I spent almost all day trying to remember the significance of March 1.
I could not recall. Was it an historical date? No. Was it a birthday, anniversary or something like that? No. I could not figure it out.
Then suddenly, as I was tying my hair into a ponytail (something I've always wanted to do but never had it long enough) I remembered!
Last March 1, I decided to grow my hair longer than it has ever been before!
It actually started as a bet with some students as to who could grow their hair the longest.
Looks like I've won! I have not cut it in one year's time.
It's actually longer than that picture from 90 days ago.
A friend and I were the first to grow our hair longer than anybody else in 1966 to the dismay of parents and the grade school (was in 8th grade). But the version of that was nothing compared to what it is today.
In 1970, two months before high school graduation, the high school sent me home and said "Don't come back until you cut your hair," again it was hardly anything to get excited about. If I had known about the ACLU at the time, I never would have gotten it cut and would probably be in the Government text book as well. They hated long hair then--Fascist Nixon lovers--as most people over 30 were at the time.
Don't forget, in the late 1960's, Disneyland began not admitting any men with long hair into the Magic Kingdom. (check it out for yourself online).
Many people still associate long hair with the hippie era of the late 60's and early 1970's and rebellion. It actually is freedom. If you could, just ask the millions of men who served in the American Civil War. All of them--long haired freedom fighters (viewing it that way from both sides) who were just wearing the style of the day.
The right-wing theocrats in this country always ignore the millions of pictures of Jesus with his long flowing hair. "That's different, he was God."
Too bad they don't realize that the first image of Jesus created in 300 A.D. was somebody's runaway imagination.
And has stuck ever since. They turned him into a gorgeous, long haired, blue eyed, tall Swedish man.
The reality is that Jesus, (Yeshua before his name was converted) was a 1st Century Palestinian Jew who looked no different than the average Jewish man of the time. He would have been dark skinned, short, large nose, brown-eyed, average looking and a Roman-style haircut (like Moe of the Three Stooges) or short curly hair with a beard.
Any man daring to wear long hair at the time would have not only been completely out of place, he would have been crucified for not following the accepted Roman hair style of the time.
Sorry to destroy some of your fantasies. But it seems we prefer our Gods only as beautiful, tall and handsome giants. Buddha being the exception. And the half-Elephant/half-Human guy with four arms.
I do see many men starting to grow their hair long or longer again these days.
DEAR CIA...
