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Swastika A 6,000 Year Old True Symbols Of Peace In The World Or Now A Hate Symbols
The Swastika A 6,000 Year Old True Symbols Of Peace In The World Use and Abuse of a Sacred Symbols, by definition, have power. Throughout history symbols have been used to consecrate and positively inspire, as well as to intimidate and harm. Perhaps no abuse of a symbol is more potent than one associated with genocide.
The motif (a hooked cross) appears to have first been used in Eurasia, as early as 7000 years ago, perhaps representing the movement of the sun through the sky.
Dhruv is spotted in the sky with the help of a stellar constellation namely the Saptrishis (Polaris, Ursa Major, the Great Bear, the Big Dipper, or the Plough). The Saptarishi: The term means the "seven sages" who are identified with the seven rishis of ancient India. They find mentions in the Hindu sacred literature including the Upanishads. The earliest list of the Seven Rishis is; :Agastya, Atri, Bharadwaj, Gautam, Jamdagni, Vashistha and Vishwamitra respectively starting from one end of the constellation.
This video is designed to briefly explain the positive meaning and significance of the swastika for Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Zoroastrians as well as note the painful significance of the Nazi symbol for the Jewish community. What's is the meaning of Swastikas'? Where did it originate from? Is it that many civilizations used Swastikas' as part of their culture? Answers to all these questions. What's is the meaning of Swastikas'? Where did it originate from? Is it that many civilizations used Swastikas' as part of their culture? Answers to all these questions. Nazi - Swastika The Swastika is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It is also a sign of spiritual purity.
The swastika is an ancient religious and cultural symbol that has been used in various Eurasian, African, and American cultures. It is a sacred symbol in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism. The swastika generally takes the form of a cross, with the arms of which are of equal length and perpendicular to the adjacent arms, each bent midway at a right angle. In Hinduism, the right-facing symbol (clockwise) is called swastika, symbolizing surya ('sun'), prosperity, and good luck, while the left-facing symbol (counter-clockwise) is called sauvastika, symbolising night or tantric aspects of Kali. The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, which means 'conducive to well-being'. The swastika has an ancient history in Europe, appearing on artifacts from pre-Christian European cultures. In Buddhism, the swastika is thought to represent the footprints of the Buddha, while in Jainism, it takes on a liturgical function.
The Big Dipper Is A Swastika ? (perhaps where the symbol began on earth in the first place) ?
I’m incredibly excited to share this new post. I’ve been waiting to release it and couldn’t hold it out any longer. I hope this enlightens your brain and expands your view of the Universe. I’m very fascinated by all things cosmos and symbols, so this is the perfect recipe for a flavorful finding.
The origins of the swastika are beyond time. Even the earliest uses of it fail to signify what it meant to the people at the time. The earliest recordings of it’s meaning are as a symbol of good fortune, a sun sign or the movement of cycles. But those recordings are thousands of years after the oldest found swastikas. So where still left to wonder – where did it come from?
Since the swazi is so old perhaps it’s birthplace was in the stars? The ancients used star groups like the Big Dipper, to tell seasons and direction, there’s no doubt the ol’ dancing dipper held a significance. It dances in a circle around Polaris (The North Star) Polaris is the only star that doesn’t move and is used to measure latitude. The turning of the seasons was vastly more important if you lived in nature like our ancient grandpas and grandmas. Perhaps they used the swazi to show another person the ‘turning of the seasons’. They could’ve used it as a type of calendar to keep track of the seasons, the cycles. The swazi is commonly known as a symbol of the Sun and of cycles. It’s for these reasons I suggest that the Big Dipper was the inspiration for the fist carvings of swastikas.
This connection between the swazi and Big Dipper actually came about in a synchronistic series of events.
It was a couple months ago and my awesome parents bought me a telescope for my birthday. I was beyond excited.. My dad actually made a HUGE TELESCOPE by hand when we were kids. I remember him rubbing the 2 pieces of glass together day after day until one day it became a sleek mirror powerful enough to break open the heavens. My parents came out here to LA to visit and take out the new scope. (A word of warning – a full moon is many magnitudes brighter when seen through a telescope.)
We were looking through a star gazing book he’d had for years. On the very 2nd page was a diagram of the Big Dipper as it moved through the seasons. It was incredibly obvious – IT WAS A SWAZI. We were incredibly excited about this ‘discovery’. We wondered – did anyone else know? Asking Google about it only turned up a couple random forum comments and the like. I think there might not be any information out there about this because people don’t want to even bring up the word ‘swastika’.
Perhaps it came from ancient aliens from another planet far far away? Reza Assasi, an astronomer makes a strong case that the swastika was an ancient constellation from Iranian-Romian cult of Mithriasm based on the ancient Roman God Mithra. His findings are really interesting, I highly suggest taking a look here.
I’m creating this today to give this idea it’s proper diligence. We may never know the origins of it’s meaning, but someday it will likely once again be placed in the high esteem it’s held with humankind since ancient times.
Thanks for checking this out and may this knowledge bring you good fortune. Please spread the knowledge, peace happens through education.
May you be happy, May you be healthy, May you live with ease, – Sinjun Spiritual Punx
Reporters Guide to the Swastika What does the word 'swastika' mean?
