Confusing Symbols?
Crossed-out symbols on are very popular here. That’s probably because saying no to everything is so popular here, too. You know, “verboten ist alles, was nicht ausdrücklich erlaubt ist” (everything is forbidden unless expressly allowed). Some of my personal favorites are the crossed-out crapping dog or the crossed-out cell phone signs, but all the others are thoroughly entertaining, too. Well, almost all the others.
Now correct me if I’m wrong, but these are all pretty clear and to the point, aren’t they? So why am I confused about a recent Stuttgart court decision made against a small German organization (company?) that specializes in crossed-out swastikas and other anti-fascist paraphernalia? The owner even has to pay a 3,600 euro fine for having sold these things.
Swastikas are constitutionally banned symbols in Germany, you see, and according to the judge, when it comes to a crossed-out swastika, in this case anyway, “It is not always so easy to recognize that these symbols are being used against Nazis, especially for foreigners.”
Uh, I’m no brain scientist or anything, but I am a foreigner. And, well, what on earth could possibly be confusing about a crossed-out swastika? If a crossed out crapping dog means your dog isn’t supposed to crap here, than a crossed-out swastika means that Nazis aren’t supposed to crap here either, right?
Now I know that German brains are more complicated than American brains are, that’s just the way it is. It has to do with all the bottled mineral water they drink or the lack of speed limits on the Autobahn or something. And this has been proven on several occasions in laboratories all over the world (I think) and is nothing we have to go into great detail about here. But up until this court decision was made, I was convinced that not even the most complicated and complex German brain, not even a judge’s, could ever get confused about anything as straightforward as a crossed-out crapping dog and/or swastika. Looks like I was wrong.
Confusing symbols? I don’t think so. The only thing confusing here is a court decision about so-called confusing symbols which will now send confusing signals to people who like the crossed-out swastikas without the crossed-out part, know what I’m sayin’? And that’s not confusing at all. Not to anyone older than three, that is.
Hope this won’t be the same judge who’ll be presiding over the case about neo-Nazis launching their own video news channel. Should it ever come to that, I mean.
Verbot ist Verbot. Und alles andere verbiete ich mir.
Now correct me if I’m wrong, but these are all pretty clear and to the point, aren’t they? So why am I confused about a recent Stuttgart court decision made against a small German organization (company?) that specializes in crossed-out swastikas and other anti-fascist paraphernalia? The owner even has to pay a 3,600 euro fine for having sold these things.
Swastikas are constitutionally banned symbols in Germany, you see, and according to the judge, when it comes to a crossed-out swastika, in this case anyway, “It is not always so easy to recognize that these symbols are being used against Nazis, especially for foreigners.”
Uh, I’m no brain scientist or anything, but I am a foreigner. And, well, what on earth could possibly be confusing about a crossed-out swastika? If a crossed out crapping dog means your dog isn’t supposed to crap here, than a crossed-out swastika means that Nazis aren’t supposed to crap here either, right?
Now I know that German brains are more complicated than American brains are, that’s just the way it is. It has to do with all the bottled mineral water they drink or the lack of speed limits on the Autobahn or something. And this has been proven on several occasions in laboratories all over the world (I think) and is nothing we have to go into great detail about here. But up until this court decision was made, I was convinced that not even the most complicated and complex German brain, not even a judge’s, could ever get confused about anything as straightforward as a crossed-out crapping dog and/or swastika. Looks like I was wrong.
Confusing symbols? I don’t think so. The only thing confusing here is a court decision about so-called confusing symbols which will now send confusing signals to people who like the crossed-out swastikas without the crossed-out part, know what I’m sayin’? And that’s not confusing at all. Not to anyone older than three, that is.
Hope this won’t be the same judge who’ll be presiding over the case about neo-Nazis launching their own video news channel. Should it ever come to that, I mean.
Verbot ist Verbot. Und alles andere verbiete ich mir.
Kommentare auf Deutsch? Logisch.
Die richterliche Kaste hingegen ist alles andere als ein Freund der AntiFa-Helden, und wird sich mehrheitlich darüber kaputt lachen, dass man denen noch eine mit auf den Weg geben konnte. Juristische Argumente haben eben die Eigenheit, dass sie immer in beide Richtungen gedeutet werden können. Scheinheilige Begründungen inbegriffen. (Comment this)
I think if they go for it, the Bundesverfassungsgericht will overrule this judgement, but taking a case to the BVerfG is an expensive and long lasting thing. (Comment this)
- According to US laws I should be convicted of sexual harassment because once in my kindergarten time I kissed a girl against their will.
- German "Bravo" pop-culture, teeny music magazine, every <i>pree-teen</i> and <i>young adult</i> in Germany reads and loves because of famous Dr. Sommer and his sex education, has to be censored for US citizens to adhere to American anti child pornography laws.
- And unfortunately, even my more complicated brain isn't capable of finding sense in the following decision: "Teacher showing foreign flags put on leave. Jeffco leaders say the state bans the banners, even in geography class, when they are not part of the lesson." (Denver Post) (Comment this)