The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out


  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
    • World
    • National
    • Politics
    • National Security
    • DC Area
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Investigations
    • Faith
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Headlines
    • Citizen Journalism
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • TWT BLOGS: Latest
  • Staff blogs
  • Create a blog

Pelosi's visions of swastikas

By Kerry Picket on Aug. 6, 2009 into Water Cooler

  • Subscribe

UPDATE:The image below is what Congresswoman Pelosi was referring to which was "taken at a protest last week outside the Fort Collins office of Rep. Betsy Markey (D-Colo.)," according to a Huffington Post reader.

The Speaker's office also referred to a story written at rawstory.com:

"While it's possible the top House Democrat might have been misinformed (due to non-specific media reports) about a swastika, the following sign written with Nazi lettering, spotted at a Congressman Lloyd Doggett event, has been widely reported on liberal blogs and in the mainstream media."

Ms. Pelosi's office also told the Washington Times:
"In addition, at another town hall held in Worcester, Massachusetts, Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern, the Telegram reports, 'was likened by an attendee to Josef Mengele, the Nazi officer who performed experiments on concentration camp survivors.'"

It is interesting to see Ms. Pelosi's  outrage over these types of images considering swastikas were flying around her own district this past January during the "Gaza War Protest and Anti-Israel Rally" in San Francisco.  Here are some of the images:

Israeli flag with a Swastika in San Francisco protest

Swastika compared to Israeli flag in San Franciso protest

Swastika in an Israeli flag on San Francisco Street protest.

San Franciso protester holding a sign insulting concentration camp victim

"Gaza = Auschwitz" sign in a San Francisco Protest

Furthermore,  President Bush was compared to Hitler in  Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco district, as seen by the image below. However, when Mr. Obama is compared to similar imagery, Ms. Pelosi becomes offended all of a sudden?  How about cleaning up your own backyard first, Madam Speaker?

bush hitler sf

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Yesterday, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)  made an accusation that town hall protesters are bringing swastikas to the political forums.  However, the Speaker of the House did not give any evidence that town hall attendees are indeed doing this.  

A Daily Kos Thread that  was started on Monday, August 3rd. Here are two interesting comments from that thread (h/t P.J. Gladnick):

I actually think this will backfire (13+ / 0-)

Most Americans don't necessarily want to ally themselves with crazy people screaming and chasing down representatives of Congress. There's already reports that some people in the crowds are wearing things like Nazi swastikas. If Obama and the Democrats are able to portray these people as their opponents, it may end up hurting the Republicans by association.

by kyeo on Mon Aug 03, 2009 at 01:48:02 PM PDT

Some kid (a teenager) showed up with a swastika at the healthcare reform rally in Austin 2 weeks ago. A former Obama staffer who's Jewish gave him a good talking-to about why it's offensive that left the kid in tears. Shame on the so-called adults on that side that let him think it was a good idea to display it. (Then again, these are people whose idea of a protest sign is "My tonsils, my choice" - an actual sign.)

by lirtydies on Mon Aug 03, 2009 at 01:50:57 PM PDT

Asian Pacific Americans for Progress

Wiz Bang's Kevin Aylward did some investigative work on Ms. Pelosi's Swastika at Townhall's claim and concluded that her accusation is a crock.  Here is some of Mr. Aylward's work: 

Daily Kos (Stories and Diaries) - 2 results, 1 related. The related report (about defending liberal turf on health care) contains no report of health care protest attendees wearing swastikas. Verdict: No corroboration

Think Progress - 1 result dated back to 2008, unrelated. Verdict: No corroboration

Firedoglake - 3 results, none related. Verdict: No corroboration

Google Blog Search - None related, one post calling B.S., and there was this from a recent Austin, Minnesota immigration reform debate, where an actual member of the Socialist Party is said to have worn a t-shirt with a swastika. Verdict: No corroboration

But finally, the comment sewer at Daily Kos did reap a reward...

Daily Kos Comment Search - Mostly non-related, but there is one comment which appears to be the source of Pelosi's contention. Here we find the one and only reference to someone (a kid) supposedly wearing a swastika to an event in Austin two weeks ago.Verdict: Possible source

With that to go on I found this report about the Austin event. No mention of swastikas in the report, but there was one comment mentioning a sign with swastikas. Verdict: Another possible source

Click here for more

Did Ms. Pelosi base her accusations solely on left-wing blogosphere speculation?  If so, defaming Americans who want answers from their representatives as swastika toting angry mobs is a vile act, and the Speaker of the House should know better. 

