September 10, 2008
What Not to Wear: Red and Blue?
Better dead than red? Some are saying it's one and the same -- that is, if you live in Mission.
What with the Mission district seeing an astounding seven murders since August 22, many are fretting about whether or not wear certain gang colors. Sureños prefer cooling yet vibrant shades of blue, and Norteños seem to enjoy passionate and soulful red tones.
Now, SFist has been getting email after email asking us if it's OK to wear these colors. (Oh, if only.) And yesterday, local LiveJournal blogger Jörm von Motörhead mentioned not sporting "the color blue over the next week or so as the Sureños claim blue."
We've also heard whispers about not wearing red.
Looking for primary color guidance, we went to supervisor Tom Ammiano for answers. When asked whether or not average Mission dwellers should steer clear from red or blue right now, or whether or not this is just a myth, Ammiano tells SFist, "given the situation it's probably better to give some thought to wardrobe -- especially for young people it's a real concern."
And, there you have it.
But what about redheads, you ask? Yeah, it's best for those types to move to the other side of Marker Street. Or, better yet, out of the city altogether. We don't want your kind here, gingers.
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f*ck off.
in jest, of course.
please tell me this is a kind of arch satire that white people engage in, and nobody is seriously suggesting that the two sides in a gang war will mistake you for being in league w/ the enemy because your Vans are red (or blue)?
(am I just doing too close a reading of the text?)
hee!
(i'm a redhead, i should mention. omg, self-loathing!)
i was coming here hoping for major wank with the term "ginger" but you diffused it already :(
Amen Brock! Enough with these Day-Walkers thinking they can just walk around town without hiding their ginger locks, darkening their eyelashes, and powdering away their freckles.
And I just mean the men. Redheaded women? Keep on keepin' on. You're smokin' hot.
I know a family who lives in the Mission near 24th, and a few years ago, the blond 8-year-old who looks like Christopher Robin from 'Winnie the Pooh' was wearing a red shirt. In passing, someone on the block mentioned that he looked like he was wearing gang colors.
periqueblend, skin color isn't a factor in these exercises. But you're welcome to test it out if you'd like
Try this...at around 11am on a nice warm day, put yourself on a bright blue baseball cap and some dark shades and take a leisurely stroll from Alabama & 19th down to Cesar, over to York and then back up to 19th, complete the circle about four times. And don't forget to change the hat to a red one about half way through. You get bonus points if you don't end up in general or with a serious case of skid marks.
Its winter time....color is out the door.
The Hampton's white party ALREADY happened!
All Black until spring.
You're right - all the redheads need to get out of the mission and into my bed.
(get out of my dreams! and into my car!)
oh man. i have dyed fire engine red hair, and i am wearing a sea blue dress today. i'm fucked.
I was going to ask Travin about this this morning. I've wondered for years whether wearing either of those colors, even as a pale redhead, would mean trouble. Does this just go for solids or are patterns okay? What about Periwinkle or Burgundy?
(And Brock, you're an adorable redhead!)
Just don't mix plaids with stripes or wear too many shades and you should be ok. Afterall, the mission is butted up against the Castro.
Be safe and a black or white Burrito Justice t-shirt.
jenz~ Maybe each color cancels the other and you're safe.
When in doubt, go with the best of both, purple!
insert pithy red state/blue state allusion here.
Am I the only person who wants to remark on the image? Le sigh.
Oh well. This is just another reason why I'm glad I don't live in the Mish.
Maybe it's because I live in the relative safety of 19th and Valencia, but I think the color thing is bullshit. Not to say that the actual gang dudes don't abide by colors, but I feel pretty safe wearing my bright blue "Wisconsin State Bowl" t-shirt (not thrift, genuinely mine!) whether I'm here or at 24th and South Van Ness. Now, if you strut around giving everyone looks while wearing a blue tee, Dodgers cap and baggie jeans, that's a different story.
The problem in the Mission is that, even though San Francisco has what I've heard to be a reputable Gang Task Force, they still can't seem to put a stop to Norteno, Sureno, MS-13 or anyone else. I have to imagine SFPD has informants within all of these groups, and if not, well that's the problem. I think both federal and state authorities are going to go after MS-13 more seriously; that's why it will be interesting to watch the Edwin Ramos case.
Blue is my absolute favorite part of the trilogy, White is great dark revenge story, by the way can we please add the poster from White? I'm not sure what 'set' Julie Delpy claims, but you know, it wouldn't hurt things to have her picture up there. And Red is the connecting fiber of the trilogy.
Um, oh yeah, gang fights in my 'hood. Thanks for the offer but the wife and I are purposely avoiding the area this weekend.
i love Red.
Stuff White People Like: Thinking they'll be mistaken for gang members.
The only safe thing to do is go around naked.
And to think I was going to buy Special FX dye to turn my hair blue ...
juliette binoche is gorgeous. Bleu is one of my top 10 flicks ever.
-
I wish all the homicides ended, (thanks kamala, this won't happen thanks to you. you should see dirty harry 10x a day)
People! This is fashion we're talking about. Red and Blue are so 1995. I used to live in MS13 territory and now in Norteño territory and I can tell you with certainty that they both wear very clean, bleached, and oversized white T-shirts. So yes White should be added to Red and Blue to complete the trilogy.
while i think the whole, "omg i might be mistaken for a gang member!" thing is silly and self-centered (really, they have bigger things to worry about than you), i also think that i'm better off safe (without blue or red) than sorry (dead).
If you think it's self-centered to avoid gang colors in the middle of gang territory you just haven't been around long enough. It doesn't matter if you think you're out of the socioeconomic demographic of the typical gang banger (*coughbrowncough*), it just takes one stupid or pissed off asshole with a gun and a grudge to srsly eff up your bike commute.
Growing up (north of 21st st) my brother got shit for years for his burgundy jacket, despite being 14-years old, white, and almost as big a nerd as me. You just learn to avoid trouble because your Stanford shirt is not worth the trouble.
Red by Okkervil River is in my head now. awesome. awesome awesome. Anyway, I'm enjoying the red head love as a true redhead here (but that is a wig in my photo as I'm not naturally THAT red)
p.s. please don't kill.
So, let me get this straight: the Sureños are pro-Obama but McCain can count on the Norteños' vote?
Also:
Stuff white people like: telling people what stuff white people like.
...and that's a Catch-22. Or self-fulfilling prophecy or some shit.