In Sanskrit, the word swastika is a combination of ‘su’ (meaning ‘good’) and ‘asti’ (meaning ‘to exist’) — often getting translated as ‘all is well.’ The swastika is thus understood to be a symbol of auspiciousness and good fortune.
Though the Nazi symbol was originally called the hakenkreuz (meaning ‘hooked cross)’, early translations of Adolf Hilter’s “Mein Kampf” into English substituted swastika for hakenkreuz, thereby popularizing the notion of a “Nazi swastika”.
How is the swastika used by Hindus?
The swastika is regularly painted or written on Hindu homes, businesses, printed materials, cars, temples, and ashrams. Many Hindus adorn the threshold of the front entrance to their homes with the swastika. Especially during Diwali, Hindus may wash away old swastikas and reapply them, or include them as part of their rangoli (a traditional art form using dyed powders, rice and grains, or flowers to decorate the ground of courtyards). Often during Diwali, the swastika is created by artfully arranging diyas (clay lamps).
What is the symbolism of the swastika?
Though many Hindus displaying the swastika are doing so in the spirit of using it as auspicious and attractive decoration, the four limbs of the swastika are also interpreted with deeper symbolic meaning.
The four limbs can be interpreted as representing:
The four Vedas (foundational scriptures of Hinduism), the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda.
The four traditional stages of life: Brahmacharya (youth/student), Grihasta (adult/family), Vanaprastha (elder); Sannyasa (old age/renunciation of the world).
The four goals of life: Dharma (right conduct), Artha (prosperity), Kama (pleasure), Moksha (spiritual liberation).
The four yugas (cyclical world ages): Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, Kali Yuga. We are currently in the shortest yuga, and the last before the cycle begins again, the Kali Yuga.
The four seasons: Though not everyplace on Earth experiences the seasons in the same way and some places translate the procession of the year’s natural phenomena in different terms, the four limbs of the swastika can also be taken to represent winter, spring, summer, fall. The procession of the seasons mirroring the procession of the stages of life.
The four cardinal directions.
Have Hindu leaders dialogued with Jewish leaders about the swastika?
Yes. In 2008, the second Hindu-Jewish leadership summit took place in Jerusalem. The summit issued the follow declaration, recognizing the importance and positive intent of Hindus using the swastika:
“Swastika is an ancient and greatly auspicious symbol of the Hindu tradition. It is inscribed on Hindu temples, ritual altars, entrances, and even account books. A distorted version of this sacred symbol was misappropriated by the Third Reich in Germany, and abused as an emblem under which heinous crimes were perpetrated against humanity, particularly the Jewish people. The participants recognize that this symbol is, and has been sacred to Hindus for millennia, long before its misappropriation.”
10 Things You Need to Know About the Swastika 1) In Sanskrit, the word swastika is a combination of ‘su’ (meaning ‘good’) and ‘asti’ (meaning ‘to exist’)
Popularly, this gets translated as ‘all is well.’ The swastika is thus understood to be a symbol of auspiciousness and good fortune, and is regularly donned on Hindu homes, businesses, printed materials, cars, temples, and ashrams.
swastika drawn on the floor
2) Many Hindus adorn the threshold of the front entrance to their homes with the swastika
Especially during Diwali, this year on October 30, they may wash away old swastikas and reapply them, or include them as part of their rangoli (a traditional art form using dyed powders, rice and grains, or flowers to decorate the ground of courtyards). Often, the swastika is created by artfully arranging diyas (clay lamps).
pratik symbol
3) There are a variety of symbolic meanings associated with the limbs of the swastika in Hinduism
They can be interpreted as the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva), the core Hindu scriptures. They can be thought of as the four goals of life: Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha (right action, worldly prosperity, worldly enjoyment, and spiritual liberation). The limbs are also interpreted as representing the four seasons, the four directions, and the four yugas, or epochs (Satya, Treta, Dvapara, Kali).
swastika on buddhist and jain statues
4) Other faith traditions originating in India also regularly use the swastika, with similar auspicious meaning
For Buddhists, the swastika signifies the Buddha’s footprints and heart. For Jains, the swastika is the symbol of the seventh tirthankara (literally “ford-maker,” one of the liberated souls showing the way for others in the Jain tradition), with the arms symbolizing one of the four places a soul can be reborn in the cycle of birth and death.
swastikas on indus valley culture seals
5) The swastika is India’s version of one of humanity’s most enduring, ancient symbols
In fact, the oldest known use of the symbol dates back to the end of the last Ice Age. A figurine carved with a recognizable armed plus sign dating to 10,000-13,000 BCE was found in Ukraine. How these ancient people interpreted the symbol is unknown. In the Balkans, the symbol has been used for at least the past 8,000 years. The Indus-Saraswati civilization used the swastika extensively, with archeological evidence dating back to at least 4,000 BCE showing its usage.
ancient swastika images from greece, rome, africa
6) Peoples throughout the world used their own version of the symbol
People in what’s now Greece and Turkey used it. The Celts and Nordic peoples used it. As did the Germanic peoples. The Phoenicians used it as a symbol of the sun. And petroglyphs in Armenia have been found using swastika-like symbols. In Africa, pottery found in the region of Kush (modern Sudan) show clear armed plus signs. West African cultures have also used the symbol. Neolithic cultures in China used the symbol too, well predating the spread of Buddhism. In North America, native peoples have long used swastika-like symbols. To the Hopi people, it represents wandering clans. To the Navajo, it’s a whirling log used during healing ceremonies.
