It's the Ideology, Stupid

Prompted by the recent uproar over a famous 20-year old's poor choice of party costume, the EU is considering a ban on all Nazi symbols. If they (the EU) argue that Nazi symbols are religious symbols, I'm sure the French will jump on the bandwagon. Understandably, Germany already bans Nazi symbols.

Franco Frattini, the EU's justice and home affairs commissioner, said he was open to discussing the issue at a Jan. 27 meeting of EU justice ministers.

"It may be worth looking into the possibility of a total ban, a Europe-wide ban," his spokesman, Friso Roscam Abbing, told reporters Monday. "Commissioner Frattini shares the general feeling of opprobrium on the use of the swastika and other Nazi symbols."

The call came after several German conservatives, socialists and liberal democrats in the European Parliament urged a European ban following a scandal last week over photos published worldwide of Harry, third in line to the British throne, wearing the Nazi outfit.

Hmmm. A "general feeling of opprobrium". Spoken like a true diplomat. However, there is a difference of opinion in the EU:

But British Liberal Democrat Chris Davies questioned the need to ban the swastika.

"I understand how the burden of history weighs upon my German colleagues' view," he said. "However, banning symbols cannot ban evil and risks playing into the hands of those who would seek to subvert the very liberties we most champion."

Exactly! Symbols don't cause ideologies. They only represent the ideologies. That's why they are called symbols. It's the ideology that is dangerous and offensive. To coin a phrase, "It's the ideology, stupid."