Is a lightning bolt a racist symbol?

[D18]

*Originally posted by sjc *
**I read that Hitler may have first seen the Swastika at the Catholic school in his boyhood home. I got this from a book called Pope-puorri, so it may be a bit unreliable. Apparently the priest who ran the school Hitler went to was named something like Hagencreutz which sounded like the German word for the hooked-cross or swastika and so he used it as his symbol. (All of this I read along time ago and I didn’t commit it to memory, so I may be missing or distortng some details.) **

The master, on the Hitler/swastika connexion:

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_156.html

[Sultan_Kinkari]

I assume one of Hitler’s colleagues suggested to him the swastika for it’s definitive value as a good luck charm, meaning “this is good”.

From a design standpoint, I am a designer, I like the look of the swastika. It really is a shame that the Nazi’s took a symbol found in many churches and cathedrals and gave it hateful connotations.

[Traveler]

*Originally posted by KidCharlemagne *
**I want to get a lightning bolt tattoo for certain personal reasons, but it brings to mind Nazi’s and White supremacists. I know that the double lighting bolt symbol is a Nazi sybol, but what about one? Even if it’s not technically, do you think people would interpret it as one? **

It all really depends on the person. From my life so far, I have met many different people. Some though that I found to be connected with so-called politically incorrect groups had no signs or symbols or anything to allow you to pick them out as belonging to these groups.

[Osip]

*Originally posted by Anthracite *
Oh my. I’m seeing a new sig!

Una “Winnie died for your sins” Persson **

Glad I could help you out Anthracite!

Osip

[Mortish]

I think the thunderbolt will be fine, but I’ll probably never have the guts to get a swastika, especially since I spend a lot of time around Africans and Asians, I’d hate to send out confusing signals.

— G. Raven

If you are interested in swastikas as tattoos, and the whole racism connection, take a look at http://www.bmezine.com. Do a search for swastika. There is a person calling himself ManWoman who is covered in swastika tattoos, paints swastikas, has written a book on “reclaiming swastikas”, and has his own website. An interview and a link to his site is provided on the aforementioned website.