19th century European swastikas
7) The symbol had a major resurgence of usage in Europe and North America in the 19th century as a good luck symbol
Prior to the use of hakenkreuz by the Nazis, swastikas and swastika-like symbols appeared on Coca-cola and beer bottles. The Boy Scouts in the US and other scouting groups in Europe used swastikas on badges. To this day, there is a town of Swastika, Ontario, Canada, founded in 1908. The US Army’s 45th infantry division used it as a sleeve insignia during the 1920s up until the rise of the Nazis (pictured above, lower right). The UK’s Royal Air Force had it on planes up until 1939.
Nazi swastika
8) The Nazis used the hakenkreuz to represent their notion of Aryan identity. Where they miserably failed is in their understanding of the meaning of the Sanskrit term ‘aryan’
Rooted in the now disproven Aryan Invasion Theory, the Nazi usage imagines that there was a “master race” or group of people known as the Aryans, some of whom physically invaded the Indian subcontinent. In reality, the word aryan means ‘noble’ and refers to the conduct of people. Recent genetic evidence shows that any mass migrations of peoples into India occurred well before the time period proposed by the Aryan Invasion or Aryan Migration theories. Furthermore, there is no traditional understanding or evidence of any invasion of outside people during this time period supported by India’s sacred or historic texts. The Nazis called their emblem hazenkreuz, which was incorrectly translated to the Sanskrit word “swastika” rather than “hooked cross’ in English translations of Mein Kampf.
swastika painted on a car hood
9) After the horrors committed by the Nazis, there has been a justifiable revulsion to Nazi symbolism, including the Nazi presentation of its emblem
Recently, the European Union attempted to ban all use of the swastika, regardless of the renditions. Fortunately, Hindus have risen in defense of their sacred symbol. Speaking out against the proposed EU ban a representative of the Hindu Forum of Britain said, “The swastika has been around for 6,000 years as a symbol of peace,” noting that banning all use of the swastika would be akin to banning the Christian cross because the Ku Klux Klan used burning crosses to terrorize African Americans. In the US, the Hindu American Foundation assisted a college student in avoiding expulsion for displaying a Hindu swastika in his fraternity house. And in recent years, numerous efforts through interfaith dialogue have been undertaken to dispel the misunderstandings surrounding the ancient symbol.
swastika pendant
10) In 2008, at the second Hindu-Jewish Leadership Summit a resolution formally recognized the long positive history of the swastika
It reads, “Swastika is an ancient and greatly auspicious symbol of the Hindu tradition. It is inscribed on Hindu temples, ritual altars, entrances, and even account books. A distorted version of this sacred symbol was misappropriated by the Third Reich in Germany, and abused as an emblem under which heinous crimes were perpetrated against humanity, particularly the Jewish people. The participants recognize that this symbol is, and has been sacred to Hindus for millennia, long before its misappropriation.”
6 Things You Need to Know About the Symbolism of the Swastika The swastika is a symbol as old as humanity itself, one which to this day, despite it being confused with the hateful Nazi emblem, has a powerful positive message. We’ve gone over some of that history in 10 Things You Need to Know About the Swastika. Here’s a bit more on the symbolism of the swastika within the Hindu tradition.
swastika hindu symbolism iamage
1) The Four Limbs Represent the Four Vedas: The left represents the Rig Veda, the top the Yajur Veda, the right the Sama Veda, and the bottom, the Atharva. Together these form the foundational teachings of Hinduism, representing several millennia of spiritual exploration and insight.
swastika hindu symbolism image
2) They Represent the Four Stages of Life: Clockwise from top: Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, Sannyasa. These are the four ashrama, or stages of life. When you are young you are in the brahmacharya stage, a student. After that comes the householder stage, grihastha. Then later in life comes vanaprastha, where you become a retired elder. Finally, a renunciation of material comforts and desires takes over during the final stage of sannyasa. Some people, after going through the brahmacharya stage, devote their entire lives to spiritual pursuits and enter sannyasa then.
swastika hindu symbolism image
3) And the Four Goals of Life: Accompanying the four stages of life are the four goals of life, the purusharta, (clockwise from left): Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha. Very briefly, these are the four aims of life, and really encompass all the human experience. Dharma is the pursuit of living with a mode of conduct most conducive to spiritual advancement; artha is the pursuit of prosperity; kama is seeking pleasure in life; moksha is spiritual liberation—the ultimate goal.
swastika hindu symbolism image
4) They Also Can Be Taken to Represent the Four Yugas: In Hinduism, time is conceived of both cyclically and over vast epochs. These can be mapped onto the arms of the swastika (clockwise from left) as Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and finally Kali Yuga. The latter is both the shortest of the ages, and the one which we are now in.
swastika hindu symbolism image
5) The Four Seasons: Though not everyplace on Earth experiences the seasons in the same way and some places translate the procession of the year’s natural phenomena in different terms, the four limbs of the swastika can also be taken to represent winter, spring, summer, fall. The procession of the seasons mirroring the procession of the stages of life.
swastika hindu symbolism image
6) And the Four Directions: One final, and very basic way to interpret the four limbs of the swastika is that the represent the four directions. North, south, east, west. All of the planet is represented in the auspiciousness of the swastika. Be well.
