View Points - "From A Different Lens A Different Argument"
The Controversy
Changing names of a place is a rare occurrence especially if there are people on both sides of the argument. This has been the case for the Town of Swastika were the residents of the town wants to continue keeping the name Swastika whereas the many who have suffered for what the name represents want it changed. Both the sides provide compelling arguments were the residents of the town associate the name with their historical significance of the town itself in contrast to the other side of the arguments from people who have suffered from the Nazi who had misappropriated the name and used it banner to commit atrocities.
Town of Swastika – The Culture & Heritage
The name of Swastika is important to the heritage of the town of Swastika as it represents their identity. Swastika has multiple meanings associated with it but the most prevalent association is with the Nazi and their terror. For millennia’s before the Nazis the symbol meant good luck. The town in Ontario which was founded in an area of rich mineral deposits was named Swastika as a sign of luck. Given the wide association of the Swastika that is associated with hatred, the provincial government of Canada attempted in renaming the town to “Winston” but the residents resisted saying "To hell with Hitler, we came up with our name first" (McIntyre, 2017).The residents of the town have been attached to the name as it defines the towns heritage from when it was formed. An association with the history of the town is with the name similar to passing down a name through a family. The cultural significance of the township of Swastika may fail to understand the importance but for the residents of the township it means their identity.
The fight to retain the historical associated with name is not an isolated event as residents of other places with the name Swastika have resisted in the name change as well. Similar to the resistance of the residents of the Town of Swastikas' displayed of name change of Swastika, residents living near a street called Swastika Trail resisted in the name change as shown in the article posted in TheGlobeAndMail, " local residents on the street voted on the issue earlier this month among themselves, with a slight majority in favor of keeping the name"(Germano, 2017). The residents of Town of Swastikas share similar values with others across Canada of attempting to cultivate the historical and heritage aspect of the name as seen by the local residents rather then conform to the name change even if it puts their town under scrutiny by people not of the town.
Town of Swastika – Remove the Name Swastika
The town of Swastika is stubborn in their refusal to change the name which is associated widely with hatred regardless of the cultural significance. The significance of the hatred of the Swastika can be echoed by many people but is explained boldly by rabbi Brad Hirschfield, president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, "If that's the last thing the person you loved the most in the world experienced was a person wearing that symbol before blowing their brains out. It doesn't matter-there's no maybe!"(Quito, 2019). The people whom have lived through the Nazis can argue that the symbol will always be of something that reminds them of that past.
Currently, there is a petition on change.org were it addresses the controversy of the name but hopes to get enough traction to have the name changed. The reasons for singing display how people outside of the town feel of the name were one person in the comments said “I’m signing because, honestly, what the hell? Of all the things to name a town, its way past due for an update” (Manfredi ,2019). As the Swastika is known as one of the most hated symbols around the world then the name change would benefit the residents as people not of that community would not assume the residents to be portraying the same hatred through the name. The conversation ends up being is the cultural and heritage of the name significant enough to reclaim the name that majority of the society associate with hatred?
References
Catherine McIntyre September 15, 2. (2017, September 16). Why the swastika can't be rehabilitated. Retrieved from https://www.macleans.ca/news/why-the-swastika-cant-be-rehabilitated/
Germano. (2017, November 24). Jewish group calls for Ontario town to rename street called swastika trail. The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/jewish-group-calls-for-ontario-town-to-rename-street-called-swastika-trail/article37086671/
Manfredi , Stacy. (2019) “Change the Name of the Town Swastika, Ontario.” Supporter Comments · Government of Ontario: Change the Name of the Town Swastika, Ontario · Change.org, Change.org, www.change.org/p/government-of-ontario-change-the-name-of-the-town-swastika-ontario/c.
