Wearing a swastika in public.

[Capt Caveman]

When the OP is taking public transportation to PAX East, I recommend getting off at the Haymarket Station first and walking over and thru the Holocaust Memorial. I'm sure you'll be a bigger hit there than at the convention.

Actually, maybe you should go visit the Holocaust Memorial beforehand and maybe you'll realize how stupid your idea would be.

 

[Gothgar]

Might as well wear a Yankees hat with a Eli Manning jersey.

:awe:

 

[Imp]

So... you're taking one of the most identifiable army uniforms known to man just by its color, over-use in the movie and game industry, and overall design, and you feel like you have to tack on the one symbol that's been deemed by society to be the very symbol of racism on to it because?

Wow.

if someone can't figure out you're dressing up as a nazi by the uniform alone, get a helmet or cap. If you still think you need more, put on an Iron Cross (looks like you got one). If you REALLY get desperate, sew the "SS" insignia on somewhere. And if you're just trolling, ya, put on a bright red armband with a swastika on it.

 

[classy]

You know the answer to this question.

 

[XX55XX]

So... you're taking one of the most identifiable army uniforms known to man just by its color, over-use in the movie and game industry, and overall design, and you feel like you have to tack on the one symbol that's been deemed by society to be the very symbol of racism on to it because?

It's for historical accuracy, actually. All soldiers of the Wehrmacht wore it. In fact, after the Anschluss, the Austrian army was integrated into the Wehrmacht, and the new national emblem was sewn onto Austrian uniforms.

It's not really about the Nazi chic - I am a stickler for accuracy.

 

[Capt Caveman]

It's for historical accuracy, actually. All soldiers of the Wehrmacht wore it. In fact, after the Anschluss, the Austrian army was integrated into the Wehrmacht, and the new national emblem was sewn onto Austrian uniforms.

It's not really about the Nazi chic - I am a stickler for being a retard.

FTFY

 

[BudAshes]

It sounds like your life is sad anyway so who really cares if you get stabbed?

 

[Iron Woode]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1LFWONlP_k&skipcontrinter=1

 

[crashtestdummy]

Would I get beaten up by a bunch of anti-skinheads or anti-racist activists on my way home?

I live in Boston, by the way, and the convention in question is the PAX East.

I'm insulted that you don't think walking around in a Nazi uniform is offensive. I'm from Boston, and am Jewish. If I saw you walking around in said uniform, I would not beat you up, but I might try to confront you and asking why you are wearing a symbol so closely associated with genocide.

The first amendment rights of this country permit you express whatever beliefs you so desire in whatever nondestructive form you wish, and I agree with your right to do it. At the same time, there are few clearer representations of pure evil in this world than the Nazis. They represent all of our worst traits, all rolled up into a decade. The Nazis systematically and casually killed millions of people, most of them Jews, in the coldest, most efficient ways possible. There is nothing to glorify about who they were and what they did. It is completely beyond my imagination why you would want play the role of a Nazi at a video game convention.

I will also say that you're more likely to run into trouble inside the convention than outside it. People on the street might keep their distance because they think you might have a weapon on you. In the convention, they'll all know you're just a stupid video game geek.

 

[shortylickens]

When I was at Hynix we had plenty of Koreans wearing swastika necklaces. I told them it was fine for their beliefs cuz they didnt partake in WWII, but here in America most folks assume you mean it in the bad way, so dont show it around town.

 

[XX55XX]

At the same time, there are few clearer representations of pure evil in this world than the Nazis. They represent all of our worst traits, all rolled up into a decade. The Nazis systematically and casually killed millions of people, most of them Jews, in the coldest, most efficient ways possible. There is nothing to glorify about who they were and what they did.

I absolutely agree. I do not deny the Holocaust, and being non-European, I have no doubts that I would have been very low on the Nazi racial ladder.

Tell me - Would you be easily offended if you saw the use of the swastika outside of the Nazi context? I know many local Buddhist temples that use it. Granted, my use of the swastika is more closely associated with Nazism than anything, and will offend, but I am curious as to what you think about swastikas outside of Nazism.

Thank you for your serious post. That was what I was looking for from this.

 

[edro]

If someone gives you the stink eye, just announce that you are an actor is a historical re-enactment.

Or, take the outfit in a dufflebag and change into it at the convention.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I absolutely agree. I do not deny the Holocaust, and being non-European, I have no doubts that I would have been very low on the Nazi racial ladder.

