1 week Ago
By Sebastian Zawierucha, guest columnist Last weekend, our community showcased local artists, prized vegetables and livestock, and other commemorative items at the Allentown Fair. From creative works of Legos pieced together by children to mysterious hairy cucumber-looking things to a life-size balloon truck filled with balloon baskets filled with balloon vegetables (no awards given for fear of popping submission), blue and red ribbons colored aisles upon aisles of shelves. Mixed into this showcase was a section devoted to war memorabilia: collected antiques of historical photographs, combat manuals for the Korean War, playing cards, headwear and more.
Some may have been purchased at auctions or garage sales, and some may have a more significant and direct tie to the veterans of our community. Within this small section of artifacts, centered prominently at eye level for children, a first- and second-place ribbon adorned two items with swastikas — a symbol of hate — embossed on them. First place was given to a collection of medals that included an iron cross and another with a spread eagle and swastika.
Second place went to a piece of arbeitseinats — German for work assignments (specific assignments could not be deciphered) — with a swastika featured under the paper’s heading. Although fitting within the category of “antiques” and war memorabilia, what were the Allentown Fair’s intentions in accepting entries of, displaying and furthermore awarding Nazi paraphernalia? If it was an act of historical preservation and education, could this be accomplished in another way without using a symbol of hate? If we are trying to educate, could this be done without written context to ensure the intended message? Can a symbol alone be enough to convey a message and hold its meaning? No written description or reasoning was provided for the symbols of hate. Only the ribbons contextualized them as having some undefined value.
Symbols exist in our cultures and societies to convey concise messages. They can be used to express help like a red cross, to express danger like a skull and crossbones, or ever more in our emoji’d text to convey an emotion. But do these symbols always hold the same meaning to every person? When is it necessary to accompany these images with context to ensure the proper message is being received? When does the risk of a harmful duplicitous meaning outweigh its significance? For those who have never seen a symbol before, how will they perceive it? If a child has never seen a poison symbol, how will they know it to be dangerous without context or a hard lesson? If we start using a skull and crossbones on candies, will the bottle filled with fun, green liquid for cleaning start looking like lime green Kool-Aid? Now imagine a child walking through the fair.
After fistfuls of fries and fun times on rides, they enter the awards hall where everything is being certified as being “the best.” How would a child ignorant of a swastika’s history view such a symbol of hate in this context? How would community members directly affected by these symbols feel? What connection do they have with our community? If I purchase a large Nazi flag online for next year’s fair, would I be awarded first place for my efforts? Regardless of this event alone, we must be cognizant of how symbols, words and actions affect members of our community. We may have the best intentions, but that does not absolve us of the responsibility of this understanding.
The 2018 shooting in a Jewish synagogue claimed the lives of 11 people. The ideas and beliefs of the Nazi regime continue to be upheld in our community today, even if they are not acted on. Publicly displayed and, even worse, sanctioned signs of hate embolden people who hold those ideas to feel safe to act on their beliefs.
Symbols of hate show members of our community they are not safe from these ideas. Even in times of peace, it is important to continue to responsibly educate the public about our violent history so it does not happen again. Symbols have meaning and impact.
It is our responsibility to choose what we condone responsibly. I feel this display of swastikas at the Allentown Fair was irresponsible by the judges and administration. I believe they should rectify this by adding a policy to ban any symbols of hate on its premises.
Members of our community deserve to feel safe. Sebastian Zawierucha is a resident of Bethlehem..