FAQs about California AB2282 What does AB2282 do?
AB2282 makes displaying the swastika legal in California. Right now, it is illegal to display a swastika. If AB2282 does not pass, then the swastika will still be illegal.
How is AB2282 a victory if the bill still contains the phrase “Nazi swastika”?
AB2282 will make California the first state to: 1) Recognize the swastika as a symbol of peace to the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist communities in its penal code, adding a layer of protection; and 2) Identify the Nazi emblem as the “hakenkreuz” and “hooked cross”.
These are two monumental victories in recognizing and educating the public about the swastika. Furthermore, AB2282 removes the threat of harassment for displaying a swastika.
Why was “Nazi swastika” not removed?
All legislation must first be vetted by the Legislative Counsel, a nonpartisan committee of attorneys who advise legislators on the constitutionality of bill language; a legislator cannot introduce legislation without clearance from the Legislative Counsel.
In the case of AB2282, Legislative Counsel determined that to legally decriminalize the swastika, the phrase “Nazi swastika” must remain because it exists in both the penal code and law enforcement training. Therefore, the language in AB2282 is a stopgap solution.
So has HAF changed their stance on the phrase “Nazi swastika” ?
No. We at HAF have never changed our stance. There is only one swastika, our sacred symbol, which for decades has been confused with the Nazi hakenkreuz (hooked cross).
Why was the community able to remove “Nazi swastika” in New York but not in California?
There is a difference between changing words in a bill text, and changing existing laws. In New York, through collective community efforts, we were able to remove the phrase “Nazi swastika” from the language of two New York bills that were unrelated to the penal code.
However, “Nazi swastika” is still criminalized in existing New York law, under New York Penal Code Section 240.31 Aggravated Harassment in the First Degree. Removing the misnomer “Nazi swastika” from bills does not remove it from the penal code. HAF is working towards a full removal of “Nazi swastika” from all state penal codes.
If “Nazi swastika” is required to remain in the penal code, then why not add the words “incorrectly known as” or “falsely known as” before “Nazi swastika”?
HAF’s initial proposed amendment included “previously known as” before “Nazi swastika.” However, Legislative Counsel determined that because “Nazi swastika” has been in both the penal code and law enforcement training 30+ years, adding “previously” or “falsely” would not clearly decriminalize the swastika under California law.
Legislative Counsel recommended “also known as” as a legally viable alternative. Given that the swastika has been incorrectly known in the West as the “Nazi swastika,” we viewed this language as acceptable for a stopgap solution. Remember, a legislator cannot introduce legislation without clearance from the Legislative Counsel.
But why compromise on something as important as “Nazi swastika”? Isn’t it better to be unyielding?
Although a hardline approach in advocacy may feel like a righteous cause, it rarely results in significant progress and long-term change. Advocacy is part science and part art in making gradual progress towards major changes to a legal framework that does not happen overnight.
Even though Legislative Counsel determined that “Nazi swastika” must remain, HAF saw an opportunity to create an amendment that educates the public, decriminalizes the swastika, and begins the multiyear process of reforming the California Penal Code. The authors’ intent of AB2282 was to equalize hate crimes penalties for white nationalists; HAF clarified that the emblem, commonly and incorrectly referred to as “Nazi swastika” in the West, is actually a symbol of peace in our community.
But nobody has actually been prosecuted under California’s existing penal code. Why not wait until the next legislative session and introduce a new bill?
Even though someone hasn’t been prosecuted, that does not mean it won’t happen in the future. Because of lack of awareness, Hindus are routinely questioned and harassed over displays of the swastika. We’ve known of an individual who was told he could not park his car in the employee parking lot unless he removed a display of the swastika on his car. Another family was threatened with fines and an order to remove swastikas from the entrance of their home by their HOA.
The tragic incident over the Buddhist swastika symbol that was removed at the Hidden Villa camp in the Bay Area exemplifies why AB 2282 is so crucial to educating the public and law enforcement about our swastika’s sacred history and its distinction from the hakenkreuz.
When an assemblymember showed interest in updating laws that have existed for 30+ years, HAF saw an opportunity, recognizing another one may not come around for a long time. Elections, new legislators, and shifting priorities can hinder progress during future legislative sessions. AB2282 is a major accomplishment in correcting misconceptions and educating the public, including law enforcement, about the swastika’s sacred meaning.
So, does AB2282 overhaul the entire California Penal Code?
AB2282 does not overhaul the California Penal Code. The overhauling process is a multi-step, multi-year process that will require several pieces of future legislation. AB2282 was never intended to be — and legally cannot be — the vehicle to overhaul the penal code. However, AB2282 can be a mechanism to clarify that the penal code is not intended to target Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains.
