Red Is Not Dead

I am a redhead. Well, maybe most of my hair isn't red any more as I have whitened with age, but there is a 1% population of people born with red hair (no dye jobs count) and I still see a few red ones in my beard and on my head. Scotland has the highest percent of population with red hair ( 10%) while the United States has the highest total number of redheads in its population.  Redheads are a breed of their own in that they identify with each other and are often gawked at by non redheads. Sometimes I even gawk and strangely, feel negative thoughts when I see another redhead.  In Portland this weekend more than a thousand redheads packed Pioneer Courthouse Square downtown, hoping to break a Guinness World Record for the most redheads in a single place.

I didn't know about the event or I would have attended and added to the count, but unofficial counts clocked in between 1,300 and 1,600 natural redheads at the Pioneer Square. It would break the former record set last year when 1,255 redheads gathered in Breda, Netherlands. Science tells us that even though the population of red heads is small and that both the mom and dad must have the red recessive gene to produce a child with red hair, it is impossible for redheads to become extinct. There are just too many red recessive genes out their to make it statistically possible to wipe us out.

The redheads that gathered for the record had to be photographed, they had to be identified by number and they had to stand in a corral for 10 minutes in bright sun in order for the event to count toward the record. The "gingers", people like me whose red hair has turned a different shade, also had to bring a color photo of themselves when they were young as proof of their true redheaded nature. But I still have enough visible red hair to not be called a ginger.

>From the days of my childhood when old ladies would rub my red head for good luck I have known that no other single human trait has provoked such a range of emotions in such a large number of fellow humans as when they spot a redhead.  Maybe it's because there were so many diverse redheads in history to make people react to the next redhead they see. Among the famous historical redheads are; Queen Elizabeth, Judas, Nero, Napoleon Bonaparte, Cleopatra, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Florence Nightengale.  I doubt if anyone could say those characters were in any way alike. Yes, I know about Little Red Riding Hood. There were also many other red headed animated characters.

There are many more superstitions about redheads than any other hair colored human. Among them are............

It's felt that red-haired people don't make good butter, for the butter always has a slight tang to it.
Salute no red-haired man nearer than 30 feet off and, even so, hold 3 stones in the fist wherewith to defend thyself.
Straight and course red hair, also coarse and kinky, most always shows dishonesty.
Redheads have no soul.
Never lodge at red-haired person's houses for these be folks that are to dread.
Red hair is the sign of a vixen.
Redheaded women are either violent or false and usually are both.
An honor it is to have a child who is born with red hair
A lady with long red hair is glib of tongue, talkative, and vain.
Auburn or ginger hair denotes a person to be very passionate and hasty, very suspicious and extremely jealous; thereby much sorrow will come to such persons and those who associate with them.
Rumored they'd turn into a vampire after they die.
Red hair denotes a person of sharp wit, easily agitated, unforgiving, but once a friend, a true one.
Let not the eye of a red-haired woman rest on you. Do not let the shadow of a red-headed person fall upon you. It will work you back luck.
In Spain, there is a strong prejudice against red hair, which originated in their belief that the hair of the traitor Judas Iscariot was red. The Irish, on the contrary, are very fond of red hair and think it brings them good luck.
Ladies with red hair are usually great talkers.
It is also said that Cain had red hair, and this will greatly account for the popular prejudice against it.
In ancient Egypt, people with red hair were associated with the god Seth, the slayer of Osiris. In Donegal, if a girl is born with red hair, it is a sign there was a pig under the bed.
In New Zealand, red hair is sacred, and a woman with red hair is believed to have a clear road to heaven.
Red hair was a sign of unclean sex (during menstruation); degenerate offspring.
Red hair was called the "Mark of Gilgamesh" (after a mysterious figure of this name around 2600 B.C.)
If the person has red hair on the top of his head or the back of the neck, then he will be wealthy.
Bees will sting redheads more
If you should pass a redhead in the street, spit and turn around. If you pass by 3 red-haired people, you will win the state lottery.
A man with long red hair is cunning and deceitful.......but Aa red beard and a black head can catch him with a trick and take him dead.
It is unlucky to see a red-headed Negro.
It's lucky to rub your hand on the head of a redhead.
It's said that redheads are born witches, because their hair has turned red like the fires of hell.
For many years redheaded women were not allowed at the craps tables in Las Vegas-they were thought to bring good luck to the gentleman that they accompanied, but bad luck to the others at the table.

Have you had enough redhead information for the day? I think I have given you enough data to verify that there is a reason for all my character flaws. Just blame it on my red head!