Oh my, you can't fix stupid. I would think the rising sun logo would be more appropriate being the car is all Japanese.
Assuming the perps themselves know, what was the point of the swastika ? Prius owners are Nazi like ? The Perps are Nazi wanna-be ?
Well, the theory is that it's just stupid kids wanting to get a rise out of everyone. Other news outlets have noted that some of the swastikas were backwards relative to the Nazi context.
Well, that would make it the REAL swastika (the Hindu one, from which the Nazis got their idea). IRONY
off topic, but I have always thought the symbol was fascinating. Too bad it has become irrevocably connected to the heinous nazis, at least for western peoples. By the way, the reverse swastika was also created by SW American natives.
When an act of vandalism seems like a deliberate attempt to cause offence by a bunch of poorly-educated teens with destructive personalities, that's probably what it is.
Flyflots are also used in Japan in religious (Buddahist)contexts. As well in India (Jainist). Christian and Nordic religions also used it. I hope the day will come when we can take it back from the Nazis.
Hmm...it's too bad that this happened. But the truth unfortunately is that vandalism does happen. Huge areas in Portland have suffered with somebody or some people slashing tires. It's not aimed at specific vehicles, but in the past year hundreds of vehicles have been hit. Just read this morning that a neighborhood street was hit on Thanksgiving. ---It's bad enough to be a vandal, but to purposely also screw up peoples holidays? That's Extra Douchebag. I wonder if these idiots or hopefully just idiot- didn't compound their stupidity. Targeting only Prius and using a Swastika puts this vandalism into the realm of being a hate crime, which I would think would come with a higher potential penalty than just pure vandalism. So when caught, these people will be charged with vandalism, property damage AND perpetrating a hate crime. Good Job Idiots....you just made the potential penalties far more punitive. Hope they throw everything at you and it sticks. As far as parenting goes. I think children often react off the lead shown by the parent. In other words, if you don't reflect fear and angst over this act of vandalism, then the child won't be upset either. I guess my feeling is if the child is old enough to even have an opinion or an idea over what happened, then I wouldn't necessarily take the opportunity to talk calmly about what has happened to a child as a bad thing. There is nothing you can do, the child is growing up in a world where vandalism and hate crimes do happen. You can't really control that too much, but what you can control is demonstrating the best way to react to these events. I would really take the unfortunate event as a spring board to do a lot of teaching. But IMO it's not a time to foster any fear or unnecessary angst in a child over what has happened. Our car was the victim of an act of mindless vandalism and the perpetrator used a very negative and hateful symbol. I would hope this could be presented in a way that leads to reacting with understanding, knowledge and strength in response, not a child crying and being afraid.
^ I don't think they were all prii but you're right about their punishment. Unfortunately being right isn't always an indication of what's actually going to happen. They will be processed through the system, charged, sentenced and then released a couple months possibly even weeks for lack of room in our failed penitentiary system.
Natives in the Americas used swastikas... you can see it in the pottery and weaving. The American Boy Scouts had the Order of the White Swastika, before there was the Order of the Arrow (of which I am a member)... The nazis ruined the desire for new membership in the Order, and they stopped meeting as an Order when the nazis proved to be among the most heinous of humankind... Tainting the symbol itself for most of the world because of their evil acts even now. The poor folks that had their property vandalized have to bear the stares and perhaps worse until they get through paying their deductible...
The vandalism in Portland, has been just multiple cars of various makes. The video linked to this original post seems to suggest the swastikas were aimed SPECIFICALLY at Prius.
Before Hitler Abased The Swastika, Boys Took On An Ordeal - 05.23.77 - SI Vault It's about five pages... interesting first person story.
Perhaps...and I agree...likely. ( I said "Potential Penalties" ). But at this point I'll let the whole thing play out. As far as defending the Swastika? Of course it has a history beyond it's use by the Nazi's. But I don't think that is the point. Yes, the Nazi's and Hitler have forever tainted the symbol. The fact that it existed in various forms BEFORE they used it, and the fact that different cultures may embrace the swastika with a totally different viewpoint is immaterial. I'm pretty sure the vandals in this case chose the swastika BECAUSE of it's negative association. Hitler pretty much ruined the little paint brush upper lip mustache too....I don't know why that would of ever been fashionable, but Hitler's use of it pretty much means it ain't coming around on the acceptable mainstream fashion circuit anytime soon.
you always know they are young when it's painted on backwards (blue swastika) because the young are stupid
Slowly I'm not trying to make sense out of stuff like this. Would love for the perp's names to go public and this come to bite them in a way they never imagined.