Phar, S. (2020, April). Pin on Swastika, Ontario. Pinterest. https://in.pinterest.com/pin/151785449930009657/
Quito, A. (2019, December 25). Can the swastika ever reclaim its original meaning? Quartz. https://qz.com/1757244/can-the-swastika-ever-reclaim-its-original-meaning/
Changing names of a place is a rare occurrence especially if there are people on both sides of the argument. This has been the case for the Town of Swastika were the residents of the town wants to continue keeping the name Swastika whereas the many who have suffered for what the name represents want it changed. Both the sides provide compelling arguments were the residents of the town associate the name with their historical significance of the town itself in contrast to the other side of the arguments from people who have suffered from the Nazi who had misappropriated the name and used it banner to commit atrocities.
Town of Swastika – The Culture & Heritage
The name of Swastika is important to the heritage of the town of Swastika as it represents their identity. Swastika has multiple meanings associated with it but the most prevalent association is with the Nazi and their terror. For millennia’s before the Nazis the symbol meant good luck. The town in Ontario which was founded in an area of rich mineral deposits was named Swastika as a sign of luck. Given the wide association of the Swastika that is associated with hatred, the provincial government of Canada attempted in renaming the town to “Winston” but the residents resisted saying "To hell with Hitler, we came up with our name first" (McIntyre, 2017).The residents of the town have been attached to the name as it defines the towns heritage from when it was formed. An association with the history of the town is with the name similar to passing down a name through a family. The cultural significance of the township of Swastika may fail to understand the importance but for the residents of the township it means their identity.
The fight to retain the historical associated with name is not an isolated event as residents of other places with the name Swastika have resisted in the name change as well. Similar to the resistance of the residents of the Town of Swastikas' displayed of name change of Swastika, residents living near a street called Swastika Trail resisted in the name change as shown in the article posted in TheGlobeAndMail, " local residents on the street voted on the issue earlier this month among themselves, with a slight majority in favor of keeping the name"(Germano, 2017). The residents of Town of Swastikas share similar values with others across Canada of attempting to cultivate the historical and heritage aspect of the name as seen by the local residents rather then conform to the name change even if it puts their town under scrutiny by people not of the town.
Town of Swastika – Remove the Name Swastika
The town of Swastika is stubborn in their refusal to change the name which is associated widely with hatred regardless of the cultural significance. The significance of the hatred of the Swastika can be echoed by many people but is explained boldly by rabbi Brad Hirschfield, president of the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, "If that's the last thing the person you loved the most in the world experienced was a person wearing that symbol before blowing their brains out. It doesn't matter-there's no maybe!"(Quito, 2019). The people whom have lived through the Nazis can argue that the symbol will always be of something that reminds them of that past.
Currently, there is a petition on change.org were it addresses the controversy of the name but hopes to get enough traction to have the name changed. The reasons for singing display how people outside of the town feel of the name were one person in the comments said “I’m signing because, honestly, what the hell? Of all the things to name a town, its way past due for an update” (Manfredi ,2019). As the Swastika is known as one of the most hated symbols around the world then the name change would benefit the residents as people not of that community would not assume the residents to be portraying the same hatred through the name. The conversation ends up being is the cultural and heritage of the name significant enough to reclaim the name that majority of the society associate with hatred?
References
Catherine McIntyre September 15, 2. (2017, September 16). Why the swastika can't be rehabilitated. Retrieved from https://www.macleans.ca/news/why-the-swastika-cant-be-rehabilitated/
Germano. (2017, November 24). Jewish group calls for Ontario town to rename street called swastika trail. The Globe and Mail. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/jewish-group-calls-for-ontario-town-to-rename-street-called-swastika-trail/article37086671/
Manfredi , Stacy. (2019) “Change the Name of the Town Swastika, Ontario.” Supporter Comments · Government of Ontario: Change the Name of the Town Swastika, Ontario · Change.org, Change.org, www.change.org/p/government-of-ontario-change-the-name-of-the-town-swastika-ontario/c.
Phar, S. (2020, April). Pin on Swastika, Ontario. Pinterest. https://in.pinterest.com/pin/151785449930009657/
Quito, A. (2019, December 25). Can the swastika ever reclaim its original meaning? Quartz. https://qz.com/1757244/can-the-swastika-ever-reclaim-its-original-meaning/