  • Bookmark and Share
  • Comment

There are 16 Comments

Michele666

So, Speaker Pelosi was exactly right about the swastika. Next time, do a little more research before you accuse someone of lying.
Mark as offensive

Bill222

Michele666, Anyone listening to Pelosi knew that she was acting as if town hall protestors were had swastikas on their arms or there were town hall protestors sympathetic to the nazi party and were carrying swastikas. Her inference was a bald faced lie. That pic of the woman holding the sign with the swastika sand a line going through it clearly shows that she has disdain for the nazi party and what they stood for - Socialism/Fascism. They were the National Socialist Worker's Party, they were fascist, and they were for a national government health care plan (gov't controlled), they took control of the banks in Germany and they took control of the automobile industry there, too. Do a little thinking before you post, Michele.
Mark as offensive

charlesinpa

Liberals, like pelosi, have a double standard about this symbol. If it use about pres george bush, it is okay. If it used about pres obama, it is racist. the swastika is a hate symbol, pure and simple. my father and uncle fought in ww2 to remove that symbol from the face of this earth. pelosi has no credibilty on this subject. I do not remember her speaking out about people protesting bush's policies with swastika on their signs but now speaks up when it applies to pres obama. speaker pelosi, your double standard is showing.
Mark as offensive

cmcallister1225

Michele666-- She is also attempting to misdirect the general public by focusing it on symbols that were present at a meeting. She offered no specific example, but made an incendiary generalization. When a politician makes a proposal that is completely indefensible, they will use any means necessary to take the focus off of their ideas such as attempting to link opponents to Nazis.
Mark as offensive

rpeggy39

Michele666 So, Speaker Pelosi was exactly right about the swastika. Next time, do a little more research before you accuse someone of lying. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Screw your "research!" That insufferable HAG implied that there were Nazi sympathizers at the rally. What is wrong with you ignorant LIBERALS? The woman at the rally was protesting YOUR DEAR LEADER'S FASCIST POLICIES!!
Mark as offensive

sonex77

Nancy Pelosi, Harry Ried, and the Obama Administration should be absolutely ashamed of themselves! (I know, that's not possible for someone who is as big a narcissistic as Obama.) When a real grassroots movement like the Tea Parties and now this opposition to what is being called “Healthcare Reform” (actually it's more like a total healthcare take over) forms and honest AMERICAN CITIZENS start to voice their disapproval and resistance to what is clearly a very bad idea, the Democrats call us “the mob” and “Republican plants” and "a fake, astroturf movement.” The only part they have gotten right is when they said we are angry. We are angry, and everything they are doing is making us angrier! No American should ever have to fear being reported to the White House for practicing their 1st Amendment rights and voicing their concerns about what the government is doing! No protesters should ever be called “fake” or “zombies” or “extremist fanatics” for peacefully (a little loud at times, but certainly peaceful) voicing their opinion in the United States of America! This is not the “Change” people voted for! Nancy Pelosi and the DNC are bald faced liars when they call average, everyday Americans who, for the most part have never before protested anything in their entire lives, “Republican Party minions carrying swastikas!” But then, planting protestors and bussing actual violent mobs to “protests,” like those Acorn stages outside of AIG execs homes to intimidate them along with their wives and children, really is how the Democratic party works. Maybe they think everyone else is as corrupt as they are. BTW: Before the Nazis coopted it, the swastika was a popular symbol of protection and good luck. It is commonly seen on many items throughout history, and was a very popular symbol with the cowboys in the Old West, often seen carved into holsters, chaps, wrist cuffs, and other accouterments from that time period.
Mark as offensive

candiceveardon

To Michelle666: I think that either one you are deaf or blind or both. I am really not sure which one yet. First off she sounded as though everyone at the town halls and everyone at the protests or tea parties were nazi's and that is not true. I have been a registered democrat for the last 10 years and I voted for President Obama because I believed in him when he said that he was about change and not like all the other politics. Only I wish now that I knew then what I do not because I would of never voted for the change that he is trying to bring to this country. So I am one of the people who goes to the tea parties, I am one who has showed up at the town hall meetings, I am one who has called my representatives and senators and NO I AM NOT A NAZI SYMPATHIZER. Furthermore if you could honestly see the picture with an objective point of view you would also pick up on the little circle around the sign with the line crossed through it which means NO like the no smoking signs that you see all over the place. Then on top of that if you knew your history then you would also know that this health care plan is about euthenasia and about eugenics which is quite similar to Hitler and the Nazi plan. So NO we are not nazi sympathizers we just want the people who resemble what they support the hell out of office and out of our lives. However they did get one thing right, I AM MAD AS HELL!!!!!
Mark as offensive

