Bikers With A Large Swastika - What's This All About?

[onlycw]

Have you seen these black t-shirts with a red circle and the Swastika inside?

Different bikes, an extreme chopper or some homemade utility sidecar.

Is this a biker gang, or are these individuals who like to provoke?

Just asking. It was a huge surprise seeing this. You wear this t-shirt and I

guarantee this: 1.) they will call dozens of cops and 2.) you will get months in jail.

Chris

The photo is from a GT-Rider travel report. I cannot find it and ask permission to post it.

Hope that's going to be forgiven...

[fred2007]

A swastika got nothing do with nazis they have been around before Hitler was even born

[coolfusion]

1.) This is not Germany.

2.) The swastika is an ancient good luck symbol associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and a multitude of oriental traditions. It is more than 5,000 years old, but its misappropriation by the Nazis obscured its true meaning.

In Britain, Hindus are campaigning to have its original benign symbolism restored. They hope to rescue it from the murky darkness in which it has languished for over half a century.

In the meantime, understandably of course, it continues to evoke horrific memories of the Holocaust but this should not impede its eventual rehabilitation by those religious and ethnic groupings to which it denotes the opposite of evil and hatred.

[fred2007]

1.) This is not Germany.

2.) The swastika is an ancient good luck symbol associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and a multitude of oriental traditions. It is more than 5,000 years old, but its misappropriation by the Nazis obscured its true meaning.

In Britain, Hindus are campaigning to have its original benign symbolism restored. They hope to rescue it from the murky darkness in which it has languished for over half a century.

In the meantime, understandably of course, it continues to evoke horrific memories of the Holocaust but this should not impede its eventual rehabilitation by those religious and ethnic groupings to which it denotes the opposite of evil and hatred.

I couldn't agree more

[submaniac]

Swastika was used in Asian religion long before Adolf Hitler adopted it. Another member posted about this before on TV, but the "sawas" in the Thai Sawas Dee, originates from the same sanskrit origin as the swastika (sawas stika).

[JUDAS]

1.) This is not Germany.

2.) The swastika is an ancient good luck symbol associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and a multitude of oriental traditions. It is more than 5,000 years old, but its misappropriation by the Nazis obscured its true meaning.

In Britain, Hindus are campaigning to have its original benign symbolism restored. They hope to rescue it from the murky darkness in which it has languished for over half a century.

In the meantime, understandably of course, it continues to evoke horrific memories of the Holocaust but this should not impede its eventual rehabilitation by those religious and ethnic groupings to which it denotes the opposite of evil and hatred.

I knew you couldn't write that alone Pete http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=3,707,0,0,1,0

[fred2007]

But maybe you guys haven't notice the different an asian swastika looks like this and the german one on the bike is the other way round

[lothda]

Note also that the Nazi version has the outer lines pointing clockwise, while the ancient Hindu/Buddhist version has them pointing counter-clockwise. A somewhat fitting difference.

[PeaceBlondie]

The average Thai never heard of the Nazi Holocaust, AFAIK. Few realize Thailand was occupied by Japan.

[Jingthing]

The swastika picture is an actual German Nazi swastika and thus offensive anywhere in the world.

[LivinLOS]

The swastika picture is an actual German Nazi swastika and thus offensive anywhere in the world.

Well its obviously not.. Due to the fact those people are using it.. And causing no offence.

It may be offensive to you anywhere in the world.. But thats a different thing.

[Jingthing]

The swastika picture is an actual German Nazi swastika and thus offensive anywhere in the world.

Well its obviously not.. Due to the fact those people are using it.. And causing no offence.

It may be offensive to you anywhere in the world.. But thats a different thing.

I take it back. I stand corrected. It wouldn't be offensive in IRAN.

The argument here seems to be it is OK because the Thai people are ignorant of what it means (talking about the actual Nazi symbol, not the ancient symbol). OK, if that works for you, fine.

Edited September 20, 2009 by Jingthing

[mbox]

i am wondering whether this should actually be in "Bikes in Thailand" forum or shall it be perhaps a thread in another forum...?

mbox

Edited September 20, 2009 by mbox

[Richard-BKK]

The average Thai never heard of the Nazi Holocaust, AFAIK. Few realize Thailand was occupied by Japan.

Sure the average Thai nver heard about the situation of Thailand during the second World War... according to actual history they where on the side of the Japanese... Thailand became a formal ally of Japan from January 25, 1942. Only hours after the invasion, the then prime minister Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram, ordered the cessation of resistance against the Japanese.

On December 21, 1941, a military alliance with Japan was signed and Thailand declared war on Britain and the United States.

If anybody ever wondered why there is a Victory Monument in downtown Bangkok .... The monument was erected in June 1941 to commemorate the Thai "victory" in the Franco-Thai War, a brief conflict waged against the French colonial authorities in Indo-China, which resulted in Thailand annexing some territories in western Cambodia and northern and southern Laos. These were among the territories which the Kingdom of Siam had been forced to cede to France in 1893 and 1904, and patriotic Thais considered them rightfully to belong to Thailand.

In fact the fighting between the Thais and the French in December 1940 and January 1941 had been brief and inconclusive. Only 59 Thai troops were killed, and the final territorial settlement was imposed on both parties by Japan, which did not want to see a prolonged war between two regional allies at a time when it was preparing to launch a war of conquest in South .... Thailand was made aware that fighting the French, could attract French troops stationed in other regions in the world and this would not benefit the upcoming Japanese plans....

