Article about benign swastika on 1912 house (Pittsburgh: farms, architecture, subways)

[BrianTH]

We discussed this issue here before, so I thought this article about a house in the Upper Hill/Schenley Farms area was an interesting followup:

Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation » Historic Pittsburgh Home Bears Benign Swastika

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

We discussed this issue here before, so I thought this article about a house in the Upper Hill/Schenley Farms area was an interesting followup:

Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation » Historic Pittsburgh Home Bears Benign Swastika

I would probably have bought another house.

[Craziaskowboi]

The Nazis didn't come to power in Germany until 20 years after that house was built.

[RedBall]

Yeah, but, the Nazis kind of effed that symbol for everybody. If they want to keep it on their house more power to them, but they should be prepared to do a whole lot of explaining for as long as they own the house. Not really worth the hassle imho. If it were me, I'd get it filled in post-haste.

[PeterRabbit]

Hinduism and Buddhism use the swastika to represent their religions. A lot of churches in Vietnam were adorned with these. It was strange to see.

[BrianTH]

I think the best result is the home being owned by people who don't mind doing the explaining. This is sort of continuing a conversation from a prior thread, but while I am sympathetic to the strong negative feelings this symbol invokes in some, I also think it is worth gradually redeeming the symbol itself, in light of its widespread benign use both historically and globally today.

[SCIKasey]

There are swastika's in lots of places (The original IRT line on the NYC subways, for one), but they're not as pronounced as this. I used to be of the mind that this symbol was around long before the Nazi's, it can be reclaimed, blah, blah. No it can't. Some times changing a historical feature isn't the worst thing in the world (and I'm a preservationist). That symbol is just to heavy to keep on your house. And it's a shame.

[marktheshark]

Not to be an ass about it, but if the cross were used by some fascist group as a pet symbol, how would people respond?

[stevo6]

Shouldn't be difficult to devise some sort of "fig-leaf" applique if the owners wanted to. This might come in handy when trying to sell the place in the future!

[SCIKasey]

Originally Posted by marktheshark

Not to be an ass about it, but if the cross were used by some fascist group as a pet symbol, how would people respond?

I would think if the Nazi's had used a slanted cross, or something similar, we may feel similar. But that is the main symbol of a huge religion. Instead, they took a symbol that had been used in architecture around the world. I don't think that that was a mistake. They chose the swastika for a reason, and changed it's meaning to the western world. If they had used something like the green man or a gargoyle type thing (trying to think of things popular in architecture), it may have been the same.

That being said, I think that most people know what the symbol really was by now, and what it's meant to be known for. What's it's meant to be and what it is are just two very different things, unfortunately.