DrForester
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Seeing people with Neo-Nazi tattoos in real life
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Vigilant Walrus
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It's a sensitive subject because where does cultural appropriation begins and respect for the origins of a symbol end?
When you have something like the Confederate flag, you can see why that symbol is insensitive. Even when it means something to you today, its entire history has been ingulfed in what the controversy is about. And that circumvents how one personally may feel about the usage.
But the Swastika is one of the most important symbols in the world. If you go to a country like China you will see Buddha statues with Swastikas everywhere.
Here in Denmark tattoo parlors have started giving out free swastika tattoos in an attempt to take the symbol back.
And there are talks about doing it with other runic and nordic mythological symbols. It is not fair that something with over a thousand years history is not to be used over the depraved nature of someone misusing it in a flicker of time.
If you take the Blackletter typography, they've successfully killed a lot of the nazi connotation. Heavy Metal, Punk, Rap, Skater- Many sub cultures have embraced the Gothic typography and the result is that today the younger generations don't think of nazism when they see Illmatic or a Corona beer. Older generations who remember might.
But again you're looking at something not being fair or truthful. Blackletters go back to the 12th century. True that they might have started in the holy roman empire (its possible) but they have more of a history as a bible typography and as usage when the broad quill pen was invented which is what gives it its features.
Symbols are very very powerful and they mean different things wherever you go. I've heard stories of buddhists being harassed because they wear swastikas. Who is at fault. The buddhist who doesn't submit to the western connotation or the person harassing for not knowing that swastika is the sun symbol and goes back thousand of years.
There is a genuine element of other cultures not knowing the meaning of it is perceived in other places. blackface is not understood in many places of europe and that gets ugly with things like zwaite piete in Belgium. Americans have difficulty understanding the different connotations that brings forth. In a global society there are higher expectations on everyone to be sensitive about others issues as what cultural things they do, is more spread to other countries.
When you have something like the Confederate flag, you can see why that symbol is insensitive. Even when it means something to you today, its entire history has been ingulfed in what the controversy is about. And that circumvents how one personally may feel about the usage.
But the Swastika is one of the most important symbols in the world. If you go to a country like China you will see Buddha statues with Swastikas everywhere.
Here in Denmark tattoo parlors have started giving out free swastika tattoos in an attempt to take the symbol back.
And there are talks about doing it with other runic and nordic mythological symbols. It is not fair that something with over a thousand years history is not to be used over the depraved nature of someone misusing it in a flicker of time.
If you take the Blackletter typography, they've successfully killed a lot of the nazi connotation. Heavy Metal, Punk, Rap, Skater- Many sub cultures have embraced the Gothic typography and the result is that today the younger generations don't think of nazism when they see Illmatic or a Corona beer. Older generations who remember might.
But again you're looking at something not being fair or truthful. Blackletters go back to the 12th century. True that they might have started in the holy roman empire (its possible) but they have more of a history as a bible typography and as usage when the broad quill pen was invented which is what gives it its features.
Symbols are very very powerful and they mean different things wherever you go. I've heard stories of buddhists being harassed because they wear swastikas. Who is at fault. The buddhist who doesn't submit to the western connotation or the person harassing for not knowing that swastika is the sun symbol and goes back thousand of years.
There is a genuine element of other cultures not knowing the meaning of it is perceived in other places. blackface is not understood in many places of europe and that gets ugly with things like zwaite piete in Belgium. Americans have difficulty understanding the different connotations that brings forth. In a global society there are higher expectations on everyone to be sensitive about others issues as what cultural things they do, is more spread to other countries.
ThisGuy
Member
Honestly, I don't judge till I know the person. I know two people personally that grew up in poverty and turned to a life of crime. Received prison sentences up in the years. Came out tagged. They said they didn't want to, they regret it, but genuinely felt they had no other choice. They both had similar stories of needing to join a group, and the other races wouldn't have them.
They both say they don't hate any other race, and from years of interaction, work, I believe them.
You just don't know a person's circumstance some times. On some level I feel kind of bad for them.
That said I'm not itching to make new friends who carry that symbology.
But to put it in persoective, I also know of someone with a similar story (poverty, crime, prison) and he's a full blown racist on another level who should be in prison right now.
They both say they don't hate any other race, and from years of interaction, work, I believe them.
You just don't know a person's circumstance some times. On some level I feel kind of bad for them.
That said I'm not itching to make new friends who carry that symbology.
But to put it in persoective, I also know of someone with a similar story (poverty, crime, prison) and he's a full blown racist on another level who should be in prison right now.
Knuckle Sandwich
Member
Guy across the street when I was a kid had a swastika on his stomach. Was out shirtless on his lawn all the time. Surprised nothing ever happened to him.
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