Why not introduce a bill this legislative session to overhaul the California Penal Code?
Every state legislature functions differently; a unique feature of the California legislature is it is one of a few states with an introduction deadline. Although the legislative session in California ends in the fall, the deadline for introducing new legislation is February 18, 2022.
Is AB2282 law now?
Not yet. To become law, a bill must pass through both the Assembly and Senate, and then be signed by the Governor, which is a multi-month process.
So what is the benefit to the Hindu American community?
AB2282 educates the California public on the difference between the hakenkreuz and the swastika. It decriminalizes the display of the swastika, explicitly recognizing it as a holy symbol of peace under California law. This adds a clear layer of protection that did not exist before.
What happens next?
Now that AB2282 has passed the Assembly, it is in the Senate, where it will be assigned to the Public Safety Committee for review. The Senate Public Safety Committee may choose to pass the bill, amend the bill, or let the bill die in committee.
How do I get more involved with HAF’s campaign to support AB2282?
HAF is always happy to collaborate!
As a professional, attorney-led advocacy organization for +20 years, HAF is experienced in garnering results. However, this would not be possible without the community.
If you are interested in supporting AB2282, please contact info@hinduamerican.org.
Full text of AB2822 as amended
Amendments to AB2822 are in blue below. Some procedural language from the original document has been removed here for ease of reading.
Assembly Bill No. 2282
CHAPTER 397
An act to amend Section 11411 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes.
[ Approved by Governor September 18, 2022. Filed with Secretary of State September 18, 2022. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2282, Bauer-Kahan. Hate crimes: nooses, crosses, and swastikas.
Existing law establishes various offenses for a person who places or displays certain symbols, marks, signs, emblems, and other physical impressions, including, but not limited to, a Nazi swastika, hangs nooses, or burns or desecrates crosses or other religious symbols on private and nonprivate property, as specified, with the intent to terrorize a person, as specified. Existing law, for the first conviction, punishes a person who hangs a noose or places or displays a sign, mark, symbol, emblem, or other physical impression with the intent to terrorize a person, as specified, with imprisonment in county jail not to exceed one year, a fine not more than $5,000, or both the fine and imprisonment, and with imprisonment in county jail not to exceed one year, a fine not to exceed $15,000, or both the fine and imprisonment for a subsequent conviction. Existing law, for a person who engages in a pattern of conduct by placing or displaying certain symbols, as specified, allows a person’s punishment to be increased to imprisonment of 16 months or 2 or 3 years, a fine not more than $10,000, or both. Existing law punishes a person convicted of burning or desecrating a religious symbol with imprisonment for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by both the fine and imprisonment, or imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed $5,000, or both the fine and imprisonment for the first conviction, and the same punishment for a subsequent conviction except the misdemeanor fine increases to $15,000.
This bill would expand these offenses to include hanging a noose, placing or displaying a sign, mark, symbol, emblem, or other physical impression, including, but not limited to, a Nazi swastika, and burning, desecrating, or destroying a religious symbol, such as a cross, at schools and public places, generally, as specified, for the purpose of terrorizing a person, as specified. The bill would, for the first conviction, punish a person who hangs a noose, places or displays certain symbols, or burns or desecrates a religious symbol, as specified, with imprisonment for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, by a fine of not more than $10,000, or both the fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed $5,000, or by both the fine and imprisonment. For a 2nd or subsequent conviction under these provisions, the bill would punish a person with imprisonment for 16 months or 2 or 3 years, by a fine of not more than $15,000, or by both the fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed $10,000, or by both the fine and imprisonment.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature is to criminalize, for the purpose of terrorizing a person, the display or placement of the Nazi swastika and not swastikas associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
By creating a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
DIGEST KEY
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal Committee: yes Local Program: yes
BILL TEXT
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 11411 of the Penal Code is amended to read:
11411. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to criminalize the placement or display of the Nazi Hakenkreuz (hooked cross), also known as the Nazi swastika that was the official emblem of the Nazi party, for the purpose of terrorizing a person. This legislation is not intended to criminalize the placement or display of the ancient swastika symbols that are associated with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism and are symbols of peace.
(b) A person who hangs a noose, knowing it to be a symbol representing a threat to life, on the private property of another, without authorization, for the purpose of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property or in reckless disregard of the risk of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property, or who hangs a noose, knowing it to be a symbol representing a threat to life, on the property of a school, college campus, public place, place of worship, cemetery, or place of employment, for the purpose of terrorizing a person who attends, works at, or is otherwise associated with the school, college campus, public place, place of worship, cemetery, or place of employment, shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for 16 months or two or three years, by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment, or in a county jail not to exceed one year, or by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment for the first conviction.
(c) A person who places or displays a sign, mark, symbol, emblem, or other physical impression, including, but not limited to, a Nazi swastika, on the private property of another, without authorization, for the purpose of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property or in reckless disregard of the risk of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property, or who places or displays a sign, mark, symbol, emblem, or other physical impression, including, but not limited to, a Nazi swastika, on the property of a school, college campus, public place, place of worship, cemetery, or place of employment, for the purpose of terrorizing a person who attends, works at, or is otherwise associated with the school, college campus, public place, place of worship, cemetery, or place of employment, shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for 16 months or two or three years, by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment, or in a county jail not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment for the first conviction.
