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Election 2008

In Historic Moment, White People Exposed To 'Fist Bump" for First Time

By Katie Halper, KatieHalper.com. Posted June 6, 2008.


The Obama pound, exchanged between Michelle and Barack on Tuesday night, marked a historic moment.

The Obama pound, exchanged between Michelle and Barack on Tuesday night, marked a historic moment. Yeah, there's that whole first black nominee for president thing. But more significant, is the fact that the greeting which has been described by confused white journalists as a "fist bump," "closed-fist high-five," "a frat-tastic fist bump" and a "'Hezbollah' style fist-jabbing" is finally being introduced to mainstream culture. The introduction of "The Pound" into our national vocabulary will have ripple effects. It already has. People previously unfamiliar "the pound" are seeing the world in a whole new way. For instance, they should now realize that when the New York Times' Ashley Parker wrote about Reggie Love "offering closed-fist high-fives to members of the news media." she was not describing a painful caveman greeting, but said pound. (I think the Times owes Reggie a correction.) I can't find an official history or definition of the pound, but here is what I found on Ubrandictionary.com

  1. pound: a greeting between two mutual friends. In reality, a fist from one person is "pounded" against the fist of the other person, accompanied by both persons saying "pound."
  2. Pound: The knocking of fists as a form of greeting, departure, or respect see daps
  3. Dap: The knocking of fists together as a greeting, or form of respect. He gave me a dap when we greeted.
  4. dap: a fist-on-fist greeting, front-to-front as if each person is punching each other on the hand. He gave me a dap when we greeted
  5. dap: The Dap includes simple to very intricate series of rhythmic hand slaps, clasps, hand and arm gestures exchanged between two persons as a sign of personal greeting, respect and group solidarity. Has origin in greetings developed and practiced by members of Black Power organizations founded in southern California in the early 1970s and then became common place and outlawed practice among African-American draftees and soldiers stateside and abroad during the latter years of the Vietnam War. Was soon adopted by huge duck bill cap, suspender and knicker attired African-American street and club dancers who originated the dance known as "Lockstepping." Best known Lock Stepper is Fred Barry aka Rerun from the hit 1970s black TV sitcom, "What's Happenin'?" simplest of Daps is to tap closed fists together one time horizontally or vertically.

Digg!

See more stories tagged with: obama pound, michelle obama, barack obama

Katie Halper is a co-founder of Laughing Liberally, one of the national directors of Living Liberally and artistic director and comedy curator at The Tank. Katie blogs regularly for the Huffington Post, Working Life, Culture Kitchen and the political comedy site 23/6. Katie is working on a documentary about Camp Kinderland, the "Summer Camp with a Conscience."

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Loving Michelle!
Posted by: foreverhope on Jun 6, 2008 12:59 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What a spectacular looking couple! That picture will go down in history. TOOOO CUTE!


BARACK THE VOTE BABY!

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» RE: I have a huge crush on her. Posted by: Longdream
» RE: Loving Michelle! Posted by: ot
» RE: Loving Michelle! Posted by: Longdream
Sorry, this comment has been removed from the system.
» A little education for OT Posted by: Kym525
» THE WILD LIFE (1984) Posted by: DR. LARRY MITCHELL
Oh c'mon
Posted by: Stayne on Jun 6, 2008 3:03 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm white as freakin' white bread and I've been pounding my homies for years.

...

Maybe I should make that sound less gay.

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» RE: Oh c'mon Posted by: FAITHCARR
» That was funny! Posted by: rancespergl
» RE: Oh c'mon Posted by: athurlow
» RE: Oh c'mon Posted by: donnee
» RE: Oh c'mon Posted by: Kaykay
pound
Posted by: elgeck0 on Jun 6, 2008 3:07 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I didn't see it, was it similar to the "Dude, you're getting a Dell" fist-tap from several years ago? Even I remember that.

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Please...
Posted by: Moira61 on Jun 6, 2008 3:16 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm as white as Elmers glue and I've known about the fist bump for years. Geez...we're not all clueless. And I think your missing the point, it's not the fist bump but the look in Michelle's eyes that tell the story here; these two are crazy about each other. It's always a rush to see a couple in love. God bless them both.

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» RE: Please... Posted by: elf
» RE: Please... Posted by: K_for_Kansas
» RE: Please... Posted by: Bozwell
What a racist post
Posted by: Libsrule on Jun 6, 2008 3:40 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I've been fist bumping for decades and I have yet to know ANYONE who doesn't know or hasn't used that little gesture?

