EU Considers Ban on Nazi Symbols

[truthpusher]

http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=12141

EU Considers Ban on Nazi Symbols

VOA 29/01/2005 02:22

European Union Justice and Home Affairs ministers say they want to improve the means to fight extremism and anti-semitism in Europe, including a possible ban on Nazi symbols. The move comes one day after Holocaust commemorations and in the wake of a swastika controversy in Britain.

Luxembourg Justice Minister Luc Frieden, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, called on EU governments to adopt proposals that have been under consideration for a long time. He said Thursdays memorial to the victims at the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz make the matter timely.

"Racism is something that is incompatible with the fundamental values that are the basis of the European construction," he said. "And, therefore, I think we must conclude on this issue. The discussion has been going on for too long. I think we owe it also to the victims of Auschwitz and other concentration camps."

(snip)

The proposed ban on hate symbols is to come up at another meeting of Justice and Home Affairs ministers in February. Such a ban would require agreement from all EU governments, and could face obstacles in countries that fear it would damage freedom of expression. Some right-wing governments also fear some of their party members might be found in violation of new standards that would define racism.

more:
http://www.bakutoday.net/view.php?d=12141

[LittleClarkie]

1. Sad really, considering they were Icelandic symbols to begin with

that the Nazi's bogarted. But I don't blame them for wanting to get rid of the damn things.

[Dufaeth]

2. Hindu symbol as well

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=214x7888

[theresistance]

3. In China the symbol is widespread

and means "good luck" or something. Does the EU want to ban all these traditional people and various groups from using what is an ancient symbol? Is this whole thing going to far?

[Pale_Rider]

4. An ancient multi-cultural symbol ...

... at that, since it was found among the ancient Vedic cultures, Native Americans, Buddhists (Tibeteans, Chinese, Japanese), and Greek, among others.

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20031103.html

Feaking Hilter ... at least those bastards used the left-handed variation.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. A German court case has clarified that it is only in the context of a Nazi

design that it is banned in that country; and this would surely apply to an European-wide 'ban'.

Beginning in October 1999, the German police confiscated banners or posters displaying the Falun Gong emblem, as it contains a swastika that resembles the Nazi swastika, although is different in color and points in a different direction. In Autumn 2002, the German Falun Dafa Association received a felony notice from the Mannheim district court for displaying the Falun emblem on its website. In May 2003 an indictment notice arrived from the district Court with a one week right to appeal. The group retained an attorney and consulted renowned German Sinologist, Professor Rudolf G. Wagner of the University of Heidelberg. In November 2003, the court rendered a verdict of “not guilty” and declared the display of the Falun emblem as legal under German law. The public prosecutor lodged an appeal, but in March 2004 the original judgment was upheld. The Falun symbol can now be legally displayed on the Falun Gong website in Germany, as it is in other countries around the world.
...
The March 2004 verdict by the Mannheim court is significant, coming from a court system in the country where the swastika was defiled. The court found a clear distinction between Hitler’s swastika and the Falun Gong symbol.

http://english.epochtimes.com/news/4-9-4/23097.html

And as the Wikipedia article points out, Hindus and Buddhists have used it in both directions; the Nazis used it mainly in one direction (Wikipedia suggests calling this 'right-facing'), but the naval ensign had it left-facing on the reverse side. So do not think that direction is going to make the difference; it will be the design, and context, that are taken into account.

[makhno]

6. Idiotic

Fight the cause, not the symptom. Perhaps European so-called leaders should take a look at what drives today's European youth toward right-wing movements, whereas many of the countries had powerful, young, union-backed communist parties not so long ago.

These neo-liberal bastards reap what they saw; but I'm sure they prefer to have nazi and islamist youth desecrating Jewish tombs rather than having to deal with an organized workers movement that would span cultural divides.