(d) A person who burns or desecrates a cross or other religious symbol, knowing it to be a religious symbol, on the private property of another without authorization for the purpose of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property or in reckless disregard of the risk of terrorizing the owner or occupant of that private property, or who burns, desecrates, or destroys a cross or other religious symbol, knowing it to be a religious symbol, on the property of a school, college campus, public place, place of worship, cemetery, or place of employment for the purpose of terrorizing a person who attends, works at, or is otherwise associated with the school, college campus, public place, place of worship, cemetery, or place of employment shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for 16 months or two or three years, by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment for the first conviction.
(e) A second or subsequent conviction pursuant to subdivision (b), (c), or (d) shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for 16 months or two or three years, by a fine of not more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and imprisonment.
(f) As used in this section, “terrorize” means to cause a person of ordinary emotions and sensibilities to fear for personal safety.
(g) The provisions of this section are severable. If any provision of this section or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.
How Can the Swastika Be Redeemed ? Education, Education, Education.
“Can the swastika ever be redeemed?,” Kimberly Winston asks in a recent article for Religion News Service. Given the rise in hate crimes and anti-Semitic graffiti in recent months, as bigots of multiple varieties in the United States have become emboldened by the campaign and election of Donald Trump to the presidency, it’s a good question to ask.
hindu swastika image For more than a billion people alive today the symbol doesn’t need ‘redeeming’
Part of answering this question and in redeeming the swastika in the hearts and minds of the West is recognizing that for the billion-plus Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and others who to this day use the swastika in its traditional capacity as a symbol of good luck and auspiciousness, there is no redemption necessary for this sacred symbol.
We never stopped using the swastika because of its use by the Nazis and its anti-Semitic associations in Europe and the Americas over the past century. We have continued to use the swastika with pride. We’ve consistently pointed out that there’s a visual difference and difference in intent between the hateful usage and our usage. In places where Hindus and Buddhists are the majority population, it sometimes seems like you can’t turn around without seeing a swastika. Its usage for us is as natural as breathing.
When I see our swastika used traditionally all I see is joy and love. When I see a swastika scrawled on the walls of a subway car or in a public park in New York City, where I live, I feel sadness — sadness that such hatred has been freed by political circumstances and sadness that such plain ignorance about the swastika’s history and traditional use is so commonplace here. These are not inconsistent emotions. For me it is easy to recognize the difference between these similar but crucially different symbols. It is simple cultural literacy to be able to recognize this.
Winston does a good job of outlining the history of the swastika in her article, but it bears repeating.
hindu swastika imagePositive use of the swastika far outnumbers the hateful
The swastika is one humanity’s oldest and most consistently used symbols, across nearly every human culture. The oldest instances of its use that archeologists have discovered go back to not long after the last ice age in Ukraine. It has been used consistently in the Indian Subcontinent for several thousand years. Ditto East Asia. Pre-Christian cultures used it in Europe for a similarly long time period. Recognizable swastika-like symbols have been used in Africa and North America as well. In Europe and North America the swastika was used as a symbol of good luck right up until World War Two and had been experiencing a resurgence for several decades prior to this. All told, the swastika has more than 10,000 years of positive associations behind it, continuing actively to this day, with more than a billion people continuing this tradition. The hateful use of the symbol by the Nazis has less than a hundred years of history behind it, with less than two decades of official usage by a nation of less than 100 million people at the time. Today it is hard to determine how many people ascribe to this hateful ideology and worldview. If registered users at one of the most prominent white nationalist websites is any indication, the numbers are not great compared to either people using the swastika with its traditional intent or the general population in the West.
Are we going to let these small numbers of people who have appropriated the swastika for hate trump the vast majority of people who use the swastika to wish others well?
The answer can only be no.
The only qualification to that ‘no’ is how best to consistently educate people about the traditional usage of the swastika. This will be a tough task, with wounds from the Holocaust still unhealed. But we must rise to the challenge.
This is how we can reclaim the swastika
Every time an article is written about someone using a swastika for hate the author has a duty to point out that this use is a shameful aberration in the long history of the swastika. This needn’t be the focus of the article, but it needs to be there every single time. In the same way, whenever public statements are made condemning such hate, a quick, sensitive statement recognizing the traditional usage needs to be made, every single time. To not include this information is to perpetuate an ignorance that only furthers and gives power to fear and hate.
We Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains must become ambassadors for the swastika, educating ourselves about our tradition so that we can educate others about how we use the swastika. And we must be vocal about it, while also being sensitive to when and how we speak up.
We also mustn’t shy away from using the swastika in the West in our traditional ways. If we are challenged in doing this, we must be willing to engage constructively and in an educational way. Most of the time, opposition to traditional swastikas is likely done out of reactive ignorance. We must help remove this ignorance. These conversations will be difficult at first but they must be had.
We must also flood the public consciousness with our auspicious symbol, pushing away the bigoted one. In a similar way that the pink triangle, once a symbol of oppression, is now a symbol of pride, the swastika may again be universally seen as a symbol of good fortune and well-wishing.
