EU bans symbols

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by notyoueither
You say 'unpopular', Spiffor, but what stops them from doing it? If they shouldn't get their noses into it, what makes them able to?

These guys try because they think it's in the competences of the Union. IMy knowledge of the texts is not precise enough to tell if such a case can be backed or not.

Also, they seem to have another opinion than mine to what should be done and what should be left alone by the EU.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by molly bloom
Education trumps knee-jerk banning every time, especially less than a fortnight away from the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

Don't worry, the Germans are extremely educated about the horrors of nazism. I don't think there is any population in the world, save for the Jews and the Gypsies, that is more revulsed at the thought of nazism.

And I certainly can't think of any population that has done such a thorough work at atoning for its past sins.

[Tattila the Hun]

Say, if someone is a neo-nazi, wouldn't you want him to wear the swastika, to help you recognize him and treat as the bastard he is?
And to stay clear, if necessary...

As opposed to casual wearing neo-nazi, who looks like the regular Joe, and stabs your non-aryan back out of the blue.

[Provost Harrison]

Oh how ridiculous...

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by molly bloom
'It, afterall, constitutes an obstacle to inter-member commerce by forcing gaming companies to make special Nazi-symbol-free versions of WWII games.'

That bit, peut-etre?


After all, aren't they going to have to determine what is for educational, or entertainment purposes, and what is glorification or propagation of Nazism when it comes to depictions or reproduction of the Nazi symbol ?

They already did that, and they determined that putting correct insignia on German WWII units in computer games wasn't an acceptable use of Nazi symbols. Hence the "denazified" versions of computer wargames.

[Spiffor]

Actually, I don't see how it hurts the producers of computer games. Germany also bans depictions of blood that are too graphic in videogames. The game producers make some minor changes to accomodate the German law, and here it is (in general, blood is turned green for the German version - I don't know what happens to the "extre bloody" setting - the charicature of it was Carmaggeddon: instead of roadkilling old ladies, you roadkilled zombies with green blood)

[BeBMan]

Is it really banned? I always thought they can include graphic violence, but run the risk then that the games become "indexed" means they cannot be sold to kids anymore, only to 18+ old buyers. Of course since this would have a negative impact on profits, they offer "light" versions.

I could be wrong though, I hardly play shooters or similar stuff....

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Actually, I don't see how it hurts the producers of computer games

It costs some money to pay the artists to make the extra gfx.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by BeBro
Is it really banned?

Actually, maybe not. Restricted Area is a German Diablo Like, and there's quite some red blood in the German version (Germany is the only place where the game is sold)

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Saras


Basil: "Don't mention the war. I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it. So it's all forgotten now and let's hear no more about it. So that's two egg mayonnaise, a prawn Goebbels, a Herman Goering and four Colditz salads....no, wait a minute...I got confused because everyone keeps mentioning the war."

German: "Will you stop mentioning the war?"

Basil: " You started it."

German: " We did not start it."

Basil: " Yes you did, you invaded Poland..."

I know several Germans who find that scene extremely funny.


'They already did that, and they determined that putting correct insignia on German WWII units in computer games wasn't an acceptable use of Nazi symbols. Hence the "denazified" versions of computer wargames.'

Last Conformist


So does that ruling also apply to second hand books, history books, cd roms on WWII, or military history, et cetera?

I can't actually recall what percentage of WWII German military vehicles or aircraft carried the swastika emblem.

[Pyrodrew]

pyschic?

Originally posted by Verto
Then ban the hammer and sickle.

I think they heard you!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=732&e=10&u=/ap/20050203/ap_on_re_eu/communist_symbols

EU Lawmakers Want Communist Symbols Banned
By CONSTANT BRAND, Associated Press Writer

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A group of conservative European Union (news - web sites) lawmakers from eastern Europe called Thursday for a ban on communist symbols, including the red star and the hammer and sickle, to match a proposed EU ban on the Nazi swastika.

The group from Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic said the communist symbols should be included in any ban because of the suffering caused by Soviet-backed regimes in eastern Europe.

"We would like to have an equal treatment of the other evil totalitarian regime of the communist system," said Jozsef Szajer, an Hungarian member of the European Parliament.

EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini has proposed a Europe-wide ban on display of the swastikas and other Nazi symbols as part of a campaign to combat anti-Semitism and intolerance.

"If we decide to ban one, we should decide to ban all of them," said Jan Zahradil, a Czech member of the EU assembly.

Frattini's spokesman, Friso Roscam Abbing, said the EU head office was not at this time pushing for a similar ban on communist symbols.

"He is completely aware of the pain this (communist rule) has caused," Roscam Abbing said. But including the hammer and sickle alongside the swastika "might not be appropriate" under the anti-racism rules being negotiated, he said, noting the Nazi swastika was seen as a symbol specifically associated with anti-Semitism.

"It warrants further political debate," he said.

Justice and interior ministers from the 25 EU nations will discuss the banning of Nazi symbols at a meeting this month. The proposals need agreement from all EU governments.

Former Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis, who led his country out of the Soviet Union, said the hammer and sickle was also a symbol of oppression.

"It was a fake symbol of unity of workers and farmers," he said.

Last week's commemorations marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp highlighted the growing problem of xenophobia and anti-Semitism in Europe.

Also, pictures showing Britain's Prince Harry wearing a Nazi swastika armband at a costume party last month added to EU calls to ban all Nazi symbols across Europe.

The EU lawmakers read Poly and listen to our ideas!

[St Leo]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Didn't they ban crosses, and yarmelkes, and Sikh head dress, and everything else along with the burka? I seem to have read many French posters saying that they totally agreed with it as it went hand in hand with the tradition of anti-religious feeling within the Republic(s).

Muslim girls wear burkas, ban crosses! It makes total sense.

Ghetto-style huge crosses were banned.

[Commy]

Just last week my friend bought a Boy Scouts of America coin with the Nazi symbol on it. Soon, Bush will be wearing it as a tie pin...

Sometimes I wonder, would America be any better if Stalin ran it...

[St Leo]

The swastika kills gays, gypsies, slavs, and jews. The hammer and sickle kills everyone indiscriminately. I don't think there's a need to ban the latter.

[Urban Ranger]

When are they going to ban the cross?