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I read recently of a handbag decorated, with amongst other things, swastikas that was for sale in a well known retailer and was unsurprised to learn of the almost universal disgust it provoked. It led me to think that perhaps we're all a bit too precious about such things. The symbol itself was adopted by Hitler for his own unpleasant use and he succeeded in making the swastika synomynous with his movement. In India and elsewhere,the swastika has been used for centuries in art, religion, architecture etc. and it was never associated with violence, racism, nazism, anti-semitism etc. until Hitler decided he liked the look of it. I feel sad that the use of the symbol is now almost unversally frowned upon and that nazis have managed to prize it away from its many users and make it thier own. We can draw a parralell (although to a lesser degree) with the use in England of the St. George's flag. This was adopted by the racist elements in society and for years, the English seemed almost ashamed to fly their own flag. Thankfully that seems to have passed and I wonder if it's about time the swastika was 'reclaimed' in the same way.
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Posted by shostakovich on 2007-10-04 18:56:09 | Rating: n/a | Views: 81
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