Virginia is for Gangstas...Holla!

So my friend and I were talking this morning in my workstation. Last night my boss set up a "Virginia is for Lovers" bumper sticker near my personal effects. So my friend read it and then she remembered hearing about Virginia's new promotional campaign that used a new hand gesture to make a heart. It was an awkward hand gesture if you ask me, the thumbs pushed together and the pointer fingers curving to make a heart, but all the other fingers up in the air, like so...

It's not too unlike the way friendly members of Gangster Disciples like to say 'hello' to each other, like so...

Their faces have been blotted out because they aren't models paid by the Virginia tourism department, they are actual gangsta youth, spreading the message of gangsta love.

My favorite part in the article (that is attached below) was when the president of the state tourism marketer, Alisa Bailey said, “We are taking this seriously, but just because someone in another culture uses the symbol inappropriately or for some other reason, I find it almost offensive that we would change our campaign.”
Offensive, possibly, but I think the public would be more offended that their state tourism decided to try to get them hooked on a gang symbol. I don’t agree with gangs, but I don’t think you should equip the public with an easy way to get killed either.
You never know when a Virginian might be on the shady streets of Chicago and decide to jokingly do the ‘Virginia is for Lovers’ gang sign and unknowingly be within the visual range of a member of the Gangster Disciples.
Oh and my other favorite part was when it stated that they thought the gang was limited to South Carolina, because things that happen in Virginia never get noticed in South Carolina. A gang symbol by any other name would still get you shot. State tourism should never try to make any hand gesture a part of their marketing campaign. Whether used by gang members or teenagers (young adults in my social circle) hand gestures are rarely ever a good thing.


http://hamptonroads.com/node/312491