EU considers banning swastika because of Prince Harry

mkpdavies · 17-01-2005, 02:38 PM

http://www.kasa.com/Global/story.asp?S=2818206

Quote:

BRUSSELS, Belgium The fallout over British Prince Harry's Nazi costume has reached all the way to the European Union's top justice official -- who is considering a total ban on Nazi symbols.

E-U justice ministers meet later this month -- and the union's justice and home affairs commissioner says he's open to discussing the issue.

Has someone slipped something in my drink, is this real?

Freedom R.I.P

Banning symbols, is yet another indicator that we are heading INTO phpbb_a facist state ourselves. Harry was a pratt for wearing that costume, only on the basis of who he is. Anyone else in this country should be able to mock the Nazis by lampooning them as much as we want.

I wonder if the soviet symbol or any other symbols other than a ring of stars on a blue background will be banned too? George Orwell was so right that he should be thought of as the greatest visonary of all time!

Carl Faulkner · 17-01-2005, 02:40 PM

I believe it is already banned in Germany and has been for many years.

mkpdavies · 17-01-2005, 02:42 PM

Maybe they have a fair reason too.

Personally I think banning symbols is ridiculous.

jp · 17-01-2005, 05:25 PM

The swastika was banned in Germany immediately after the war.

If you sell old pictures of Luftwaffe aircraft on Ebay you have to black out the swastikas otherwise they get pulled

mkpdavies · 17-01-2005, 05:35 PM

Madness.

Where does the line get drawn. Will we all have to wear blue EU uniforms one day, pledge allegiance to the EU flag and sing rousing EU anthems before work every day?

Not on my watch!

C_steam · 17-01-2005, 06:23 PM

Strikes me as being about 70 years too late.

MrMoor · 17-01-2005, 08:36 PM

I have a shirt, which happens to be black, to whom should I give myself up to?

Intbel · 18-01-2005, 01:24 PM

EU may consider ban on Nazi symbols
18.01.2005 - 09:28 CET | By Honor Mahony

Negotiations on EU legislation against racism and xenophobia are to be re-launched in the wake of the public outcry caused last week by Prince Harry's fancy dress outfit with its swastika armband.

A Luxembourg EU Presidency source said that talks on a law combating racism and xenophobia, which have been stalled since early 2003, are to be revived.

Discussions on the new law began in 2002 but have been on ice since early 2003 due to Italian objections.

Luxembourg's decision to put this issue back on the political agenda follows calls by senior German politicians for a Europe-wide ban on the Nazi symbols.

On Monday (17 January), the European Commission did not rule out the idea.

A spokesperson for justice commissioner Franco Frattini said "it may be worth looking at the possibility of a Europe-wide ban, to explore that possibility at least".

Freedom of speech
However, such a ban would open up freedom of speech issues.

"Banning symbols cannot ban evil and risks playing INTO phpbb_the hands of those who would seek to subvert the very liberties we most champion", said Chris Davies, leader of the UK Liberal Democrat members of the European Parliament.

It would also be very difficult for legislators to codify such a ban say EU officials.

They would have to find wording that banned Nazi symbols but did not incriminate those who use them in a satirical manner to lampoon nazis.

Similarly, it would have to be considered which Nazi symbols would be used and whether such a ban would cover symbols from other regimes - such as communism.

The outrage caused by Prince Harry's outfit - it was a German soldier's uniform with a large swastika displayed on an armband - comes just ahead of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the nazi death camp.

My view: The swastika has been a decorative emblem for many thousands of years in many cultures, indeed, the swastika is an integral design on the floor of a cathedral.
That Hitler used it for a few years (yes, the flag was his own design, the red black and white being the colours of the old imperial flag) is no reason to ban it. How the hell could they make simple geometric design illegal anyway?

Next thing you know they'll want to make illegal Hitler's style of salute which is regularly use by G.W.Bush specifically and by others generally.

