Swastika earrings cause stir in Brooklyn

Earrings that resemble swastikas are causing an uproar in Greenpoint, a northern neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.

Bejeweled, a store that features some religious jewelry, started selling the earrings six months ago. Owner Young Kim told CBS station WCBS in New York that the earrings had been selling without controversy until a customer took a picture of them and posted it online, where it went viral.

"The way that it would be worn by many who would walk around with those earrings would be conveyed as a hateful message," City Councilman Steve Levin told WCBS.

The swastika is still used in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism in India, and has been used by Buddhists in China. The reversed image of the swastika gained prominence as the symbol of the Nazi Party and has been associated with anti-semitism ever since.

Bill Akin with the Soka Gakkai Buddhist Association told WCBS that the symbol originated as a Sanskrit symbol of peace and prosperity. The earrings face the traditional way swastikas face, not the way the Nazi symbol does. However, he admitted that the meaning has been tarnished - no matter which way the swastika faces.

"This is a symbol we've only seen associated with Nazi Germany," Akin said. "I think the Nazis manipulated and twisted both the fundamental meaning of the symbol as well as the physical appearance of the symbol."

The shop owner argued to WCBS through a translator that the jewelry was made in India and was never meant to incite hate. She has apologized for selling the earrings and has pulled them from the shelves.

[Mr_Harkness]

The western ignorance over the swastika disgusts me, The sun cross is an ancient indo-european symbol shared by all aryan peoples (indo-european is just a politically corret term for aryan), the european peoples as branches of the indo-european ethno-linguistic group have always used swastikas, look up on the internet and you'll see, the slavs, balts, celts, germans... look up for sun cross, swastika or fylfot. well I'm ethnically germanic, the swastika is a sacred symbol in my culture and I'll never stop using it because someone is offended, some guy said that it's a hateful symbol that resembles the death of millions of jews, pff how many people died under the jewish star of david? ask the palestinians what they think about this symbol, by their stupid logic then it's a hateful symbol too, these people should google about the swastika and the aryans before making such ignorant statements

[lloydbest1]

Tough call. This is more a reflection on education than on a symbol. As others have pointed out, the swastika has been around for thousands of years and has independantly evolved on at least five continents. It's even possible the Australian Aborigine used it as well but I don't know for sure....

A Wikipedia article on the subject notes it comes from the sanskrit language, as someone earlier pointed out. They became common symbols starting about 6000 years ago and are generally thought of as good luck charms or symbols or peace and prosperity.

Because of the Nazi Anschluss, Germany's remilitarisation and the shameful slaughter of millions of innocents, the swastika has come to symbolize everything that is evil in the human condition. It needn't be so and I would like to suggest that people take a longer look at the symbol's original and intentional meanings.

On the other hand, there's no escaping the fact its image IS tarnished - severely and perhaps permanently. We have the right of freedom of expression; it is a cherished right. But exercising that right carries with it a responsibility to understand there are consequences that result and they may not always include full acceptance.

Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should.

[bantamei]

Most people think of the Nazis when they see a swastika but it has been a symbol in Buddhism for centuries. Go to a statue of Buddha in any Asian country and the rails will be covered with swastikas.

[uisignorant]

People are stupid and are easily offended. I saw the picture and right away knew it was not Nazi.

[redbeachvn]

What's the big deal? Swastika was around long before Germany.

[maistir]

Some ask why this story is being repeated now? Is the NYC councilman looking for publicity and votes, do you think?

BTW, I want the "heart" symbol banned. It really is symbol of the female genitalia. A heart actually looks like a gnarly sweet potato.

Can I get my way on this issue? No, but I do smile at bunper stickers that mean "I crotch-and-buttocks NY" or Valentine's Day cards that say "Be my crotch-and-buttocks".

[maiingan]

The homepage teaser for this article says "reverse swastika." Ain't no such thing. There are swastikas whose bent arms face in one direction, or the other, but neither is the "reverse" of the other. Swastikas, in my opinion, originated in more than one culture thousands of years ago, as a natural result of people doodling with simple symbols. Maybe they had no meaning at first. People assign meanings to symbols they create. I read some years ago that the Hopi people of the Southwestern USA, whose independently-originated swastika too closely resembled the Nazi one, decided to stop using theirs because the Nazi swastika had contaminated the meaning, for people who only knew of the Nazi one. Smart move.

[dagohshon]

The Nazi swastika in a mirror reverses the direction of the arms. Just as the mirror of the Nazi regime is the Buddhist culture. But I think you are too much Euro-centric. Many Asians are aware of the European wars but do not attach the emotional significance that westerners do. Many Chinese are still outraged at the Japanese for the "Rape of Nanking" but for westerners, it has little meaning. Part of understanding people is to understand their cultures and their cultural values and not judge them by our cultural values.
When asked what he thought of western civilization, Mahatma Gandhi said "I think it would be a good idea."

[credibility2]

This symbol is ancient and numerous cultures used it for purposes other than hate and Nazism. Unfortunately if the shop owner wasn't aware of it potentially causing offense, it doesn't speak well of them having a basic grasp on world history or Western culture.

[dagohshon]

Nothing so clearly demonstrates the bias and bigotry of the media and particularily CBS as the wording of this article: "The shop owner argued to WCBS through a translator that the jewelry was made in India and was never meant to incite hate." The use of the verb "argued" is perjoritive. It implies an unreasoning and hostile attitude. How different it would have sounded if it had read "The shop owner explained to WCBS through a translator that the jewelry was made in India and was never meant to incite hate."

If a hate group uses a religious symbol, does it mean we should ban the symbol. How about a cross, a crescent and star or the Star of David. Would the same words have been used or would the article have made a point about the bias of the persons complaining about the presence of the religious symbol.

I also find it interesting that the Buddhist swastika (meaning peace)is the mirror image of the Nazi swastika (associated with hate, and the mirror image of peace).

I think CBS owes the shop owner and the American Buddhist community an apology.

I think councilman Steve Levin owes a double apology. To convey a message of hate out of ignorance over a religious symbol is an act of true chutzpah.

[Rafterman11]

An apology for what? Are you kidding me? of all the petty, stupid things to hit the media on. And besides, you are just plain wrong. Argue means to defend one's position, e.g., to argue a case in court. It does not automatically imply hostility.

[dagohshon]

Rafterman11. Try using the English language. Outside of court the term is perjorative. Bill and Jane argued all night long is not the same meaning as to argue a case on court or to make a philosophical argument. Synonyms: dispute - debate - discuss - reason - contend - quarrel. The flavor of the definition is to content, perhaps somewhat heatedly.

And the apology is clearly due. If a Arab had complained about the Star of David being used as earrings, he/she person would be labeled an antisemitic bigot (as though Arabs are not Semitic peoples). CBS's ignorance, Steve Levin's ignorance or your ignorance does not justify the behaviors.

[taylorsucram]

PEOPLE GET A GRIP! The swastika represents (in earlier times) the CROSS. Check your history (for those who went and stayed in school). The "reverse swastika" was emblematic of the anti-Christ (i.e. Hitler). I have always been confused by the wearing of the crucifix. You do understand that the cross was that era's electric chair. Why would you wear a symbol of death around your neck?