Army General Bans Shaka Sign in Iraq

[lurkah]

The thumb-and-pinkie salute, a ubiquitous symbol of pride, heritage and greeting in Hawai'i, was banned at Camp Victory (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050812/NEWS08/508120364/1001) guard stations after a National Guard soldier mistakenly flashed a shaka to a senior officer instead of a salute.

[HaolewaiianGirl]

The thumb-and-pinkie salute, a ubiquitous symbol of pride, heritage and greeting in Hawai'i, was banned at Camp Victory (http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050812/NEWS08/508120364/1001) guard stations after a National Guard soldier mistakenly flashed a shaka to a senior officer instead of a salute.

Oh that's sad, but funny. Funny that he threw shaka at a senior officer. LOL! Hey, shaka is kinda like a salute in the islands. That guy has no sense of humor.

[cezanne]

It is kinda funny. At least it's not banned entirely. I imagine there will be a few rule-breakers... it's something that some of us do naturally.

[newroots]

that is funny.

[kimo55]

as da pepah points out, should not have been banned. instead the soldier shoulda been commaned to drop and give em 200 pushups. But to inhibit a cultural thingy li dat!?
for erryone?

[Palolo Joe]

The paper didn't point it out - it was the opinion of a soldier based in Iraq.

"Yeah, the story has gotten around. Kinda ridiculous," said one Hawai'i soldier who didn't want to be named because he could face repercussions. "The general is totally in the wrong by banning the shaka, when he should have smoked the soldier instead. A coupla hundred pushups would have been better than banning the shaka."

What will be even more ridiculous is if a Hawaii-based soldier actually gets court martialed for flashing a shaka to someone else.

[1stwahine]

Army General needs a WHACK WHACK in his head!

[adrian]

This is yet another blow to the Hawaiians (both by blood and local).

[Glen Miyashiro]

The Army has toned down (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Aug/13/ln/508130322.html) its position on shaka signs.

A ranking Hawai'i National Guard commander in Iraq said his soldiers still can use the shaka among themselves, but they also need to show senior leaders they are a well-disciplined unit by adhering to a new ban on the greeting when they are on duty, and at their duty sites.

[1stwahine]

The Army has toned down (http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Aug/13/ln/508130322.html) its position on shaka signs.

Now, that makes more sense. ;)

auntie lynn

[Keith H.]

Apparently our "mates" in Australia are having similar controversies (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050819/ap_on_re_au_an/australia_no_mates_2) down under:

[Pikake]

Yeah, my husband and I had that discussion too! My husband was long time with the 100th BN - Go For Broke. Apparently, the SHAKA is being seen as an under cover salute :eek: . When you are out in the field (especially in war time) you cannot salute the officers or else you'd be "signaling" to the enemy that it's feeding time for whomever is hungry for a superior. I mean - what the hell?! That's what comes with being a military soldier - No Freedom! Not even the freedom to represent with the Shaka, go figure.