Censorship and Stamps

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The was posted on the 27th in Bangkok (sp?) Post, but the link has since disappeared:

Munich, Germany _ The sale of Nazi-era stamps depicting swastikas is legal in Germany, but their display in shop windows is not, a Munich court ruled on Tuesday.

The court found a stamp trader guilty of breaking the law by displaying such stamps, but did not order any punishment because the offence was deemed to be minor.

Such stamps can, however, be displayed in shop windows if the swastika symbols are concealed and if clients are informed of the ban on their public display, the court ruled.

Under German law the use or display of “unconstitutional symbols'’ such as swastikas is punishable by up to three years in jail.AFP

There has been a bit of discussion on this both in RCSD and VSC (Can’t find the link).

While it is understandable that the German people do not want the spectre of Nazism to ever rear it’s ugly head again, I just cannot agree with this ruling. Censorship in any form is bad enough, but when it is backed up by the government in the form of the threat of loss of freedom, property, or money, it is especially heinous. It is precisely these techniques that allowed the Nazis to come to power in the first place. What do you think?

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2 Responses to Censorship and Stamps »»

Comments

Dean

Comment by Dean | 2005/03/31 at 11:26:07

I disagree with your comment of censorship.

While I agree with an individuals right to express themselves freely, there is also a responsibility that goes along with that freedom. That is a responsibility to others.

The swastika itself was around far earlier than Hitler. In fact, the Swastika is one of the oldest cross and emblems in the world. It forms a combination of four “L’s” standing for Luck, Light, Love and Life. It has been found in ancient Rome, excavations in Grecian cities, on Buddhist idols, on Chinese coins dated 315 B.C., and our own Southwest Indians use it as an amulet.

But the perversion of the swastika by Hitler has made it to be more than just a symbol. It is a representation of an entire era of oppression and death. Of violating the exact rights and freedoms that censorship itself can oppress. In a way I guess this would be an example of censorship censoring itself.

It should also be noted that it is used today by organizations for purpose of hate. The swastika has been perverted to now stand for hate, oppression, and violating others and their rights. If we would not stand for these things…why would we stand for their symbol?
Allen

Comment by Allen | 2005/03/31 at 12:04:17

The symbol itself is not the problem, it is the people. What you are saying would be akin to banning guns, because they are used to commit violence. It is not the gun, but the person wielding it that commits the violence. Also, just as a person has a responsibilty to the society around himself, the other members of the society have a responsiblity to protect that person’s right to express himself. One should not have to look over his shoulder constantly, wondering if he is offending the person behind him. The person taking offense bears just as much responsibilty for his reaction as the person whose action he is taking offense from. Unless an action results in physical, property, or monetary damage to another person or entity, then that action should enjoy the full protection of society and law, regardles of how “offensive” some minority, or even the majority, finds it.

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