Don't get confused -- the event is August 7th -- this is just a visual aid. *Tricky Tricky*

The fact that Redhead Appreciation Day snuck up on me today was a cautionary tale and a reminder that we need to mark our various iCal and physical calendars (if you have one) with the necessary auburn adventures.

I am giving all of you ample time to coordinate Hipmunk and Kayak deals to book your flights to Ohio for the Redhead World photo shoot where your face can become synonymous with reveling in all that is red.

The Irish Festival that happened last year resulted in a photo of 200 gingers from far and wide and their site currently has nearly 3,000 members.

A shocking visual reminder that 200 redheads can occupy one spot -- From RedheadWorld's website

So go ahead and get out those mobile devices or month-at-a-glance monstrosities that have since been replaced with iPads and mark August 7th as a Sunday for observing your unique locks in some random backroad in Ohio that you would likely never go to except to celebrate how special you are.

But, nonetheless, today has been dubbed Redhead Appreciation Day.
Wait, you say. But my calendar has no such reminder of the worthy day to stop and take notice of the auburn amazingness.
I too was victim to the same level of shock, for my vintage Hawaiian calender reminds me of such recognizable gems as Nunavut Day (CAN), Marine Day (JPN) and Eid Ul-Fitr (ISLAM) but no mention that July 11th marks the day I should appreciate my strawberry locks.
Then I took a breath and Googled.
It turns out that this special day was created by Marble Slab Creamery to celebrate the single greatest hair color (If I were to insert a link here it would just be to Conan O’Brien or Tilda Swinton) and offer people sporting copper curls with a scoop of red velvet ice cream.

So whether you have them, love them, covet them, or curse them — if you can shake them or fake them — today is your day to revel and get free ice cream.

HAPPY REDHEAD APPRECIATION DAY TO ALL.

She hosted SNL, posed for a calendar, made the late-night circuit and started a new TV Land sitcom.

Now she seems to be getting some red hair to match her hottness factor . . . at least on Hot in Cleveland.

I say rock on Betty! Don’t let all those young redheads from True Blood get all the attention. There is plenty of redheaded love to go around.

The newly elected and sworn in Prime Minister Julia Eileen Gillard is a card-carrying member of the red (haired) party and is proud of it. But dissenters aren’t shying away from the opportunity to slam the scarlet siren based greatly on her troublesome tresses.

And rather than speaking feverishly about the PM’s stance on tax reform or indigenous rights, groups and discussions have launched. One such snub at PM Gillard is a Facebook group called: Don’t you hate it when you wake up and a ranga is ruling your country?

(Gillard is the first female Prime Minister of Australia and, on top of that, the first leader sans wedding ring. — You’d think there would be place for pacesetting praise?)

And despite the humor at the expense of the gorgeously recessive gene, another strong redhead is throwing her hat in the ring for the Australia Labor party.

Nikolee Ansell has started her campaign with a red splash, creating promotional material that reads: Red Head Power, Vote 1 ALP!

And her campaign is strong on change, as she aims to boot out the incumbent that has had the seat for 20+ years, National Party leader Warren Truss.

I say shake things up redheads and help reduce the stigma and prevalences of gingerism from the top down.

As a redhead with a blog about the fairer-skinned people, I am usually forwarded articles, photos and videos about carrot-top content. Par for the course, I received the heads-up that musical provocateur MIA made a video for her new single Born Free that deals, graphically, with ginger genocide.

The first time I watched this 9 minute video I was flooded with conflicting emotions about the images I was seeing. But more than anything . . . I wanted to watch it again.

The video was clearly filled with graphic images that evoke very different emotions from each person that views it. But I was especially interested in what other people were saying about this controversial mini-movie.  A movie so “graphic” that YouTube pulled it less than a week after it was uploaded online.

The internet is filled with articles and blogs debating if this was a political statement or a well-crafted album sale catalyst. Some think that the use of redheads as the persecuted is hilarious while others find it insulting. But no one is left without some reaction to the shaking camera following SWAT officers rounding up redheads and abusing, maiming and murdering them in internment camps.

Some of the critics of this video have claimed that the violence is “beneath” MIA and unnecessarily gory. While I appreciate the varying sensitivities of people and visual imagery, I challenge them to think about when the depiction of genocide and maiming of a group is necessary? I think that Born Free is challenging the definition of who the enemy or the persecuted can be.

Could some view this depiction as preposterous because the wronged group is categorized by hair color? Could it be because they are white? Would people feel the same if MIA chose Jews or Muslims or Japanese people? Is it really that absurd when you look at the history of genocide and discrimination?

The images that director Romain Gavras chose to use to portray the total militarization of Los Angeles with the war on red echoed the public outcry against the Draconian law proposed in Arizona and offered and unapologetic look at what irrational panic the public gets caught up in when fear is inserted into the marketplace.

I see this video less of a graphic mockery of police-state action and segregation and more of a cloudy mirror being held up to the ease with which governments and people use moral panics to dehumanize groups of people.

