Using controversial material in a public place

[Eurydice]

So, on another forum, an ex-staff member was re-applying for his position.

I had heard from other users of the forum that there was a staff member using Nazi slogans and imagery in their signature. I didn't believe it at first, but saw it with my own eyes when the guilty staff member tried to get his position back.

His signature used the phrase "My honour is loyalty" (in German) which is the slogan of the SS, the most deadly Nazi organisation. He also displayed the Death's Head logo of the SS.

I gently inquired about his signature and in addition to jumping the gun and accusing me of being on a witch hunt, and also trying to turn the argument around by acusing me of having something even WORSE in my signature (A banner for a fantasy wargame), he explained that the image and slogan were in his sig to honour his ancestors who were members of the SS and who died fighting.

I pointed out that I don't mind if he wants to honour his family, but there's other ways to do this and it is completely inappropriate to have a clearly SS-inspired banner in his signature. He began to argue that he has freedom of speech and that those symbols didn't originate from the Nazis. He lives in Australia, so he's not covered by the first amendment, and AU doesn't have any direct Freedom of Speech laws. Besides, Freedom of Speech doesn't mean you can get away with everything. The Death's Head he was using is the EXACT Death's Head worn on the hats of the SS members. The phrase "My honour is loyalty", while it sounds badass, is the SLOGAN of the SS, much like "I'm lovin' it" is the slogan of McDonalds.

Also, on the subject of regional laws, he's honouring his family by dishonouring his country; it's illegal in Germany and Austria to use Nazi-related symbolism.

You can run into a crowd of black people and shout the N word, but arguing Freedom of Speech and word origins isn't going to save you from a glock to the face.

He still doesn't get it, but I just give up. He claims that the owners of the website never said anything about it, but that doesn't mean it's right, it just means that either the owners don't know the symbolism, or don't know how to uphold the dignity of their site.

While the argument started off as a real argument, I gave up and started debating for fun, deciding to use it as a project for debate class.

So here's the discussion:
*What do you think of using highly controversial symbols in public? Do you think that some symbols and slogans should not be allowed to be used in public places, or are you all for the idea of a completely uncensored world?
*What about symbols that aren't as well known as, say, the Swastika, but have a very bad history?
*Or symbols that have dual-meanings, like the Swastika/Manji and the Pentagram?

[PhantomStone]

live and let live, let ppl do what they want. if ure offended tell the offender how u feel, if he dosn't stop, then go say "f" him and let him do what he wants with out who ever he offended. any one can say what they want, and if people get offended they ignore him and he has to deal. or w/e.

[¿ Jesse Pawman ?]

This is kinda off topic, but the swastika used to be a symbol of peace because it's a derivative of the cross.

[Toon Teddie]

Within the internet, I have only seen the Nazi symbol used in pranks that involved Anon or 4Chan. In one case, however, I have seen my friend from Chile use it in his MSN name, simply because he thought it looked cool.

If, by public, you mean places, such as online communities, then it simply depends on the rules of that certian place. I'm sure some places are okay with symbols like that. I may not agree with rules that say that symbols, like the Nazi symbol, are okay, though.

[___]

I think its completly innapropiate to use such things in mixed company like an online community. If he was on a site SPECIFICALLY for WWII/Nazi type of things, then ok, its to be expected and no one there would be offended. But if it was something that could offend someone then it isn't cool. I wouldn't go around making fun of 9/11 victims... And if it were a diffrent meaning (Peacfull kind of swatica[sp?]) then you should say so in your sig.

[Eurydice]

The "peace" swastika is a Buddhist symbol called a Manji. The Swastika points right, while the Manji points left.