On the political level we must pass resolutions acknowledging the long history of the swastika and its non-hateful usage. Several years ago at the second Hindu-Jewish Leadership summit, such a resolution was passed. We need to do this in the United States and in every other nation—particularly in nations that have had a strong history of anti-Semitism. Perhaps a day of swastika awareness, even if only done at the city or state level at first, would be effective.
In doing these things we can send a clear message to the Nazis, the anti-Semites, the white supremacists, fascists, and other spreaders of hate, that we Hindus, we Buddhists, we Jains, we pagans, we Native Americans and others, all of us who have used the swastika as a symbol of prosperity, auspiciousness and goodwill for millennia, we are taking back the symbol you stole from us.
The Swastika in the Sky; The Big Dipper
Once we reconnect to our common ancient ancestry we can easily find Flat Earth teachings and knowledge. There is no better example than the Swastika and the Big Dipper.
The Swastika was a marker for the 4 Seasons of the Year as the ancients knew intimately. The luminaries were their guides and teachers as well as provided much consciousness form mankind before humans developed free will. Part of the Great 500 Year Lie is that the swastika became the ultimate symbol of evil to the Western World. The psyops turned around both literally, and physically, to take away Spiritual energy and disempower the masses, that be us.
The Tibetan Swastika vs the Nazi Hakenkreuz. One to bring about a victory of Peace, the other causes instant hate from anyone in the Western world when the image is conjured up…all by design, all by psyops, to take our power away and remove symbols of goodness and power from humanity.
These motions of energy also manifest in our mind, body, Spirits as well. By creating hate towards this symbol, they disconnect us from powerful symbolism that assists us in knowing ourselves. This is just like how the Roman Catholics made the Pagan Day of the New Year, April 1, when seeds could be planted for food, to be a Fool’s Day. Another example is when the pagan Sun of God rose from the Southern Cross on December 25th. The Romans claimed it as “Christ’s Day” instead.
The word ‘swastika’ is a Sanskrit word (‘svasktika’) meaning ‘It is’, ‘Well Being’, ‘Good Existence, and ‘Good Luck’. However, it is also known by different names in different countries – like ‘Wan’ in China, ‘Manji’ in Japan, ‘Fylfot’ in England, ‘Hakenkreuz’ in Germany and ‘Tetraskelion’ or ‘Tetragammadion’ in Greece.
For the Hindus and Buddhists in India and other Asian countries, the swastika was an important symbol for many thousands of years and, to this day, the symbol can still be seen in abundance – on temples, buses, taxis, and on the cover of books. It was also used in Ancient Greece and can be found in the remains of the ancient city of Troy, which existed 4,000 years ago. The ancient Druids and the Celts also used the symbol, reflected in many artifacts that have been discovered. It was used by Nordic tribes and even early Christians used the Swastika as one of their symbols, including the Teutonic Knights, a German medieval military order, which became a purely religious Catholic Order. But why is this symbol so important and why did Adolf Hitler decide to use it?
By design, humans have been steered off the farms and into the suburbs and cities where light pollution and lack of celestial knowledge has caused Man to lose his classroom. The word “Man” is Old German for *men- or “to think”. HU means hue, or color. So Human is color of man. Our ancestors meant energy vibration when speaking of human whereas today ours is visual interpretation.
A Sanskrit scholar P. R. Sarkar in 1979 said that the deeper meaning of the word Swastika is
‘Permanent Victory’. He also said that as any symbol it can have positive and negative meaning depending on how it is drawn. In Hinduism, the right-hand swastika is a symbol of the God Vishnu and the Sun, while the left-hand swastika is a symbol of Kali and Magic. The double meaning of symbols is common in ancient traditions, like for example the symbol of the pentagram (five pointed star), which is viewed as negative when pointing downwards, and positive when pointing upwards.
Flat Earth takes us back to our ancients and their wisdom. The skies may be the physical limit but a deeper understanding to the ancient’s connection to the stars above provide a much richer tapestry to humanities connection to our heavens. As above, so below, the seasons chronicled beautifully by the Big Dipper movement of stars throughout the year. A much deeper meaning to who we are, why we are here , …and to wondering once again how twinkle, twinkle, the little star’s doing up there in the vaulted ceiling under an ocean of wisdom.
The syllable “Om” is described with various meanings in the Upanishads. Descriptions include “the sacred sound, the Yes!, the Vedas, the Udgitha (song of the universe), the infinite, the all-encompassing, the whole world, the truth, the ultimate reality, the finest essence, the cause of the Universe, the essence of life, the Brahman, the Atman, the vehicle of deepest knowledge, and Self-knowledge”
WisDom-e or Wise Dome. Dome is Home. “Dali Lama” means Ocean of Wisdom, Kingdom, Om
The earliest swastika ever found was uncovered in Mezine, Ukraine, carved on an ivory figurine, which dates an incredible 12,000 years, and one of the earliest cultures that are known to have used the Swastika was a Neolithic culture in Southern Europe, in the area that is now Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, known as the Vinca Culture, which dates back around 8,000 years.