Just because reporters are not quite sure how to describe it hardly qualifies the headlines which are just so racist as to be unbelievable.

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» RE: What a racist post Posted by: bc430
» RE: What a racist post Posted by: Sushi
» RE: What a racist post Posted by: Dallas Suz
» RE: What a racist post -- NOT Posted by: YogiBear
Gotta Agree- Baseless, Questionable post
Posted by: Purple Girl on Jun 6, 2008 4:37 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Another White girl who sucks at sports and can't keep a Beat and I Know that Gesture!
So No introduction necessary. So wheres that Rock you crawled out from (WV ,KY)- could you go back and encourage the others to Come Out Too?They're like the Rock the Mafia ties around someones neck to Sink them or at the very least like the perverbial 'Ball & Chain' around OUR Country's leg

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Welcome to the 3rd World, America!
Posted by: ot on Jun 6, 2008 4:42 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Little more needs to be said.

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What a hoot!
Posted by: PJAW on Jun 6, 2008 4:52 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
No doubt we're going to see a rash of knuckle injuries all across the land as all the idiot sticks among us attempt this "new" form of greeting.

I agree that Barack and Michelle look very much in love and are a strikingly beautiful couple with equally beautiful values.

No doubt all the Aryan supremicists are squirming in indescribable discomfort as people like Barack and Tiger Woods put the lie to America's only recently eliminated anti-miscegenation laws. Who they are and what they're accomplishing is testament to what good can come from "racial intermingling".

I can't help but hope that we are emerging from a 40 year national nightmare and are on the verge of getting America back on track toward its promise of greatness.

(For those who may not have lived through or remember it, the "60's" had established a national trend until many of the best and brightest were taken from us and we ended up with Richard Nixon in the White House. If you do even a cursory search, you'll see that many of the players that corrupted our government back then, have continued to recycle through the system since. A strong endorsement for a thorough cleaning after this Bush mess. If they're not going to be impeached, then I hope they're at least charged and prosecuted for their crimes after.)

But to end on a positive note, yes, Barack the vote!

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» RE: What a hoot! Posted by: Longdream
» RE: avatar_singh LET IT GO! Posted by: Cynic13
Bump nothing new to some whites!
Posted by: grammytx4 on Jun 6, 2008 4:59 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I was not surprised or shocked by the "bump" as they called it. We have the same kind of thing when we are saying ""right on" or "good job", only we call it "nuckles". So what's the big deal? All peoples from different walks of life use this as a form of good will. Let's get past the color thing and join together as one people, there is power in unity Thanks!

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"In Historic Moment, White People Exposed To 'Fist Bump" for First Time"...
Posted by: ABetterFuture on Jun 6, 2008 5:28 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
...and respond in kind with a paint-by-number illustration on the use of cruise control?

Just thought I'd throw my two pence out there into sillyland, too. It's an interesting, unusual destination where reality takes a backseat to snideness.

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bright
Posted by: brer on Jun 6, 2008 5:31 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Ha! Another fist bump here:
http://a2.vox.com/6a00b8ea067a51dece00e398afe2aa0004-320pi

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Stop the Presses
Posted by: ty111 on Jun 6, 2008 5:54 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This article was meant tongue in cheek, right?

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» RE: Stop the Presses Posted by: Longdream
George Bush
Posted by: Dboy on Jun 6, 2008 5:59 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"Fist bump". Ok, I admit that's a new vocabulary word for me. Fine. My question is, what's the proper term for that move that George Bush made with Laura when he patted her on the ass on camera? Surely there's a word for that?

dboy

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» RE: George Bush Posted by: Moira61
What?
Posted by: RedFoxOne on Jun 6, 2008 6:05 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Are you kidding me. I have been a skateboarder for 20+ years and skateboarders have always used that "fist bump" gesture as a "job well done" for landing that trick.

Ultimate Anonymity

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Fist Pump
Posted by: alternetreader3 on Jun 6, 2008 6:07 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm guessing that this author has never seen the incredibly popular show "Deal or No Deal"

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» RE: Fist Pump Posted by: Turiye
Has this author seen any sports in the last 20 years?
Posted by: sg on Jun 6, 2008 6:37 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Sporting figures are more popular than politicians and they've been "fist-bumping" for years. Everyday, white, black and Latin baseball players "fist-bump" about 37 times per game. I didn't count the number of "fist-bumps" in the NBA finals last night but there were lots, including white players (gasp). And I thought Bush was out of touch. "What $4 gas?"

Speaking of which, did anyone see Bush give that chest-bump? I wonder if there'll be a post about a secret white chest-bumping scheme that has yet to be introduced to the mainstream?

