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Started By
Message
History of the Swastika; How does it parallel the Confederate Flag?
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:11 pm
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:11 pm
As the recent debate over the removal of the Confederate Flag has grown louder and louder, I think it draws a similar comparison to the evolution of the Swastika throughout Europe.
For thousands and thousands of years, the Swastika represented a positive ideal. The word translates into various positive phrases such as "Good luck", "Good existence", "Well being", etc...
The symbol can be found in Hinduism as a symbol of God. In Buddhism, it was seen on statues of Buddha and was said that Buddha's mind was contained in it. It also represents a symbol of good fortune, a prosperous life, and happiness.
It can be found on the walls of ancient Christian catacombs throughout Rome, and can be found on window openings in ancient churches in Ethiopia.
In Ancient Greece, it was used as a symbol linking heaven and earth, and even Native American tribes like the Navajo used it in a similar fashion.
This post card was printed in 1907...
It only took one man and one movement to change all of that. Today, it's internationally viewed as a symbol of hatred and hurt. It's illegal in several European countries to even display a Swastika outside of a museum.
Do you think this is a fair comparison to how the Confederate flag has evolved in symbolism and meaning over time for much of the country? Obviously, we have the Ku Klux Klan and hate filled racists to thank for most of that, and we know that no representation of the Confederate flag has ever come close to the evil represented by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. But hasn't the Confederate flag suffered a similar fate? And should we be so quick to defend its display in public places?
It's certainly become a complicated discussion.
For thousands and thousands of years, the Swastika represented a positive ideal. The word translates into various positive phrases such as "Good luck", "Good existence", "Well being", etc...
The symbol can be found in Hinduism as a symbol of God. In Buddhism, it was seen on statues of Buddha and was said that Buddha's mind was contained in it. It also represents a symbol of good fortune, a prosperous life, and happiness.
It can be found on the walls of ancient Christian catacombs throughout Rome, and can be found on window openings in ancient churches in Ethiopia.
In Ancient Greece, it was used as a symbol linking heaven and earth, and even Native American tribes like the Navajo used it in a similar fashion.
This post card was printed in 1907...
It only took one man and one movement to change all of that. Today, it's internationally viewed as a symbol of hatred and hurt. It's illegal in several European countries to even display a Swastika outside of a museum.
Do you think this is a fair comparison to how the Confederate flag has evolved in symbolism and meaning over time for much of the country? Obviously, we have the Ku Klux Klan and hate filled racists to thank for most of that, and we know that no representation of the Confederate flag has ever come close to the evil represented by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. But hasn't the Confederate flag suffered a similar fate? And should we be so quick to defend its display in public places?
It's certainly become a complicated discussion.
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 12:12 pm
11
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:12 pm to Tuscaloosa
It was originally called Swasticker until someone from Livingston Parish decided to pronounce it...Swasticka
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:13 pm to Tuscaloosa
It was a battle flag originally so it was never a sign of good luck or anything, it was a sign of battle and death.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:13 pm to Tuscaloosa
Broski in the back is missing a piece of the uniform.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:14 pm to Tuscaloosa
Germany wanted to distance itself from that shite stain on their history.
America embraced their shite stain.
America embraced their shite stain.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:14 pm to TH03
quote:
It was a battle flag originally so it was never a sign of good luck or anything, it was a sign of battle and death.
Very true, but it did represent a sense of pride for a lot of people, and really didn't start become widely viewed as a symbol of hatred until the Klan started using it as their banner.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:15 pm to Tuscaloosa
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:15 pm to Tuscaloosa
Anyone want to guess where this picture came from?
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:16 pm to Tuscaloosa
quote:
For thousands and thousands of years, the Swastika represented a positive idea
For thousands of years from now it will be viewed as a the symbol of Nazi Germany. The whole exterminating millions of jews thing kinda overshadows whatever the symbol meant before.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:16 pm to Mosquito
quote:
For thousands of years from now it will be viewed as a the symbol of Nazi Germany. The whole exterminating millions of jews thing kinda overshadows whatever the symbol meant before.
Well no kidding. I said pretty much exactly that in my post and related it to how the Confederate flag no longer represents anything positive to the vast majority of Americans.
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 12:18 pm
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:17 pm to blue_morrison
quote:
Broski in the back is missing a piece of the uniform.
No fricks given!
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:18 pm to Tuscaloosa
I personally could not care less about the confederate flag, it is just a rag.
I care about one flag, the American flag.
If people are offended by it, take it down. The same folks that march with it in their Klan outfits are now the same one saying 'it aint about race'
I also think that those that are offended by it are silly, but I also have feelings of hatred when I see a Swastika tattooed on some redneck. So, I suppose no one is immune to a symbol causing feelings that are not always rational.
I care about one flag, the American flag.
If people are offended by it, take it down. The same folks that march with it in their Klan outfits are now the same one saying 'it aint about race'
I also think that those that are offended by it are silly, but I also have feelings of hatred when I see a Swastika tattooed on some redneck. So, I suppose no one is immune to a symbol causing feelings that are not always rational.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:18 pm to Mosquito
Yup. People here honor their war dead, but now with any flags or symbols of the government those war dead fought under. They honor them with solemn memorials.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:22 pm to tigerfoot
quote:
The same folks that march with it in their Klan outfits are now the same one saying 'it aint about racism
wrong...dead arse wrong and dumb...the KKK are a minority fringe....I would wager a huge number of Southerners don't agree with this ludicrous knee jerk reaction to destroying all things Confederate and have never had shite to do with the Klan...you are ignorant and a part of the problem...not the solution you dumb arse frick
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:25 pm to SthGADawg
quote:what is the problem, can you define it for me.
you are ignorant and a part of the problem...
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:28 pm to SthGADawg
quote:
wrong...dead arse wrong and dumb...the KKK are a minority fringe....I would wager a huge number of Southerners don't agree with this ludicrous knee jerk reaction to destroying all things Confederate and have never had shite to do with the Klan...you are ignorant and a part of the problem...not the solution you dumb arse frick
and a huge number of Germans weren't involved in committing genocide.
But you don't see them waving around the Nazi flag to "honor their fallen heros".
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:28 pm to SthGADawg
quote:
.I would wager a huge number of Southerners don't agree with this ludicrous knee jerk reaction to destroying all things Confederate and have never had shite to do with the Klan
Very true, but to be fair, a huge number of southerners also don't know very much about the flag itself or its history. It's just become a part of the culture, so they defend it. These are the same people that will argue until they're blue in the face that the Civil War wasn't about slavery.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:29 pm to pankReb
quote:
and a huge number of Germans weren't involved in committing genocide.
But you don't see them waving around the Nazi flag to "honor their fallen heros".
I think that's a fair point, although there isn't much in common between Nazi Germany and the Confederacy.
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 12:30 pm
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:29 pm to tigerfoot
quote:
what is the problem, can you define it for me.
you don't agree with him so that makes you "a special kind of stupid"
which...btw...I'm tired as hell of seeing that catch-phrase. It's on goddamned everything I see from rednecks on my timeline.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 12:31 pm to tigerfoot
You do realize that the KKK use the American flag as well. So the one flag you care about it also associated with the rag you are willing to throw out. Also crosses are used by the clan, so if you are christian then that should offend you as well. But I guess it only offends out of convenience.
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