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Reclaiming the Swastika
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Moon Cat
9577 posts

Re: Reclaiming the Swastika
Oct 13, 2003, 00:27
I'm not saying its an impossibilty for the future. In an ideal world I would like to see all such symbols removed from any context of evil such as nazism.

But I can't help but feel that if nothing else, out of respect for those that say, survived the horrors of the concentration camp, then the whole matter of reclaiming the swastika must be adressed with the absolute consideration of those people foremost.

It's all very well pointing out the lengthy history of the symbol and referencing the academia that can illustrate the symbols origins and 'true' meanings. But that doesn't mean squat to the sheer scale of the evil perpertrated under the sign of the swastika. Telling holocaust survivors it's an ancient sanskrit symbol or whatever I think is maybe to undermine the depth of what the swastika stands for in their eyes. I'm only going on personal feelings here though, but thats what how the thread kicked off.

It's sad that once a symbol is appropriated as a symbol of oppresion then it seems the 'negative' resonance it has is kind of amplified, almost obliterating any previous 'positive' aspects it might of had. I mean, look at the stars and stripes. As a kid I would associate that in a very direct way as meaning "the good guys". Naive of course but an understandable association I think.
It hasn't taken too long for that particular flag to take on a kind of chilling resonance- of power, control, monolithic corporate presence and...well I guess you can fill in your own thoughts there.

Sadly I think its a lot easier to corrupt symbols than maybe to reclaim them. Not saying it's impossible - look at the slow reappropriation of the St Georges Cross from the grubby mits of the far right - but I just feel it requires a huge amount of care and work ,perhas time & distance, above all, consideration for those who may have suffered under a particular symbol.

Anyhoo I am DEFinitely associating the eyelid hanging over my eye with wanting to sleep. G'night!
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Re: Reclaiming the Swastika (Merrick)		 Replies:
Re: Reclaiming the Swastika (Lawrence)
Re: Reclaiming the Swastika (ratcni01)
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