As much as you love your family members, it’s reasonable to expect to disagree on certain topics. Many of us desperately try to steer conversations away from politics or religion when we gather with loved ones. And plenty of people politely remove themselves from the situation when relatives start asking why they aren’t married yet or when they’re going to bring home a baby.
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But as long as your relatives’ views aren’t extreme, you can probably survive a few uncomfortable conversations each year. One woman, however, found herself in shock when her brother-in-law revealed an incredibly offensive tattoo in her home. Now, she’s being called out for politely biting her tongue in the moment. Below, you’ll find the full story that she posted on Reddit, as well as some of the replies readers shared.
This woman and her brother-in-law have never seen eye to eye
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
But she finally decided to set boundaries after he revealed an extremely offensive tattoo in her home
Image credits: Leo_Visions / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Franki2001 / Wikimedia (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Dramatic_Net_5062
Many people distance themselves from family members with opposing political views
It’s perfectly normal to have different political views than some of your family members. If you grew up in environments that don't share many similarities or starkly different generations, it might be very difficult to see eye to eye. But unfortunately, these differences can often put a strain on relationships.
In fact, the American Psychological Association reports that about a third of adults have noticed the political climate damaging their relationships with family members. And 30% admit that they limit time with relatives because they don’t hold the same beliefs.
But there is a difference between not agreeing on how high taxes should be and holding extremist views that discriminate against certain groups of people.
Now, the symbol mentioned in this story did not always represent hate. For several Asian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, this has actually been a meaningful symbol used in art and worship for thousands for years.
“If you go to a drugstore in India, you can buy aspirin or something to take for a hangover and it’ll have [this symbol] on it,” William Elison, an associate professor of South Asian religions at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told NBC News. “In Hinduism, there’s an association with the sun. ‘Swastik’ in Sanskrit means lucky or auspicious.”
Today, however, there is no mistaking that symbol as innocuous in Western society. It was unfortunately corrupted by Hitler and used as the symbol of hate during World War II, and it still carries the same connotation for many people in the West.
"[This] is an ancient symbol that was hijacked and perverted, twisted into the graphic embodiment of intolerance,” Steven Heller, author of The S*****ka and Symbols of Hate, writes in his book.
Since World War II, this symbol has been seen as a representation of hate, racism and anti-semitism in many countries
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
To learn more about this offensive symbol, we reached out to a spokesperson from the Anti-Defamation League who was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda.
"For a full history of this symbol and its meaning, please visit our website here," they shared, "While [it] is an ancient symbol that had different meanings throughout history, the murderous legacy of [Hitler's] regime, especially the Holocaust, permanently converted [it] into a symbol of hate, anti-semitism and infamy."
"Since then, [this symbol] has served as the most significant and notorious of hate symbols, anti-semitism and white supremacy for most of the world outside of Asia," the spokesperson explained. "In Asian contexts, as well as in some American contexts where Asian religions may be involved, [it] does not typically have connections with hate or anti-semitism and is considered a positive symbol, often one connoting good fortune."
"While we can’t speculate on why a specific person would choose to tattoo their body with this symbol, it’s safe to assume that in most cases they understand this is a symbol overwhelmingly viewed as racist and anti-semitic," the expert added.
In fact, the ADL explains on their site that since the release of the film American History X, a popular movie amongst white supremacists, many have also decided to get this symbol tattooed on their chests as an homage to the main character of the film.
It’s also illegal in Germany to display publicly or sell goods with “symbols of anti-constitutional organizations,” including the one mentioned in this story. In the United States, however, the first amendment protects residents’ right to display offensive symbols.
But just because you can display something doesn’t mean that you should. We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation, pandas. Do you think this woman did the right thing? Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing similar family drama, look no further than right here.
Many readers assured the woman that she didn't do anything wrong
However, some thought that everyone involved could have made better choices
