# The man with the swastika tattoo **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769 "2014-04-23T14:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![SirGalahad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@SirGalahad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirGalahad)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/161 "2014-04-25T19:41:16Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > A post surely deserving of [this](http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/slow_clap_citizen_kane.gif) gif. > > I’m still in two minds, between letting sleeping dogs lie unless he actually acts like a scumbag or on the other hand my curiosity getting the better of me. Next time I see him out and about I might try and find out the story and if he holds to the views that symbol represents (in the west at least) or not. You should ask him right away. Could you please let us know what he says? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/162 "2014-04-26T01:00:04Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > And semiotics takes another punch in the face on the dope. I will punch semiotics in its big fat face every time it rears its big fat face. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/163 "2014-04-26T06:04:14Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > I am pleased that you remember this and were willing to go to the effort to go back & dig it up. Or did you have it booked marked because you knew you would want to use it in the future. Either way, I’m glad to know you are that concerned with what I say. 😃 It’s nice to see someone else calling someone on this. What in the world does your opinion about running over a dog have to do with a thread about a swastika tattoo? His entire argument seems to be “ **GusNSpot** said something stupid here, so we know whatever he says now is stupid.” I’ve never understood why people let these classic _ad hominem_ arguments pass. If anything, they seem to say that you don’t have any legitimate counterargument. ---
**Author:** ![BrokenBriton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@BrokenBriton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrokenBriton)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/164 "2014-04-26T21:01:12Z")
Can’t you get tattoos lazored off these days? I mean if it was something from the past, and the guy can afford gym membership, why would you want to still walk around like that … Yep, I’d be curious enough to say something like ‘well, that’s … unusual…?’ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/165 "2014-04-26T21:06:41Z")
> [@BrokenBriton](#): > > Can’t you get tattoos lazored off these days? > > I mean if it was something from the past, and the guy can afford gym membership, why would you want to still walk around like that … > > Yep, I’d be curious enough to say something like ‘well, that’s … unusual…?’ Or barring that, he could get a tattoo artist to change it into something else. A big black square if nothing else. If the guy still has it, he’s obviously not too bothered to be walking around with a Nazi symbol inked on his body. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/166 "2014-04-26T21:46:41Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I’ve never understood why people let these classic _ad hominem_ arguments pass. If anything, they seem to say that you don’t have any legitimate counterargument. Is this about casein? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/167 "2014-04-28T12:55:00Z")
Ok, bumped into him yesterday and asked him about the…you know what. But I think you’ll be disappointed; I said what’s up with the, er, and pointed at my shoulder where the tat is. He gave us a raised eyebrow and said ‘Just something I had done a long time ago’. You’re thinking - did you follow up and ask him if he’s a fan of the Fuhrer, but his tone and body language were screaming ‘drop it’, and he left pretty quickly. So it was a bit of an awkward situation and I’m not really any the wiser. However given that he didn’t launch into any Nazi diatribe or anything when asked about it I’m leaning towards treating him the same unless I get any concrete evidence of scumbaggery. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/168 "2014-04-28T13:41:44Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Ok, bumped into him yesterday and asked him about the…you know what. But I think you’ll be disappointed; I said what’s up with the, er, and pointed at my shoulder where the tat is. He gave us a raised eyebrow and said ‘Just something I had done a long time ago’. You’re thinking - did you follow up and ask him if he’s a fan of the Fuhrer, but his tone and body language were screaming ‘drop it’, and he left pretty quickly. So it was a bit of an awkward situation and I’m not really any the wiser. > > However given that he didn’t launch into any Nazi diatribe or anything when asked about it I’m leaning towards treating him the same unless I get any concrete evidence of scumbaggery. Obviously none of us can read his mind, but it sounds as though he was embarrassed. This is a tattoo you saw once, inadvertently, correct? That he normally keeps covered? It will be interesting to see if he pulls back socially from you, going forward. Thanks for keeping the peanut gallery (including me!) up to date. ---
**Author:** ![crono35](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@crono35](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crono35)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/169 "2014-04-29T00:27:42Z")
my neighbor is one of the friendliest guys I ever met- totally awesome, but he has a rather intimidating appearance. I noticed the other day while talking with him that his knuckles are rather scarred up, which I usually take to indicate a rough past life. I see no reason to treat him any different than his personality dictates. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/170 "2014-04-29T01:03:43Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Ok, bumped into him yesterday and asked him about the…you know what. But I think you’ll be disappointed; I said what’s up with the, er, and pointed at my shoulder where the tat is. He gave us a raised eyebrow and said ‘Just something I had done a long time ago’. You’re thinking - did you follow up and ask him if he’s a fan of the Fuhrer, but his tone and body language were screaming ‘drop it’, and he left pretty quickly. So it was a bit of an awkward situation and I’m not really any the wiser. > > However given that he didn’t launch into any Nazi diatribe or anything when asked about it I’m leaning towards treating him the same unless I get any concrete evidence of scumbaggery. What, you didn’t demand he prostrate himself on the ground and beg for your forgiveness on behalf of the Straight Dope?? Good for you. Very mature. Buy him a beer sometime. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/171 "2014-04-29T02:16:57Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Buy him a beer sometime. [Better yet, buy him a shot.](http://www.drinksmixer.com/cat/466/) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/172 "2014-04-29T11:43:00Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > What, you didn’t demand he prostrate himself on the ground and beg for your forgiveness on behalf of the Straight Dope?? > > Good for you. Very mature. Buy him a beer sometime. Er…say what? Are you saying I was wrong to even ask about it? > [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Obviously none of us can read his mind, but it sounds as though he was embarrassed. This is a tattoo you saw once, inadvertently, correct? That he normally keeps covered? It will be interesting to see if he pulls back socially from you, going forward. > > Thanks for keeping the peanut gallery (including me!) up to date. Quite possibly, the impression I got at the time is that he just didn’t want to talk about it. It is pretty high on the shoulder, it would be covered by a t-shirt most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/173 "2014-04-29T19:46:42Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Er…say what? Are you saying I was wrong to even ask about it? No, no. I’m proud of you for not making a dramatic scene, as some here seemed to suggest. I’m in the “give nice people the benefit of the doubt” camp. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/174 "2014-04-29T19:55:46Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > Ok, bumped into him yesterday and asked him about the…you know what. You asked him about what? What on earth are you talking about? What did you ask him about? His sweet Peel P50? If you haven’t you really should. Those things are kick-ass. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769/175 "2014-04-29T19:56:04Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I’m in the “give nice people the benefit of the doubt” camp. Me too, but I’m also in the “nice people don’t have swastika tattoos” camp. Which is a nicer camp than the ones that people with swastikas put you into. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-man-with-the-swastika-tattoo/686769.md?page=8)