Saturday, March 17, 2007

Symbols Are Very Dangerous Things

On December 18, 2005 Rabbi Jeremy Rosen wrote on his Blog
Symbols are trivial but very dangerous things. For millions of people the Cross is a source of comfort and reassurance. But if it has been held over you or your relatives while they were being burnt, raped or slaughtered, then the Cross is a hated symbol of pain and oppression. The same can be said of the Crescent, the Star and Sickle and... the Magen David. If you are wearing the wrong football shirt in Istanbul there is a serious chance of getting stabbed, and in parts of England having a broken beer bottle shoved in your face. And if you wear a kippa or a hijab in parts of France you run the risk of violence... Religion, Politics or Sport are all often the excuse for mindless thugs to use violence.

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