Ooh, some Chad has concerns: We’d have ham and eggs. If we had some ham and if we had some eggs. (October 19, 2022)

Specifically, this illustration:

From time to time right wingnut concern trolls try to leave comments here. Our system defaults to automatic moderation – that is, comments have to be approved. We don’t allow such comments to be linked to the original post, but on occasion, when we see fit, we’ll mock these attempts.

We see fit.

To wit:

I do think it is very tasteless and very spiteful to use a swastika as a symbol for your organization, you surely could have better teaste.

Ah, there’s no accounting for density. It’s not a reference to our organization, it’s a reference to Josh Hawley (r). Note the direction of the tines and the running theme. You see, Josh Hawley (r) is a right wingnut and a Fascist pig. Watch the video. You can look it up on the Internets for now. Until Josh Hawley (r) gets his way.

What the hell is teaste? Is it one of those words they teach at Yale Law School?

We don’t consider ourselves spiteful when it comes to Josh Hawley (r). It’s more like utter contempt. However, you do you when it comes to projection.

This is what you were probably thinking of:

German Nazi Swastika Flag
National Museum of American History.
Catalog number
1977.0788.03
29 in x 49 in; 73.66 cm x 124.46 cm.

Some additional background, via the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum:

The Origins of the Swastika
The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, which means “good fortune” or “well-being.” 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. To this day, it is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism. It is a common sight on temples or houses in India or Indonesia. Swastikas also have an ancient history in Europe, appearing on artifacts from pre-Christian European cultures.

[….]

Postwar Bans on the Use of the Swastika and Cultural Controversies
Following Nazi Germany’s defeat in 1945, the Allied governments ruling the nation outlawed Nazi organizations. Their symbols and propaganda were removed and further dissemination criminalized. Subsequent German governments continued the ban on Nazi symbols and propaganda, including the swastika. Today in Germany and other European states, public display of Nazi symbols, including on the Internet, is prohibited by law and individuals violating such terms are subject to criminal proceedings.

In the United States, it is legal to display Nazi symbols and propaganda because of the country’s traditions and laws protecting free speech.

At various times and in various nations, the swastika has become a controversial cultural icon. Some motorcycle gangs in the United States beginning in the 1950s wore Nazi insignia to highlight their outlaw nature. In the late 1970s, some punk rock performers and enthusiasts openly displayed the swastika as a symbol of youthful rebellion against the status quo.

Sometimes, Nazi symbols take on neutral or even positive connotations in countries with little or no connection to the history of Nazi ideology and mass murder. The swastika as a symbol of Nazism, other Nazi signs, and even the figure of Adolf Hitler have taken on new life in some countries, where they have come to signify national unity, strength, discipline, anti-colonialism, and law and order. Symbols such as the swastika have a long history. To avoid misunderstanding and misuse, individuals should consider the context and past use of Nazi symbols and symbols in general.

The original artwork for the “running man” came from anonymous street art ostensibly protesting Fascists. We added the color yellow to the background (get it) and flopped the image so that the character was running in the same direction (get it) as Josh Hawley (r) in the U.S. Capitol insurrection video.

Read this slowly, sound out the words if you need to: Josh Hawley (r) is a right wingnut, a Fascist pig, and he runs – hence the illustration fits.

By the way, the IP address and email address of all comments are attached to the original comment in our blog operating system.