I encourage people to view Born Free and judge for themselves.

The newly married, curvaceous, 35-year old from Mad Men is helping chip away the beauty boundaries in Hollywood and I salute her. I’m off to go buy a dozen copies and pin them up everywhere.

Granted the photos aren’t Christina in all her natural glory (as pointed out by Salon.com) but I’m taking the gifts as they come. She is still gorgeous and worthy of all the fabulous titles Esquire is willing to bestow on her.

What are you waiting for?  Go out there and get a copy.

The first is a redhead on the Roanoke Times staff by the name of Lindsey Nair.  She wrote this article about her new love of Guinness.   I might have to follow this carrot-top and see what else she churns out.

Then I found a blog (Raising Redheads) written by a redhead, Ramee, who is chronicling her pregnancy (of a possible redhead) and the upbringing of two copper-top toddlers Nora and Braden.  Her heartfelt blog is compelling to read and I’m sure my mother would have loved this type of outlet when raising her redhead.

But one of my fav’s thus far is RubyMutant: This is Ginger Nation.  Written with all the humor and flippant style that a redhead can truly enjoy. I recommend checking out her points of view on redhead history and fabulousness.

I also found The Quirky Redhead, Redhead Fashionista and Redheads and More Redheads.

http://rubymutant.blogspot.com/

Happy St. P’s Day from Copper Commentary.

KATHY FIGHTS FOR GAYS IN UNIFORM

Tomorrow Kathy Griffin will be in D.C. to march for the reapeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”  This action by Griffin is hot off the heels of her Law & Order SVU appearance as the leader of a lesbian group. Griffin has been commended for her continued efforts to get LGBT individuals equality in the US.

GO GET ‘EM GRIFFIN!

CONAN GOES ON THE ROAD AND PENS A DEAL WITH FOX AND DOCUMENTARY?

Anything Conan O’Brien does at this point is right and great. As he sells out his newly announced: Legally Prohibited from being Funny on Television Tour, the redhead laugh-factory is allegedly signing on for a documentary that will follow his comedy tour.

He is also allegedly in talks with Fox to start up a talk show when his TV barring contract expires in September.

This redhead is managing to gain more fame off-camera than on (and it isn’t because of Sex Rehab or Airport arrests).

Bravo CoCo – Bravo.

JULIANNE MOORE MESMERIZES 30 ROCK

The proud redhead, Julianne Moore, is making her return to 30 Rock and As The World Turns and bringing a little crimson color to the TV sets of millions of homes across the country. All of this while juggling her busy film schedule.

It seems that people can’t get enough of Moore — but honestly, look at her!

KATE BACK ON THE MARKET — AND READY FOR SOME TOP CHEF TREATS?

After news broke this week that kate Winslet was splitting from her director husband Sam Mendes, people began speculating if the award of Best Actress brought with it a curse of failing marriages?

Apparently the gossip rags are keeping track, and the odds are if you win BA Oscar, you’ll soon be in divorce court. Such has been the case for Reese Witherspoon, Halle Berry, Julia Roberts and Hilary Swank.

But all we are hearing from Winslet is that she hopes to be a guest judge on Top Chef. Just don’t eat your feelings Winslet, you look amazing right now.

I have to admit that there is something magical about Saint Patrick’s Day.  I don’t know if it’s the shamrocks or the rainbows or the emerald green found on every person on the street, but around this time of year I feel the luck of the Irish flowing through my veins.

Today I was scheduled to go to court for an obstruction of justice charge against me.

[In the early hours of Jan. 31 I was called to a Mission warehouse, by the managing editor of my school paper, to shoot photos of police breaking up a party where SF State and other students were celebrating their freedom after some political protesting.

I rushed to the scene and clearly identified myself as press but was nonetheless arrested for “impeding an ongoing investigation” and was hauled off to the police station. As a journalist, I felt that these charges and the whole event was a reminder that smaller media outlets still have to fight to prove their validity and I am still looking to bring more attention to that concern. *]

But I think that St. Patrick was watching over me and the luck of luck of the Irish was with me today. The charges against me were dropped and I am free to celebrate the closest holiday that I can find to celebrate being a redhead.

*I hope to write more about this controversial event soon.

While past seasons have given all the emphasis to the peroxide blonds or the sultry jet black hair of Bettie Page doppelgangers, this season is drenched in copper, crimson and maraschino. People looking at billboard around the nation are seeing red and many are trying to swipe those as ideas for their next trip to the salon.

As advertisements, runways and celebs start transitioning to ginger tones, the public is adding redhead to the list of vibrantly beautiful features to be desired.  And I, for one, couldn’t be happier. This is coming at a time when gingerism is one the rise and all efforts to block the trend of negative energy toward the coppertops is a plus in my book.

It’s nice to see some diversity is what is considered sexy, especially when I keep hearing people like Patti Stanger (Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmater) bash the beauty of the ballsy redheads. We are beautiful and, yes, we have balls — get used to it!

So kudos to St. John and H&M for printing us redheads out loud, large and proud.  Keep it coming!