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where have people been?
Posted by: bomec on Jun 6, 2008 6:51 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Down at the Fitness Center at the Y, guys greet each other with the fist bump all the time. Either that, or the curved finger handshake, sometimes accompanied by a quick backslap hug. All these gestures seem to me to be a way for guys to express greeting, approval, affection, even physical intimacy in a totally non-threatening, non-suggestive way.

I thought it was cute as hell when the Obamas did it. Kind of like a goof on sports behavior but full of affection and approval of each other. It was so simple and affectionate and loving. What a superb couple they are!

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ga
Posted by: georgiatim22 on Jun 6, 2008 7:18 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What's with the 'HEZBOLA" comment? Let's guess where it came from. "FAUX NOISE", RUSHBO, HANNITY, ANY OF THE WINGNUTS who pollute the airwaves daily. I'm waiting to see their faces when they stammer and stutter on election night. WE need a REVOLT this year to save our country from the pollution spewing over the airwaves day and night. Unfortunately an inordinate amount of citizens believe every word they hear/read. GA

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» RE: ga Posted by: Dboy
» RE: ga Posted by: Dboy
» RE: ga Posted by: luckypuck
My frist,
Posted by: linecrosser on Jun 6, 2008 7:33 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
1974, near the end of the movie, "Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry" just before the car hits the train in a fireball, Larry (Peter Fonda) and his mechanic Deke Sommers (Adam Roarke) bump fists. They did it slow enough to make sure that thumbs touched as a way of sealing the deal. Often credit is given when any behavior becomes popular. Rap has been credited to the black culture, IMHO singer Lou Reed was the first rapper, he did however do it slow enough to be understood the first listening. Is the speed that makes a difference?

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» Wham, Bam, Thank-you Ma'am Posted by: 2dogarage
» Walk on the wild side Posted by: 2dogarage
there's no way....
Posted by: sg on Jun 6, 2008 7:37 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
this will be seen as some racial issue. It will only be seen by anyone who hasn't been in a coma for the past 20 years, as overt race-baiting.

Those who think fist-bumping is a black thing are utterly, completely, hopelessly, clueless. It's also speaks to why so many progressives have a hard time speaking to "ordinary people." -- they think they're above popular culture.

The reason this is a non-issue is because just about EVERYONE, including Fox News watchers (Fox has more sports programming than anything else, know that fist-bumping is more common than player patting each other's asses. I don't know the precise origin of the fist-bump but I think it's safe to assume that fist-bumping was invented by atheletes who were trying to come up with something new to replace the hi-five.

In fact, saying fist-bumping is a black thing is like saying hi-fiving is a black thing. It's like saying holding up the peace sign is a black thing. It's like saying spitting in baseball is a black thing.

People ignorant of fist-bumping is the equivalent of someone saying: who's elvis presley? what's rap music? who's brittney spears?

Maybe if progressives stopped acting some damn elitist and holier-than-thou and start speaking to people where they are instead of preaching to them from on high, we might get somewhere.

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» RE: there's no way.... Posted by: Longdream
» RE: there's no way.... Posted by: vivachavez
» RE: there's no way.... Posted by: andrewells134
this post should have been titled....
Posted by: sg on Jun 6, 2008 7:50 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In a historic moment, comatose white "progressives" are exposed to what everyone in America has known and seen for 20 years.

Newsflash: fist-pounding is not the same thing as "gimme some skin, brother" greeting. It began as the athletes way of saying: "nice job." And there's not a fist-bumping white person in America who thinks they are "imitating" black culture because fist-bumping was NOT INVENTED BY BLACK PEOPLE; nor is it universal among black folks.

In fact, I'll go so far as to say that more white people, by far, fist bump than do black folks.

So lemme see if I got this straight: white people can do something all the time for years (fist-bumping) but when a popular black person does it, all of a sudden is a "new" black thing? Gee, I wonder why that is?

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Howie Mandel
Posted by: Betty1950 on Jun 6, 2008 8:01 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I was thinking the same thing, alternetreader3. Howie Mandel has been using the "fist bump" for YEARS. With his germaphobia he prefers to use it rather than hugging. I didn't realize it was such a big deal.

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Re: Fist Bump
Posted by: jobypoet on Jun 6, 2008 8:02 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Really, this is news to white people?!! Apparently, no one watches "Deal or No Deal", or the scores of other examples where the fist bump has been prominent. Wow! If this is news, people need to get out more!

