Finger gun
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Thefinger gunis ahand gesturein which a person will use theirhandtomimicahandgun,raising their thumb above their fist to act as ahammer,and one or two fingers extended perpendicular to it acting as abarrel.The middle finger can also act as thetriggerfinger or part of thebarrelitself. Also, an optional clicking of the fingers or making firing sounds with the mouth can be included when forming the "gun" as to emphasise the gesture. The gesture can be intended to be a threat, or simply a friendly gesture.
Variations[edit]
The "finger gun" is sometimes used to indicate a strong desire to be put out of one's misery, either from boredom or exasperation, or to express one's dislike for a situation. It can be used as an insulting gesture, as to suggest that another person's brain should be blown out of the back of their head. (It is generally used as an insulting gesture or as a means of intimidation.)
Another form is the combination of two hands to express a greeting, or to acknowledge something as funny, clever, or insightful, likeGotcha!orWhat's up?[1]
Laws and rulings[edit]
In 2019, theSuperior Court of Pennsylvaniaruled that using a "gun-like hand gesture", "imitating the firing and recoiling of a gun" asintimidation,is a crime ofdisorderly conduct.[2]
In schools[edit]
Children, teenagers and teacher's assistants have occasionally been punished or removed from school for making the gesture. In some cases, this was because authority figures interpreted it as a signal for threatening real violence, while in others they interpreted it as unacceptably supportive of gun violence in general.[3][4][5]These have often been labeled as "ridiculous" by most commentators.[6]
In 2006,Fahim Ahmadallegedly made the gesture when speaking about the possibility ofCanadian Security Intelligence Serviceagents coming to his apartment, which was used as evidence of his conspiracy to committerrorismby a police informant.[7]
Politics[edit]
Brazil[edit]
Former president of BrazilJair Bolsonarousually makes the finger gun gesture alluding to his ideas of changing thegun control lawsto make weapons more accessible to the regular citizen.[8][9]This gesture became a symbol of theBolsonarism,being used by supporters of the ideology.[10]
On 27 September 2019, Jair Bolsonaro's son, deputyEduardo Bolsonaro(PSL), posed for a photo in front of theNon-Violencesculptureat theUnited Nations headquartersinNew York Citymaking the finger gun gesture.[11][12]
In film and television[edit]
In cinema, the gesture has been used extensively, often for comedic effect, and two well-known cases are those in the Italian filmWhere Are You Going on Holiday?in 1978, in which it is done by the character played byElisabetta Pozzi,and in the 1985 filmThe Breakfast Club,in which it is used by actressAlly Sheedy.Additional examples includeDeath Wish,The Losers,The Expendables 2,Crank,Taxi Driver,Gran Torino,Reservoir Dogs,Ferris Bueller's Day Off,Spring Breakers,Better Call Saul,andScott Pilgrim vs. The World.The finger gun is used multiple times by the titular character from the TV seriesVeronica Mars.[13]It is also famously used in bothUKandU.S.versions ofThe Office.[14]The gesture is also used as a technique inYuYu Hakushoby the main character,Yusuke Urameshi,whereby he can shoot spirit energy out of his index finger, the Spirit Gun.
References[edit]
- ^"finger guns - POP CULTURE DICTIONARY".Dictionary.com.2020-01-30.Retrieved2021-12-07.
- ^CBS News, CBS 21 (2019-08-28)."Pennsylvania court rules that man's 'gun-like hand gesture' is a crime".WHP.Retrieved2019-08-29.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^Hoy, Wayne K. (2005).Educational Leadership and Reform.p. 311.ISBN1-59311-321-8.
- ^"School gives hands-on lesson after kids pull finger-guns".Boston Herald.March 28, 2000.
- ^"Boys Get In Trouble For Playing With Finger Guns".TheDenverChannel.com. May 14, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon March 15, 2012.RetrievedDecember 11,2016.
- ^Stahl, Michael J. (2004).Ethical Perspectives.p. 2.ISBN0-7817-5541-7.
- ^"Canada: The Cell Next Door".Frontline.PBS.January 30, 2007.
- ^"Hyper-Masculinity and Gun Control in Jair Bolsonaro's Brazil".The Globe Post.2019-01-09.Retrieved2020-07-25.
- ^Trevisani, Paulo (2019-05-08)."Bolsonaro Further Eases Brazilians' Access to Guns".Wall Street Journal.ISSN0099-9660.Retrieved2020-07-25.
- ^"Em apoio a Bolsonaro, mulher faz sinal de armas em frente à imagem de Jesus"[Supporting Bolsonaro, woman make finger gun gesture in front of image of Jesus].Band Notícias.17 October 2018.
- ^"Eduardo Bolsonaro se explica por" arminha "em frente a escultura pela paz".noticias.uol.com.br(in Brazilian Portuguese).Retrieved2020-07-25.
- ^"Eduardo Bolsonaro faz gesto de arma em frente a monumento pela paz em NY"[Eduardo Bolsonaro makes a fire-gun gesture in front of monument for the peace at NY].Folha de São Paulo.27 September 2019.
- ^"Top 10 Finger guns (in the movies)".Popbabble.2016-07-12.Retrieved2022-05-07.
- ^Standoff - The Office US,retrieved2022-05-07