As a virulent anti-Fascist, I find the swastika as repugnant a symbol as there is. But as a person hungry for knowledge, respectful of tradition, and one who abhors the hijacking of any word, symbol or faith by ones who twist it into something wholly at odds with its original meaning, I am all for attempts to rehabilitate such a word, symbol or faith to what was originally intended. Take the time to check out the Wikipedia article on swastika for a detailed history of the symbol reaching back some 10,000 years and spanning the world. It is still an integral image in several faiths. I remember my wife and I being startled to see it in the mosaic tile floor of President James A. Garfields monument in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland. I wonder how many times a day the attendant there had to explain that it was incorporated as a Native American symbol by the designer of the mausoleum long before Nazis were heard of. The Raëlian Movement who is behind this particular attempt at rehabilitation... well, they are... something. They are certainly not neo-Nazis and they are not trying to inflict pain on anyone in a hateful way. However, the moment must be right. There are still too many people directly impacted by the hijackers of this symbol to shove it in peoples faces at this time. Perhaps, however, an awareness of its usage throughout history might serve to dampen the enthusiasm with which it is embraced by neo-Nazis. Someday.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Jul 2014 07:04:03 +0000
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