In Buddhism, the swastika is a symbol of good fortune, prosperity, abundance and eternity. It is directly related to Buddha and can be found carved on statues on the soles of his feet and on his heart. It is said that it contains Buddha’s mind.
On the walls of the Christian catacombs in Rome, the symbol of the Swastika appears next to the words “ZOTIKO ZOTIKO” which means “Life of Life”. It can also be found on the window openings of the mysterious Lalibela Rock churches of Ethiopia, and in various other churches around the world.
Navaho - SwastikaIn Nordic Myths, Odin is represented passing through space as a whirling disk or swastika looking down through all worlds. In North America, the swastika was used by the Navajos. In Ancient Greece, Pythagoras used the Swastika under the name ‘Tetraktys’ and it was a symbol linking heaven and earth, with the right arm pointing to heaven and its left arm pointing to Earth.
It has been used by the Phoenicians as a symbol of the Sun and it was a sacred symbol used by the priestesses.
Swastica - Phoenicians
The swastika, the Phoenician sun symbol, on the Phoenician Craig-Narget stone in Scotland, and on the robe of a Phoenician high priestess. (Source)
How and why did so many diverse countries and cultures, across many eras, use the same symbol and apparently with the same meaning?
It is ironic, and unfortunate, that a symbol of life and eternity that was considered sacred for thousands of years has become a symbol of hatred.
Magnetic Stone Rupes Nigra Huge Magnetic Rock 180km In Diameter At North Pole
This Is A Very Rare And Top Secrets Real Video From M.I.R. Space Station of the North Pole Septentrionalium Terrarum descriptio - Magnetic Stone The Rupes Nigra ("Black Rock") 1595 First Edition Mercator Map of the Arctic (1st Map of the North Pole) Hello my friends. this is an ancient map of the north pole. The North Pole as a magnetic mountain goes back at least to Roman times. the North Pole as a magnetic mountain surrounded by a circular continent divided by four powerful rivers from maps Martin Behaim's 1492 globe shows, at the arctic pole there is a high magnetic rock, thirty-three German miles in circumference. A surging sea surrounds this rock, as if the water were discharged downward from a vase through an opening. Around it are islands, two of which are inhabited."
Mercator's map from 1595 showing the Arctic continent, with the "Rupes nigra et altissima" ('black and highest rock') at its centre. The Rock is the site of the North Pole, captioned as the POLVS ARCTICVS. Gerardus Mercator's world map of 1569 reflects his reading of Cnoyen's Itinerarium. It also features a marginal note alluding to the Franciscan's "discovery",
"we have taken [the Arctic geography] from the Itinerium of Jacobus Cnoyen of the Hague, who makes some citations from the Gesta of Arthur of Britain; however, the greater and most important part he learned from a certain priest at the court of the king of Norway in 1364. He was descended in the fifth generation from those whom Arthur had sent to inhabit these lands, and he related that in the year 1360 a certain Minorite, an Englishman from Oxford, a mathematician, went to those islands; leaving them, advanced still farther by magic arts and mapped out all and measured them by an astrolabe in practically the subjoined figure, as we have learned from Jacobus. The four canals there pictured he said flow with such current to the inner whirlpool, that if vessels once enter they cannot be driven back by wind."
The Arctic map inset on Mercator's 1569 world map was the prototype for the influential and widely circulated Septentrionalium Terrarum of 1595, posthumously published by his son, and the maps in Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum of 1570. Both show the same configuration of the arctic regions as the 1569 map.
In his letter to Dee, Mercator further quotes Cnoyen's description of the Northern regions:
"...In the midst of the four countries is a Whirlpool into which there empty these four Indrawing Seas which divides the North. And the water rushes round and descends into the earth just as if one were pouring it through a filter funnel. It is 4 degrees wide on every side of the Pole, that is to say eight degrees altogether. Except that right under the Pole there lies a bare rock in the midst of the Sea. Its circumference is almost 33 French miles, and it is all of magnetic stone. And is as high as the clouds, so the Priest said, who had received the astrolabe from this Minorite in exchange for a Testament. And the Minorite himself had heard that one can see all round it from the Sea, and that it is black and glistening. And nothing grows thereon, for there is not so much as a handful of soil on it."
More interesting to modern researchers are the people the friar encountered, "pygmies" who may well be identical with the Skrælings referred to in old Norse texts about Greenland, predecessors of the modern Inuit.
Why Huge Magnetic Rock North Pole Magnetic Stone An Arctic Timeline 1496-1962
Why Huge Magnetic Rock North Pole Septentrionalium Terrarum descriptio - Magnetic Stone The Rupes Nigra ("Black Rock") 1595 First Edition Mercator Map of the Arctic (1st Map of the North Pole) Hello my friends. this is an ancient map of the north pole. The North Pole as a magnetic mountain goes back at least to Roman times. the North Pole as a magnetic mountain surrounded by a circular continent divided by four powerful rivers from maps Martin Behaim's 1492 globe shows, at the arctic pole there is a high magnetic rock, thirty-three German miles in circumference. A surging sea surrounds this rock, as if the water were discharged downward from a vase through an opening. Around it are islands, two of which are inhabited."
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