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The Slate piece was more interesting... no offense, Alternet
Posted by: DaBear on Jun 6, 2008 8:05 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Kinda bizarre that the simple dap got so much press. Well, maybe not that bizarre considering the state of the MSM and the owning class these days... buncha stoopid f*ckers making up the extinction event as they go.

OTOH, nice to know I'm not as uncool as my daughter thinks I am. Skate and surf rats have been doing the dap for decades... at least I learned it from other skaters when I was a kid and surfers were using daps in the 1990s when I started that gig. I still get called "shah, that old dude" though.

Back to our regularly scheduled brainwashings...

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Is AKA The Rock
Posted by: traynor on Jun 6, 2008 8:35 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
and the fact that this is a news story (even at Alternet) illustrates just how deprived the US media is...

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White people, don't be so defensive
Posted by: Kym525 on Jun 6, 2008 9:03 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This article is merely a response to the idiocy propounded by Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh who went ballistic at the Obama's "dap". The article is poking fun at those folks who believe that this is a "black thing" and therefore somehow insulting. For the rest of us, we've all seen the "dap" and its variants many times before.

What we should all be talking about is how BEAUTIFUL this couple is. Barack is class personnified and I am proud to call him my party's nominee and soon-to-be President of the United States. He has ALWAYS given Hilary Clinton her due and has had nothing but praise for her, no matter how horrendous she behaved towards him. Michelle Obama is the kind of feminist I admire 100%. She's no stepford wife like Laura Bush and Cindy McCain. She's gorgeous, intelligent, funny and strong--in short all the qualities that would not only make a wonderful first lady, but one hell of a president. And don't you rabid feminists who are still pissed off about Hilary come after me because I mentioned looks, because Michelle Obama's dark skin doesn't fit into this society's habit of placing white women on the beauty pedestal.

The Obama "dap". Rock on!

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» RE: I love Barack. Posted by: Longdream
» She's the shizzle.../nm Posted by: kimbari
Deal or no deal?
Posted by: jatca69 on Jun 6, 2008 9:21 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I had no idea Howie Mandel was black.

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» RE: Deal or no deal? Posted by: Tat106
Obama transcends petty "race" perspectives
Posted by: zooeyhall on Jun 6, 2008 9:45 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am annoyed at how the author of this article apparently sees/judges everything through the "race" perspective.

Obama has his support because so many people believe in his message and want change.

I live in Nebraska, and attended the Democratic caucus. Remember both Nebraska and Iowa are overwhelmingly white and rural but they gave Obama huge support and the early victories that were so important to his campaign.

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I have been white for 52 years.....
Posted by: Turiye on Jun 6, 2008 10:25 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Everybody I know or have known and hopefully am likely to meet knows what "Pound It" is!!!
Maybe because I'm from Philly, I seriously doubt that tidbit, though....

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laughter....
Posted by: svlaws on Jun 6, 2008 10:47 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
White people apparently don't get "sarcasm" either, which is what this article is...

The author rightly mocks the media for being clueless AS USUAL when attempting to describe "the black experience". What I'm sure most readers have understood from this piece is that the "American experience" is inclusive.

Communities transcend...the hapless "journalists" are the only ones still insisting that we have more differences than commonalities. Don't listen to them!

And for the love of all sanity, please find anyone who reads Human Events and talk some sense into them!

PEACE

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RESPECT KNUCKLES
Posted by: mattcoa on Jun 6, 2008 11:18 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
They're called respect knuckles, and as the name implies, its a show of respect. If anybody sees this gesture between Obama and his wife as being too urban, black, or whatever, then ther're probably a racist or prejudice in some other way, and are unlikely to vote Obama anyways. So who cares what they think.

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if this was sarcasm, I missed it because...
Posted by: sg on Jun 6, 2008 11:32 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
of this line: "...is finally being introduced to mainstream culture." I took that to mean that the author is saying the "fist-pound," as confused as some journalists may be, are introducing it to the mainstream, when actually the exact opposite is true. The "fist-pound" is already mainstream. Has been for a long time, which means that those not familiar with the history of dap are the ones meeting mainstream culture for the first time; not the other way around. It's like: mainstream journalist, let me introduce you to the actual mainstream.

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Yo - where's my Posse
Posted by: carbon-based on Jun 6, 2008 1:02 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
great...are we to see Obama wearing his pants halfway down to his knees, sporting Tommy Hilfiger jacket with a boom box on his shoulder.. maybe a pimped out SUV or Airforce1 to shuttle him and his posse around.

Thats what we need - mainstreaming ghetto culture! Something to aspire to!

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» RE: Warning: Ignorant Troll Alert!!! Posted by: carbon-based