..... All by all the whole second world war is a mystery for the average Thai person....

Edited September 20, 2009 by Richard-BKK

[nakedAIR1300]

1.) This is not Germany.

2.) The swastika is an ancient good luck symbol associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and a multitude of oriental traditions. It is more than 5,000 years old, but its misappropriation by the Nazis obscured its true meaning.

In Britain, Hindus are campaigning to have its original benign symbolism restored. They hope to rescue it from the murky darkness in which it has languished for over half a century.

In the meantime, understandably of course, it continues to evoke horrific memories of the Holocaust but this should not impede its eventual rehabilitation by those religious and ethnic groupings to which it denotes the opposite of evil and hatred.

I knew you couldn't write that alone Pete http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=3,707,0,0,1,0

yeah definately sounded way beyond petes vocabulary

on ya Jack

p.s im posting on Thai visa because the mods on SSR blocked me, otherwise i would be a dedicated SSR member

[Naam]

The swastika picture is an actual German Nazi swastika and thus offensive anywhere in the world.

Well its obviously not.. Due to the fact those people are using it.. And causing no offence.

It may be offensive to you anywhere in the world.. But thats a different thing.

I take it back. I stand corrected. It wouldn't be offensive in IRAN.

nor in any arab country

[BigBikeBKK]

p.s im posting on Thai visa because the mods on SSR blocked me, otherwise i would be a dedicated SSR member

LMAO! Well, if you stopped filling the SSR with porn (and worse!) you wouldn't have been blocked, now would you???

[harrry]

While the person on the bike may not be one with whom I wish to associate I do not see the sign as offensive. What I consider offensive is the curtailment of free speech that otherwise educated and liberal people seem to accept as right.

[Lancelot]

I agree with other posters that the average Thai has no idea what the Nazi swastika represents to many western nations. Having said that, I have seen a few western guys with swastika tatoos, that most likely do understand what it represents.

The guy in the photo probably thought it was cool, nothing more.

[LivinLOS]

1.) This is not Germany.

2.) The swastika is an ancient good luck symbol associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and a multitude of oriental traditions. It is more than 5,000 years old, but its misappropriation by the Nazis obscured its true meaning.

In Britain, Hindus are campaigning to have its original benign symbolism restored. They hope to rescue it from the murky darkness in which it has languished for over half a century.

In the meantime, understandably of course, it continues to evoke horrific memories of the Holocaust but this should not impede its eventual rehabilitation by those religious and ethnic groupings to which it denotes the opposite of evil and hatred.

I knew you couldn't write that alone Pete http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=3,707,0,0,1,0

yeah definately sounded way beyond petes vocabulary

on ya Jack

p.s im posting on Thai visa because the mods on SSR blocked me, otherwise i would be a dedicated SSR member

Note for the future.. 'Tasteful nudes' are the ones without any man goo

[hansnl]

While the person on the bike may not be one with whom I wish to associate I do not see the sign as offensive. What I consider offensive is the curtailment of free speech that otherwise educated and liberal people seem to accept as right.

The limit of your knowledge is boundless.

Like most Thai people you have no idea what you are talking about.

The Nazi-swastika is a memento of around 50 million people dead, because of that sign.

For that reason alone, free speech should be curtailed.

Most people, with some knowledge and memory know, and would not want to be associated with that sign, nor with you.

[LivinLOS]

The Nazi-swastika is a memento of around 50 million people dead, because of that sign.

For that reason alone, free speech should be curtailed.

Well Hans I disagree..

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" (well maybe not to the death )..

Allowing <deleted> to have their say only makes it easier to identify them. Once you start down the road of one group telling another group what is and is not acceptable your on a slipper slope to the same totalitarianism that the very symbol you object to personifies.

[PeaceBlondie]

No flaming.

Moved to General, and probably to closure.

[jubby]

probably some Biker who likes to think he's a rebel. nothing more sinister than that.

Although distateful to many, I'd be suprised if the swastika was Illegal in the US or UK.

Maybe illegal in Germany but I suspect the star of david is also Illegal in some Arab regions.

maybe someone can correct me.

The Wars been over a long time. Many attrocities associated with the English George Cross and Union Jack and ofcourse The japanese 'rising Sun' but no one bats an eyelid to see them.

I in no way have any rightwing views or sympathies; Its just a Flag .

[miatai]

if only all the energies expended here over a flag and its non-symbolism to the world at large today beyond that of various asian religions could have been expended on getting rid of the many murders of farangs and the farangs who con farangs in thailand lately.......(sigh).

[losworld]

Freedom of speech. Everyone should have a right to express an opinion regardless of what anyone else thinks of it. I may not agree with it but that doesn't mean someone should be barred from saying it. Germany sounds pretty fcked up to me if they jail someone yet children can go online and view hours of pornography.

[Moonrakers]

Freedom of speech. Everyone should have a right to express an opinion regardless of what anyone else thinks of it. I may not agree with it but that doesn't mean someone should be barred from saying it. Germany sounds pretty fcked up to me if they jail someone yet children can go online and view hours of pornography.

Whilst I agree, I do think that the Germans could be excused from being a tad touchy on the subject.

[Bakeman]

But maybe you guys haven't notice the different an asian swastika looks like this and the german one on the bike is the other way round

This is not exactly true. I have a glass held casing with Garnashia and though the color of gold/beige is correct the symbal is the same one on the back of the motor bike. A symbol is only as evil or good as the holder portrays.

[webfact]

To demonstrate respect for the millions of people who died and suffered under this sign

this topic is

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