Nick Moody · 18-01-2005, 04:07 PM

The 'uniform' that everybody seems to be getting so het up about was just an ordinary shirt with the Nazi insignia sewed on. From what I have seen of the comments against Prince Harry the greatest outrage seems to come from the republicans and the politically correct. Jews may have something to be upset about though. Only a nincompoop would think that PH was wearing it because he agreed with their principles. It was a private party for God's sake. Everybody should just calm down over it. As for banning the emblem in this country, why should we, it didn't come from here and neither did the Nazis. We have nothing to be ashamed of or to fear. It's easier to take the mickey out of something if it is out in the open than to give it some sort of glamour because it is banned.

mkpdavies · 18-01-2005, 04:11 PM

Spot on Nick Moody!

17-01-2005, 02:42 PM	#3 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,194 Party: Libertarian Party	Maybe they have a fair reason too. Personally I think banning symbols is ridiculous. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

17-01-2005, 05:35 PM	#5 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,194 Party: Libertarian Party	Madness. Where does the line get drawn. Will we all have to wear blue EU uniforms one day, pledge allegiance to the EU flag and sing rousing EU anthems before work every day? Not on my watch! __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

18-01-2005, 04:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,194 Party: Libertarian Party	Spot on Nick Moody! __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

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17-01-2005, 02:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Carl Faulkner Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 352	I believe it is already banned in Germany and has been for many years.

17-01-2005, 05:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
jp Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,001	The swastika was banned in Germany immediately after the war. If you sell old pictures of Luftwaffe aircraft on Ebay you have to black out the swastikas otherwise they get pulled

17-01-2005, 06:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
C_steam Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Paddling up 5hit creek..... Posts: 7,805	Strikes me as being about 70 years too late.

17-01-2005, 08:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
MrMoor Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 259	I have a shirt, which happens to be black, to whom should I give myself up to?

18-01-2005, 01:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
Intbel Uber Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a field near you - look for the yellow and purple tent ... Posts: 4,665	EU may consider ban on Nazi symbols 18.01.2005 - 09:28 CET \| By Honor Mahony Negotiations on EU legislation against racism and xenophobia are to be re-launched in the wake of the public outcry caused last week by Prince Harry's fancy dress outfit with its swastika armband. A Luxembourg EU Presidency source said that talks on a law combating racism and xenophobia, which have been stalled since early 2003, are to be revived. Discussions on the new law began in 2002 but have been on ice since early 2003 due to Italian objections. Luxembourg's decision to put this issue back on the political agenda follows calls by senior German politicians for a Europe-wide ban on the Nazi symbols. On Monday (17 January), the European Commission did not rule out the idea. A spokesperson for justice commissioner Franco Frattini said "it may be worth looking at the possibility of a Europe-wide ban, to explore that possibility at least". Freedom of speech However, such a ban would open up freedom of speech issues. "Banning symbols cannot ban evil and risks playing INTO phpbb_the hands of those who would seek to subvert the very liberties we most champion", said Chris Davies, leader of the UK Liberal Democrat members of the European Parliament. It would also be very difficult for legislators to codify such a ban say EU officials. They would have to find wording that banned Nazi symbols but did not incriminate those who use them in a satirical manner to lampoon nazis. Similarly, it would have to be considered which Nazi symbols would be used and whether such a ban would cover symbols from other regimes - such as communism. The outrage caused by Prince Harry's outfit - it was a German soldier's uniform with a large swastika displayed on an armband - comes just ahead of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the nazi death camp. My view: The swastika has been a decorative emblem for many thousands of years in many cultures, indeed, the swastika is an integral design on the floor of a cathedral. That Hitler used it for a few years (yes, the flag was his own design, the red black and white being the colours of the old imperial flag) is no reason to ban it. How the hell could they make simple geometric design illegal anyway? Next thing you know they'll want to make illegal Hitler's style of salute which is regularly use by G.W.Bush specifically and by others generally.

18-01-2005, 04:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
Nick Moody Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 100	The 'uniform' that everybody seems to be getting so het up about was just an ordinary shirt with the Nazi insignia sewed on. From what I have seen of the comments against Prince Harry the greatest outrage seems to come from the republicans and the politically correct. Jews may have something to be upset about though. Only a nincompoop would think that PH was wearing it because he agreed with their principles. It was a private party for God's sake. Everybody should just calm down over it. As for banning the emblem in this country, why should we, it didn't come from here and neither did the Nazis. We have nothing to be ashamed of or to fear. It's easier to take the mickey out of something if it is out in the open than to give it some sort of glamour because it is banned.