The European Union is seeking again to ban the swastika symbol. There has been a flurry of debate about the vastly different meanings the symbol has to different cultures.

This has centred on the feelings of the German nation, European Jews and Hindus.

From YNet News (via Anarchaia):

Germany plans to use its presidency of the EU to launch an initiative which could lead to common laws across the bloc making it a crime to deny genocide and display Nazi symbols.

“The swastika has been around for 5,000 years as a symbol of peace. This is exactly the opposite of how it was used by Hitler,” said Ramesh Kallidai of the Hindu Forum of Britain.

“It is almost like saying that the Klu Klux Klan used burning crosses to terrorize black men, so therefore let us ban the cross. How does that sound to you?”

Links

• BBC article
• Reclaim the Swastika reader comments
• Rainmountain posts to Flickr
• Positive Swastikas Flickr Group

‘Inside, inside!’, the Song Bird cried;
inviting me to go within.
So sweet across the great divide,
I heard It softly calling.

‘But how’, I asked ’should I begin?’
‘which road am I to follow?’.
‘Fear not’, It sang, ‘go in, go in’,
‘I will be there to guide you’.

At first just He, then He and me,
then He alone therein I find.
My soul in burst and flying free,
I live for Him and serve mankind.