"We
feel outraged by Walgreen's decision and ask for this gift wrapping
paper to be made available again," said Raelian Guide Thomas Kaenzig,
who is also president of an organization known as the ProSwastika
Alliance.
"The
swastika is still a holy symbol for billions of Hindus, Buddhists,
Jains and Raelians," Kaenzig explained. "Long before it was unjustly
hijacked by Hitler and the Nazis for ill purposes, it was revered for
thousands of years as a religious symbol and a sign of good will. It can
be found worldwide in architectural features and decorative
ornamentation of all kinds, including in Jewish synagogues. It can even
be found in many places in Israel. [See www.proswastika.org/israel]
The
federal government deemed the ProSwastika cause of rehabilitating the
swastika charitable in nature and recently granted the organization
501c3 tax exempt status.
"It's
unacceptable for us to see a major U.S. retail chain ban this symbol
that is so dear to billions around the world," Kaenzig said. "Would
Walgreens dare to remove gift wrapping containing crosses if a Native
American complained that his culture suffered enormously under the
Christian cross? And what about an African American whose ancestors died
at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan in front of a burning cross?"
Kaenzig said if Walgreens were to ban items depicted the cross, Christians around the country would surely boycott their stores.
"Why
this double-standard?" he asked. "In the name of Raelians, Hindus,
Jains, Buddhists, Native Americans and others around the world for whom
the swastika conveys only its beautiful ancient meaning, we demand that
Walgreens swiftly reintroduce this wrapping paper," Kaenzig said. "And
we ask that Walgreens also issue an apology to the millions of people
right here in the United States for whom this symbol is sacred."
RELATED LINKS
http://www.rael.org
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