Dear Editor,
Here is my personal opinion on this Swastika misunderstanding and the egregious attempt by modern-day witch hunters to diminish its ancient origins and importance to the people who truly understand its meaning and cosmic significance.
No doubt, judgemental ignorance manifests itself in many ways. Historical anthropological evidence coupled with many of our world-renowned museums shows and demonstrates that many great ancient cultures used symbols as metaphors to unlock deep mystical truths, uphold the continuity of their traditions, and advanced their societal connectivity to better the lives of their communities and people. For Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains, the Swastika has deep universal spiritual significance. To Condemn its rightful place in our human history is tantamount to the desecration of the cross or even the Kaaba.
This symbol has been used by Hindus and Jains since the 5th century BCE and by the Buddhists in the 3rd century BCE. How do we now find ourselves in this deplorable indignity by having to defend the legitimacy of this ancient sacred swastika symbol? Indeed! why should these great ancient civilizations be now subjected to the lunacy of self-righteous attention seekers who are spreading misleading and harmful propaganda?
History has also shown that the knight’s templar and also the European colonizers used the Christian Cross to commit some of the most despicable and horrific atrocities in their campaigns to reclaim Jerusalem. How then should these emblems and symbols be judged, given these hard historical facts? Empires have come and gone. Tyrannical demagogues like Hitler used propaganda and hate to not only control but destroy the world. Clearly, however, we cannot unwind history to suit the whims of those who are capitalizing on conjecture and personalized ideological sentiments to change embedded ancient beliefs and practices that are the foundation stone upon which traditions, culture, and value systems were built and sustained for thousands of years.
Surely, we have to believe that God and divinity are beyond such nonsensical and fabricated imaginations. How do we even allow the privilege of free speech to become so insidiously grotesque to promote such outlandish and mischievous characterization with impunity?
It is self-evident that Hitler and the Nazi party decried and debased this sacred ancient Swastika symbol in form and significance. As such, Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains should not have to now be subjected to such unfounded and ridiculous denunciation of a sacred symbol that has nothing to do with hate, slavery, or inhumanity of any kind. This is truly a sinister ideological perversion that is being touted by narrow-minded bigots who have jumped to their self-limiting, and overzealous self-righteous conclusions on a symbol that predates the history of western civilization…as we know it.
Yours truly,
Cliff Rajkumar