster says showing the hand signal is fine as long as the intent behind it is clean.
"If we know someone is trying to support or indicated with the white supremacy movement, then of course it would be offensive," he said.
Northern Nevadans agree. Most feel that getting 'white power' from the hand gesture is too far fetched.
"I just think it's ridiculous to start assigning those sorts of values to a symbol that people have used for a long time to say 'I'm okay,' or 'we're okay,'" said Debra Lechner .
"It's always meant something different to me," said Ken Zimmerman. "I find it odd that people can take over a symbol and now we can't use it."
These Northern Nevadans say they will not change their hand habits.
"No," said Lechner.
"Absolutely not," said Zimmerman. "It doesn't mean anything negative to me. When I flash this, I'm saying 'okay.'"
