beards

Confronting My Biases, Episode 13: Old Guys With Long Scraggly Beards

/ Jack Marshall / 15 Comments

I saw two men today with this fashion statement, the Rutherford B. Hayes look. Actually, that photo above is the one where his beard looks relatively kempt. On the other hand, Rutherford gets something of a pass because he grew to adulthood in the era where long beards were inexplicably in, especially among Civil War officers, and he was one. Today, however, long scraggly gray or white beards send out multiple messages to me, none of them good. Like:

  • “I’ve given up. I’m old, and I don’t care how I look. I’m not even trying any more. Tomorrow, I may not wear pants.”
  • “Hey, I’ve never done anything that earned anyone’s deference or respect, but maybe if I look like Heidi’s grandfather, someone will treat me better.”
  • “I’m Santa Claus on the skids!”
  • ‘I’m retired and you’re not! Ha Ha!”

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No, There Is No “Absurdly Bearded Sociology Professor On A Beer Can Principle”

/ Jack Marshall / 12 Comments

follicle beer

This is just unfair, that’s all.

 Paul Roof, a professor of sociology at Charleston Southern University, a Christian school, learned that a photo of him taken by a professional photographer at a beard contest was about to appear on “Chucktown Follicle Brown” beer cans.  “I’m not compensated for the image, I don’t own the image, and the use of the image was a surprise to me,” the Roof told the media. His (amazing/ outrageous/ ridiculous—choose one) four-section beard has been used for other promotions, including for Christian services. Charleston Southern University never expressed any objection to its employee looking like an escapee from “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” Nevertheless, the school fired him, saying that a professor having his image on a beer can “was not representative of a Christian environment.” Continue reading →