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The University of Nebraska is making a change to its mascot’s hand gesture moving forward.
The university announced that mascot Herbie Husker will stop making the “OK” hand gesture because of concerns and pressure from anti-hate groups that the gesture could have ties to white supremacy groups.
The hand gesture had been used since the 1970s.
For more than 47 years, Herbie Husker made what appeared to be an “OK” hand gesture, with his thumb and forefinger making an “O.”
Now the mascot will form a “1” with his index finger.
https://t.co/lH0tT9WiWc— LEX 18 News (@LEX18News) February 1, 2022
Instead of making the “OK” hand sign, Herbie will now hold up the “number one” to avoid any controversy.
And despite some pressure regarding the hand sign, the Anti-Defamation League makes it clear that the “OK” sign is not a hate symbol but simply a hand sign that was co-opted by internet trolls on 4chan.
Since then, people continue to associate the hand sign with hate groups despite no real ties or meaning.
