Scratching my head here- wondering why, if so many publications are so concerned with keeping their advertisers happy- would one publication decide to publish a photo advertising the sale of “Adolf Hitler” and Nazi memorabilia like the one pictured below? (This ad is on page A-5 of today’s Patriot News.
Certainly, images of Swastikas and other Nazi related “memorabilia” must invoke some ill feelings from readers of the Patriot News. Why would they think that Patriot News readers would be interested in purchasing Swastikas?
Is there something larger happening here?
Somebody tell Reed. Maybe he can get a better deal buying/reselling WWII junk than Civil War junk.
It’s actually pretty common to find collectors for these items. After all, it is a part of history. Whether good or bad. Not that I side with the Nazi party or anything. But my grandmother had a German WWII helmet and a youth Nazi knife in her attic for as long as I can remember. My grandfather brought it back from the war. I don’t know the story about he came upon these items. When she sold her house I ended up with the knife. There is a lot of history in that knife.
I also think it is sad that the symbol of the swastika only gets remembered for Adolf Hitler. Hitler actually spent a long time trying to come up with the perfect “logo” for the Nazi party. After many failed attempts he decided to use the swastika which was actually used by other cultures long before Nazi Germany. I think of it as Hitler giving the symbol some bad publicity. The Boy Scouts of America even had patches with the swastika before Hitler. Those would probably go for a lot of money.
Actually US Soldiers wore swastikas on their uniforms in WWI.
See: http://history1900s.about.com/cs/swastika/a/swastikahistory.htm
While I certainly don’t need swastika relics, I don’t see how the Patriot is at fault here (and I don’t like the Patriot).
Further, go into the YMCA on Front Street and look around. There are many tiled swastikas throughout the pre-WWII building (especially in the bathrooms). During the period that the building was built, the swastika was a symbol of life and good luck.
22,000,000 people were killed by Hitler’s direction in WWII. Anybody who collects Nazi memorabilia is just sick, in my opinion. Although, I am not surprised it is attractive to people in this area, as this is a heavily racist part of PA with bands of the KKK all over.
I think being racist is quite different than simply being interested in history. I cold even go so far as saying that being racist is quite different than belonging to the KKK.
Maybe it was to coincide with last nights repeat of Family Guy on Fox?
You know, where Stewie and Brian have to go back in time because . . .never mind.
It was just a thought.