Tell me - Would you be easily offended if you saw the use of the swastika outside of the Nazi context? I know many local Buddhist temples that use it. Granted, my use of the swastika is more closely associated with Nazism than anything, and will offend, but I am curious as to what you think about swastikas outside of Nazism.

Thank you for your serious post. That was what I was looking for from this.

No it's not. How do you plan to wear the swastika? Man, kids are getting more stupid by the minute.

 

[XX55XX]

If someone gives you the stink eye, just announce that you are an actor is a historical re-enactment.

Or, take the outfit in a dufflebag and change into it at the convention.

Nah, I'll wear it on the way, but I'll cover up the Wehrmachtsadler until I reach the convention hall. It's the only part of my piece that has a swastika on it.

 

[XX55XX]

No it's not. How do you plan to wear the swastika? Man, kids are getting more stupid by the minute.

I've described in my OP. Above the right breast pocket, where it is usually sewn. There is a picture I posted depicting it.

 

[dawp]

get someone to do make up and go as a nazi zombie. like in the movies shock waves or dead snow.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I've described in my OP. Above the right breast pocket, where it is usually sewn. There is a picture I posted depicting it.

Wow. My question went right over your head.

 

[XX55XX]

Wow. My question went right over your head.

Be a little more succinct, then.

 

[dank69]

Ask yourself this question. Would you wear a Yankees hat through the same area?

Lots of people wear Yankees gear in Boston. I've done it on quite a few occasions.

 

[sourceninja]

When the OP is taking public transportation to PAX East, I recommend getting off at the Haymarket Station first and walking over and thru the Holocaust Memorial. I'm sure you'll be a bigger hit there than at the convention.

Actually, maybe you should go visit the Holocaust Memorial beforehand and maybe you'll realize how stupid your idea would be.

This is exactly why I'm against watching, making, or acting in anything that contains nazis. All games with nazi's should be banned, and ever reference of them removed from the history books. We need to forget this ever happened, it's that horrible.......

A fact of life is that there are bad guys and sometimes it's fun to play a bad guy. This is no different then being hitler in a movie, or being a nazi soldier in a multiplayer game like battlefield. It is play acting, it is healthy, and there is nothing wrong with it. The people who get upset are the people with a mental issue. To survivors of the Holocaust attack actors who played nazi's? Do the protest games where you have the option to be the axis?

Should you let your kids play Axis and Allies? Or is it stupid and insensitive for you to be the axis player? Should we boycott Volkswagen? Maybe we should have killed Wernher Von Braun instead of giving him US citizenship and should immediately shutdown nasa for being insensitive to the jewish plight.....

Something horrible happened, we stopped the bad guys, you don't have to forget (because that would allow it to happen again) but you do have to get over it and move on. If we can't even wear a costume to a party how are we ever going to learn to advance as human beings?

Would there be as much problem here if his costume was a Japanese soldier outfit from WW2? I mean they only murdered 3,000,000 to over 10,000,000 people, most likely 6,000,000 Chinese, Indonesians, Koreans, Filipinos, and Indochinese, among others, including Western prisoners of war. But after all it's not a nazi symbol....

Is there even a Nanking massacre memorial in the US? Are children even taught about the horrors done to the Chinese and others by the Japanese? For those who don't know about it, it was a city where about 20,000–80,000 men, women and children were raped and then murdered.

 

[crashtestdummy]

I absolutely agree. I do not deny the Holocaust, and being non-European, I have no doubts that I would have been very low on the Nazi racial ladder.

Tell me - Would you be easily offended if you saw the use of the swastika outside of the Nazi context? I know many local Buddhist temples that use it. Granted, my use of the swastika is more closely associated with Nazism than anything, and will offend, but I am curious as to what you think about swastikas outside of Nazism.

Thank you for your serious post. That was what I was looking for from this.

You have to understand first of all that people upset at you would not be taking things out of context. Yes, Nazis are a common feature of video games, but mostly because they are the one variety of human that the vast majority of western citizens have no qualms about killing (I'm being serious here). That is not what you represent by going to PAX dressed as a Nazi (unless you are handing out clubs and demanding that participants beat you unconscious--and I'm guessing you won't be). By showing up at a video game convention in Nazi uniform, you are establishing that you more closely associate with the Nazi identity than the 10,000 other possible characters you could have chosen. I would have chosen to go to the convention as Lara Croft or a head crab before wearing a Nazi uniform.

