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The Importance of Wearing a Hoodie

by Little L Thu May 4th, 2006 at 04:25:53 PM EST

If you're having any doubts on what to wear, there is one simple decision- wear a hoodie. And don't think it is inappropriate attire. Why? Because "99 per cent of those who wear hoodies are law-abiding citizens", says The Telegraph. And there is something more than that- even archbishops wear hoodies.

Nice color too. Makes a good background for the holy cross hanging on his neck, doesn't it ;-)?

Since I always thought (and please correct me if I am wrong) that the Anglican Church is a little more conservative, I find this bit of news a little odd. The questions I am asking myself are also to what extent is it appropriate for religion or a religious leader to interfere with the mundane, and does it do the Church any good? Doesn't it underestimate the holiness of the Church, or does it make it more accessible to young people? I am interested in your opinion.


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Last year it became known that a number of UK shopping centres were banning hoodies. Someone joked that you could buy one but not walk out of the store wearing it. Then it became known that, after the first shopping centre announced their ban, visits rose by (if I remember correctly) 25%. Blair was quoted endorsing the shopping centres' ban.

A few weeks ago, an elderly woman was thrown out of a pub for wearing a hat "for security reasons" as "it interferes with the CCTV".

Good for the archbishop of York!

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 04:36:27 PM EST
Hah, I didn't know that, but I already sense the recent fashion trends. If I wanna look as an outcast, I'd better unravel my hoodies...What are they going to ban next? Jeans? Short skirts? Pockets on clothes (one never knows what could be hiding inside)?

I can resist anything but temptation.- Oscar Wilde
by Little L (ljolito (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 04:47:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Short skirts?

To the barricades!
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 04:48:54 PM EST
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...I'm sorry dear...were you intending to buy yourself one???  Surely jeans are a bit more comfortable...

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. Oscar Wilde
by Sam on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 05:03:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
But I saw the cutest little red leather one in the shop yesterday...
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 05:06:16 PM EST
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Quite...Froo, Cleo and I are heading upstairs...your love of red leather is disturbing...

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. Oscar Wilde
by Sam on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 05:08:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
:-))

Red leather skirt wouldn't match my hoodies anyways.

I can resist anything but temptation.- Oscar Wilde

by Little L (ljolito (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 05:14:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I guess we'll continue that conversation upstairs then.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 05:18:05 PM EST
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I'm sure that he came up with that 99% figure using the prison population ratio in the UK (average 130 per 100,000), rounding it off at 1%, to get 99%.

For all we know 0% of hoodie wearers are criminals, or the opposite, 50% for all we know.

But I like this kind of diary, it's anecdotical and whacky, thanks for the info Little L!

You all know how I feel about hoodies.

by Alex in Toulouse on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 05:00:02 PM EST
Um, no, what am I thinking, that would be 0.1%.
Jesus Christ!! This means that hoodie wearers have a stronger representation of criminals than the national average of prisoners! This is not good, not good, oh no no no
by Alex in Toulouse on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 05:01:15 PM EST
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Thanks, Alex!

I think I got totally lost in your calculations though, but I belive it's noone's fault but my own.

Really curious actually how the archbishop of York calculated the percentage, or maybe he just made educated guesses (or he's got access to classified information)...

I can resist anything but temptation.- Oscar Wilde

by Little L (ljolito (at) gmail (dot) com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 05:17:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Well, hoodies are pretty commonplace in America. Pretty much everyone has one.  But I suppose that's not surprising.  And I've seen a lot of Catholic priests wear them too.  I didn't realize they have such a criminal connotation!  Here they are just a way of advertising what team or town or neighborhood you like.  Still more are plain and just serve to provide some warmth on nippy evenings.

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
by p------- on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 06:15:12 PM EST
I don't know what it is about the UK, but they have a way of blaming social problems on the most unlikely scapegoats. Take unruly youth, for instance. Somehow the consensus has become that the problem is that they wear hoodies.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 06:41:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]
So what do they have to say about the stylings of Angus Young of ACDC? ;)

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire
by p------- on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 06:52:40 PM EST
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There's a strange blasted heath of non-think that the Daily Mail and other papers, and apparently also people like Tony Blair, inhabit. It's a surreal place where making someone wear something different prevents crime and makes society a friendlier more caring place.

One of my favourite scenes from Bowling for Columbine is where Michael Moore frames a PR geek for the local military plant in front of a half-finished nuclear missile and asks 'So what is it do you think that makes teens feel violent?'

And the PR geek - all adult concern and thoughtfulness - says 'Um - well - I don't think anyone knows.'

So hoodies - not so much the real problem, perhaps.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Fri May 5th, 2006 at 06:01:38 AM EST
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"Blasted heath of non-think" - I like it!
by Number 6 on Fri May 5th, 2006 at 12:30:30 PM EST
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Since I always thought (and please correct me if I am wrong) that the Anglican Church is a little more conservative, I find this bit of news a little odd.

The anglican church is mainly quite conservative (With a small c) however, it's also quite a broad church, the religious wing of CND was mainly Anglican, When I was running a local anti poll tax group, we had Militant and Socialist worker, from the left turning up for support, and Black flag (The anarchist group, not the band)  turning up to provide support and give training. however, the most determined and organised protestors, were a group of Anglicans who turned up quite unexpectedly to support the pensioners. Many of the UK Ploughshares campaigners are Anglicans, and if you want to look on the world stage, much of the Anti Apardtheit support movement outside of Southern Africa was run by Anglican priests from the office of an Anglican Archbishop.

does it do the church any good? does it make it more accessible to young people? I don't think that's the point, it's not a PR exercise, they are attempting to live up to the ethics of their religion as they see it.

is it appropriate? certainly. How could it be appropriate for someone to act against the core ethics of their religion.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Thu May 4th, 2006 at 06:57:14 PM EST
Thanks for sharing this information and your opinion. I see your arguments.

Maybe I'm thinking from the point of view of an Orthodox Bulgarian, and if I see one of our priest wearing a hoodie, I would be quite surprised, and some would even be outraged. But of course we're talking about different canons here.

I can resist anything but temptation.- Oscar Wilde

by Little L (ljolito (at) gmail (dot) com) on Fri May 5th, 2006 at 04:14:07 AM EST
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I can see the original objection about "hiding from security cameras," but it's gone a bit far.

Is anyone mentioning Muslim "veils" or Sikh "headdresses"? (I don't recall the correct terms. Of course people wearing these are unlikely to either frequent pubs or be much of a threat.)
I'd be very amused to see New Labour twist itself into knots discussing that.

Maybe I should get my Stetson out of storage (468 or 440 look close). If Terry Pratchett can wear it so can I. A pity I never go to pubs or shopping centres.

by Number 6 on Fri May 5th, 2006 at 04:52:52 AM EST


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