What Did You Just Sign to Me?!?!

Today, while I was studying in a coffee house, a person set a card on my table which said the following:

Hello!
I am a Deaf Person
I am selling this...
Deaf Education System Card
...to make my living and to support my family
Would you kindly buy one?
Pay any price you wish. Thank You! (Over)

On the back was the American Manual Alphabet for the Deaf and the ASL sign for I Love You.

I gave the person $1. As I looked up at him, he made the ASL sign for Thank You — a common sign that I immediately recognized. However, this time, I realized that this sign bears a dangerous resemblance to another hand sign.

Why-oh-why did the well-intentioned innovators of ASL create a Thank You sign that so closely resembles Scalia's Sicilian Gesture?


I just hope that this resemblance has never brought about the misunderstanding and tragedy that it so clearly threatens.