Now, in terms of your question of context, it is a difficult one. The distinction from a Nazi symbol would have to be explicit and obvious. This is rather unfortunate for Buddhist and other cultures, but the fact of the matter is that the Nazis have ruined the symbol for everyone. Wearing a swastika is the equivalent of waving a giant dildo in the face of a recent rape victim. Dildos are not inherently harmful, but what they represent to that particular person is. The Nazis raped us all (especially Jews), and it's only natural that we are still so horrified by their image.

Edit: I should also say that many Jews of my parent's generation would have discussions with their parents about which of their non-Jewish friends would hide them if a holocaust came to America. No joke.

 

[XX55XX]

By showing up at a video game convention in Nazi uniform, you are establishing that you more closely associate with the Nazi identity than the 10,000 other possible characters you could have chosen. I would have chosen to go to the convention as Lara Croft or a head crab before wearing a Nazi uniform.

I played quite a few World War II video games as a kid. I've killed my fair share of "Nazis". But, at the same time, I chose to do Wehrmacht because it's much less politically contentious than doing a Brownshirt impression or a Waffen-SS getup. A lot of soldiers in the Wehrmacht were simply conscripted young teenagers.

As for the swastika, I thought long and hard about it, because I knew it would offend. But I have mild OCD when it comes to historical accuracy, and with the consultation of some friends, I decided to stick with it.

And finally... there comes the issue of identification which you have raised. Do I identify with Nazis? No. But might people think that I am trolling them for the lulz? Absolutely. If confronted, I will acknowledge that the Nazis did terrible things - and what neo-Nazi acknowledges the Holocaust?

I could dress up as something else, but out of the many costumes I could have done - this one was perhaps the easiest to do and didn't necessitate a great deal of time nor money.

Edit: I would add that I have read stories about Jews who travelled to the Far East only to be shocked by the number swastikas floating around. Most of them know that these swastikas are not associated with Nazism, but it still made plenty of them queasy nonetheless.

 

[crashtestdummy]

This is exactly why I'm against watching, making, or acting in anything that contains nazis. All games with nazi's should be banned, and ever reference of them removed from the history books. We need to forget this ever happened, it's that horrible.......

I disagree with the bolded. One of the problems of banning hate speech is that those who believe in it go unchallenged in public. It's like banning your daughter from dating and then being shocked when she gets pregnant because you never taught her about safer sex. We need a constant discussion of these topics precisely because everyone needs to understand how unacceptable this part of the past is. Forgetting that this ever happened makes us far more likely to repeat it. Only by internalizing the horrors of what has happened before can we appropriately understand the consequences of your actions today.

Would there be as much problem here if his costume was a Japanese soldier outfit from WW2? I mean they only murdered 3,000,000 to over 10,000,000 people, most likely 6,000,000 Chinese, Indonesians, Koreans, Filipinos, and Indochinese, among others, including Western prisoners of war. But after all it's not a nazi symbol....

Is there even a Nanking massacre memorial in the US? Are children even taught about the horrors done to the Chinese and others by the Japanese? For those who don't know about it, it was a city where about 20,000–80,000 men, women and children were raped and then murdered.

I was certainly taught about it. You have to remember that the US had a much more pivotal role in the Pacific theater than in Europe in the war. We do not, however, have a memorial in the US to the Nanking Massacre. This is unfortunate, but likely do to demographics and political push. The holocaust memorials exist because of a concerted effort by the Jewish population in America. AFAIK, there has not been a similarly strong push by Chinese immigrant populations (I could be wrong on this).

I would say wearing a Nazi uniform in Boston is roughly equivalent to wearing a Japanese uniform in Bejing. I will admit, though, that most people in Boston wouldn't recognize what a Japanese uniform looks like (except in Chinatown), and thus wouldn't react.

Lastly, there is a slight distinction of intent. It is the same reason that Stalin is not as (emphasis on as) reviled for his purges as Hitler for his genocide. The Nazis killed people with the expressed purpose of wiping the Jewish people off of the face of the earth completely. In the effect of killing people, there was little distinction between the Nazis, the Soviets, and the Japanese, but that difference of intent is important.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Be a little more succinct, then.

My reply was to your post about why you created this post(the Swastika outside of Nazism) which contradicts your OP. Wearing a German soliders uniform with a swastika represents Nazism even if you don't think it does. So, you're either trolling or retarded.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Do up the whole costume, but put the star of David inside the circle. That should appease everyone