When Sheetal received a letter from her co-op board calling her decorations offensive, she was shocked.
The doctor said that his decoration had a swastika on it.
A sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism is the equilateral cross with its legs bent at right angles. It was used by Indigenous people around the world.
The symbol is often compared to Hitler's hakenkreuz or the hooked cross, a symbol of hate that evokes the trauma of the Holocaust. Hitler's symbol has been used by white supremacists, neo-Nazi groups and vandals.
As the Asian diaspora grew in North America, calls to take back the swastika became louder. Native Americans who used it in healing rituals are joining minority faiths.
She doesn't think people of other faiths should have to sacrifice or apologize for a sacred symbol because it's often conflated with a bad one.
She said that it was intolerable.
The swastika is not something that others would approve of.
According to the managing director of the Jewish Federations of North America's Center on Holocaust survivor care, Holocaust survivors could be re-traumatized by the symbol that represents a concept that stood for the destruction of an entire people. She met her grandparents at a camp.
She recognized the swastika as a symbol of hate.
Steven Heller, author of "Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption?", said it is a charged symbol for so many whose loved ones were murdered. During the Holocaust, his great-grandfather died.
He said a rose is a rose. It creates a powerful impact.
The symbol has been around for a long time. The Sanskrit word for mark of well being is "swastika" It has been used in Hindu prayers, carved into the Jains' emblem, and as a symbol for Zoroastrians.
In India, the symbol is very common. It has been found in a number of places including the Roman catacombs.
The symbol was brought back to life during the 19th century excavations of the ancient city of Troy. This is believed to be the reason why it was adopted by the Nazi Party.
In the early 20th century, swastikas made their way into architectural features. A swastika pendant was given by Coca-Cola. The symbol was used for badges until 1940.
T.K. Nakagaki was shocked to hear that the swastika was a universal symbol of evil. Swastikas are synonymous with temples, according to a New York-based Buddhist priest.
Nakagaki claims in his book that Hitler referred to the cross as a hooked cross.
Nakagaki doesn't think it's a good idea to call it a symbol of evil or other bad things because of Hitler.
Several faith groups, including the Coalition of Hindus of North America, are trying to differentiate the swastika from the hakenkreuz. They supported a California law that made an exception for the swastika.
Pushpita said the legislation labels both the sacred symbol and Hitler as swastikas.
Self-censorship is a result of it. The Jain family hid images of the symbol because they didn't know what to think of it. Jain is sad that he can't freely practice his Jain faith because he is a Jew.
The name "Swastika" was popular in North America before WWII, including for housing subdivisions in Miami and Denver. Some have been changed while others remain the same.
The Oregon Geographic Names Board is going to vote to change the name of the mountain.
The Oregon Historical Society's director said that the mountain's name was taken from a nearby ranch that used a swastika. The Eugene resident questioned the name.
The symbol represents the universe and life for the Native American people. She said Hitler twisted a spiritual symbol.
Native artists were encouraged to use it on their crafts. Several tribes banned it after it became a symbol of Nazism.
Davis understands how Jewish people feel when they see that symbol. The only thing I can do is affirm its true meaning.
The hakenkreuz and swastika were not the same according to Jeff Kelman. Kelman believes that the symbol's redemption is possible.
He said that when they learned that an Indian girl could be harassed in school, they understood how they should see it. The Jewish community doesn't want to see Hitler'slegacy harm people.
The swastika is sacred to so many that it is a blessing, according to an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor. After the Nazis annexed Austria, Elbogen hid in Hungary before moving to the U.S.
She said it was time to let go of the past and look to the future.
Mark Pitcavage is a researcher at the Anti-Defamation League who maintains a database of hate symbols.
The ADL says the swastika is sacrosanct in many faiths and cultures, but Pitcavage thinks it can still be associated with the Nazis.
That's right.
Lilly Endowment Inc. gives funding to the AP for religion coverage.
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