mac3383

I have had enough. I am not part of a mob, and I am not a racist. I am a patriotic American that is tired of watching our tax dollars used against us. I am tired of politicians that refuse to listen to the people that hired them. I am tired of watching our federal government put into place policies that fly in the face of our cons---ution and the very principles our forefathers built this country on. Does the term "Taxation without representation" ring a bell to anyone? From this day forward, I will no longer sit by and watch. I am going to make at least one phone call to an elected official EVERYDAY until they listen. I am going to attend the town hall meetings and voice my opinion. I am going to attend the next tea party in my area. The Democrats can only ignore this movement if it stays small or goes away. It is now up to us to make sure this idea grows and grows until our voices are too numerous to be ignored. Anyone with me?
Mark as offensive

Frugie

The Swastikas is originally a sign meaning good luck, and to that which is translated into meaning anything associated with well being. "Lucky Charm" It's found all the way back in the 5Th millennium BC In the early bronze age and also during the iron age. Never-the-less It looks like a dumb symbol to me but that could just be me. In 1909 an entire Native American basketball team wore a clearly inscribed swastika on their shirts to be their teams symbol, and the swastika appears all through history all over the world by almost everyone that has ever existed. Talk about a weird fascination with a symbol. In Carl Sagan's book Comet he suggest that a comet came so close to the earth that the jets of the gas coming from the comet were bent by the comet's rotation, he believes it then may have become visible to humans and therefore spread to be a supers---ious symbol all around the earth.
Mark as offensive

twtech

To Candice, Watch this video and tell me if these are the middle class americans you are talking about waging these protests, trying to interuppt and squelch real, intelligent debate hmm? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/32307452#32307452
Mark as offensive

candiceveardon

To twtech, Do you want to give a source that does not have a political agenda of its own? I have watched them all of my life and it is clear to me now what they believe in. Everyone in that video looked like concerned citizens to me without the slant of a reporter who is clearly biased in opinion. Unlike the protests put forth by Acorn and other democratically run en---ies these people had homemade signs not signs that were manufactured well in advance of the date and time they decided to protest. I will give you my own history. My grandparents were democrat, my parents were democrat, all of my aunts, uncles, cousins and so forth were democrat. So it was natural that I just fell into line with the rest of them and I too was always a proud democrat. Not until President Obama continued on steroids what I felt was the failed policies of the Bush administration did I start really looking into the programs that he is supporting and trying to push on the American people. No longer did I look with a blind eye now I study everything in politics, I read every bill that is up for vote, and I am mad as hell at what these people are trying to do to not only our country but to specific citizens of this country. I no longer keep my mouth shut, I no longer just focus on work and my family, I am now in every aspect of what people are wanting to do to this great country that we live in. I AM NOW AWAKE when I have slept for so long. And I especially will not be told to shut up (in violation of my first amendment rights) by the President of the United States. I have a voice and it will be heard!!!!!!!!!
Mark as offensive

candiceveardon

Oh and in addition for you to say that this is all manufactured is utter BS because all you have to do is look at the polls and it clearly shows that the majority of Americans are against what President Obama wants to do to this country and his popularity is falling in conjuction with these ideas as well. Rasmussen, NBC, MSNBC, Gallup as well as many many others all show the same and that is he and his plans are falling fast which shows anyone who chooses to use their brain that this is not a conspiracy but instead the fact that many Americans are waking up and voicing our opinions not only in the polls, or the town hall meeting, but also in the upcoming elections. I will no longer go with the status quo.
Mark as offensive

azhombre

The posts by sonx77 and frugie refer to the Swastika as being used as a symbol of protection and good luck, and being used throughout the old west! The arms of the swastika are at right angles! The symbol they are referring too has the arms of the cross at left angles. And this symbol is mixed up with the Swastika all the time with people who don't know the difference!
Mark as offensive

azhombre

The 1909 the entire Native American basketball team did NOT were a Swastika on their sleeves, as pointed out by Frugie! It's an Indian symbol with arms of the cross at LEFT angles. The Swastika has arms of the cross at RIGHT angles. Sorry to bust your bubble,Frugie
Mark as offensive

DavidT

Azhombre is correct. The swastika has the arms bent clockwise; the American Indian symbol has the arms bent counter-clockwise. I did not know that either of these mirror-image symbols had been used "all through history all over the world"--perhaps Frugie could check his/her sources and report back to us. This pair of symbols is simple enough to have been designed before.
Mark as offensive
‹‹ previous12next ››

Please login or register to post a comment

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.