Am I the only one to see this and think Nazis?

[kassiaethne]

I was on facebook today when one of my husband's coworker posts these pictures on facebook

https://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u138/mourningsong/523472_10200855612498332_2001067417_n_zps3f80cf10.jpg

https://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u138/mourningsong/479873_10200855602858091_919949212_n_zps4a531e0a.jpg


I was all wtf is your co worker doing at a clan rally thing? Seriously, if I wasn't in mexico and know the KKK hate mexicans....I'd have seriously been disturbed. But he insists its a religious thing they do here in mexico for good friday.

He acts like I'm just crazy to see the KKK when I see these photos. but come on, I can't be the only one who see's the nazi robes and hoods

 

[Equreuil]

Educational point: The KKK and Nazis aren't interchangeable. They are two very different groups. (Also I'm not defending anyone who is a part of either group).

That being said, groups like these will typically adopt and twist symbols and imagery from the very groups they hate. The most commonly knows one would be the swastika, which was originally a buddhist symbol for peace.

So in all likelihood these photos are exactly what he says they are, especially if he's never shown leanings towards such a group. But for all that, yes, my first impression was KKK, as well.

 

[Hotbump]

Hmm my parents are from Mexico..almost all my family except from me are but I have never seen this in Mexico before EVER!

 

[sarahchops86]

Ive saw pictures like this before, hes right, its semana santa, a spanish celebration of holy week, nothing to do with the kkk the hoods are to signify mourning for jesus christ, and taken off to celebrate the resurrection. Its thought that early members of the kkk were impressed with the effect these costumes had on people that they adopted the style. hope this helps!

 

[Eleanor ace]

I'm not sure where you got nazi's from, but my first thought at seeing these pictures was KKK. Glad to hear its nothing to do with them!

 

[smileyfaces]

I thought KKK too but its nice to hear that they are not!

 

[sparkle_1979]

Again I though kkk

 

[smokey]

No, nazi is the last thing I think of seen as nazis and kkk are nothing to do with each other.
KKK is second to last think I think of, the big giant crosses on the front should be a huge clue.

This reminds me of back last year when everyone got up about KKK walking through the streets of london early hours of the morning wearing white robes and hoods.
https://www.teramoney.com/wp-content/plugins/rss-poster/cache/6b284_article-2095963-11927DE6000005DC-843_468x286.jpg

I had to laugh as soon as I saw it as it clearly was not KKK but rather imbolc (Saint Brighid’s Day) , a pagan/celtic festival for spring equinox (a simple date search would have told anyone screaming kkk that)

I understand no one is going to know everything about every coulture, festival, religion to realise it could be somthing else but why does everyone have to jump on the kkk bandwagon as soon as they see white robes, a basic garment used by hundreds of religions for hundreds of festivals for thousands of years before kkk even came about.

 

[Mazzy17]

Its amazing how innocent symbols of good faith are twisting into hateful icons like KKK.
Glad of some of the explanations on here but yes i thought KKK when i first saw it

 

[kassiaethne]

I am very glad there are people who could come in and explain what it was. I do understand the sadness of bad groups taking the innocent symbols of other people and twisting them. oh and ty for the explanations of the difference between the KKK and nazi's too. I do sometimes get the groups mixed up.

But I'd also think they would kinda change it up to not be misconstrued as a hate symbol. Just like the nazi swatchka was a symbol of protection and such pre nazi's and now, you don't really see a ton of people using it because of that negative connotation. You can't run around with it on your car and have people not come beat the crap out of you for it before you get to explain you're using it for protection not as a symbol of hate.

Same thing with people don't usually say "fag" anymore for a cigarette because of the negative things for gay and lesbian groups. or gay now being a word for homosexuality instead of the word for happiness. you can't go to look at a rainbow anymore and say "awe that makes me feel so gay" (happy)
(also not saying gay is bad or a hate group, just saying it was used for one thing, but now you can't because it's now used for another)

 

[smokey]

Fag is used constantly in the UK and no one ever thinks anything of it (I think thats mainly a American term)
I get what you say about things being twisted but on the other hand why should a religious or even non religious group change their festivals and rituals that have been going on for thousands of years just to please people that dont understand the differance and jump to conclusions.

 

[kassiaethne]

while I agree that they shouldn't really have to change it, they shouldn't be surprised when people go "wait what's going on?" and are confused about it.

 

[Mazzy17]

Fag is used constantly in the UK and no one ever thinks anything of it (I think thats mainly a American term)
I get what you say about things being twisted but on the other hand why should a religious or even non religious group change their festivals and rituals that have been going on for thousands of years just to please people that dont understand the differance and jump to conclusions.

I am about as religious as a blank piece of paper but one thing i love about religons or other groups that have been going on for thousands of years is that they have kept their rituals/traditions. Yup like in a previous post i said i thought KKK but now things have been explained that festival is really nice. (i hope that makes sense and is non offensive)

 

[smokey]

while I agree that they shouldn't really have to change it, they shouldn't be surprised when people go "wait what's going on?" and are confused about it.

But thats mainly a western missunderstanding and corruption of somthing.
The swastika is mainly a western corruption, if you go to Asia it is everywhere and used mostly for its original purpose with a few alterations (somtimes its luck, somtimes its good force)
Its geometry is rather differant as well in most of its uses compared to the nazi use.
Its been used in anciant rome, greek mythology, norse, hebrew, even a symbol for the finnish air force.
In Asia like i say its everywhere, on the Ahmedabad Stock Exchange and the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Nepal electoral ballot papers, on buses, buildings and clothing, scholl logos to symbolis moral education, even new cars are painted with it as a road safety blessing.

So its only the western side that really sees it with any link to nazis.
I really dont mean any offense by this but as with so many things its ignorance that keeps it its nazi connections, of course it will never be forgotten about its nazi connections but education reveals so much more to history and ways of a current world so that people dont just see a bad symbol or a racist movement wearing white robes.

 

[summer rain]

No not KKK, the KKK copied the costumes from these people however I did read somewhere that the costumes did originate as something those taking part in the torture of Jews and Muslims during the Spanish Inquisition wore so in a way they were borne out of hate if that theory is correct and it would make sense as to why the KKK etc would adopt these clothes. It was technically illegal to be Any religion other than catholic in Spain up until 1975 or 1976 xx

 

[Kate&Lucas]

I only know it's not KKK because I've heard a number of local stories about a group of people who wear the costumes and go parading around in the night, for some religious festival I believe (pagan or druid or something, I'm not that clued up on religion).

If you'd only seen these sorts of images in reference to the KKK though, it's obvious you're going to be taken back by it. I nearly passed out once when I saw a piece of furniture for sale with a Swastika emblazoned on it. It was a little independent hippy shop and obviously, it was the Hindu symbol of peace rather than the Nazi logo - but growing up in Western society the first thing you recognise when you see the Swastika is definitely not peace!

 

[darkriver]

I did think KKK at first. The problem is a lot of negative groups will take symbols and twist them. The earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization, Ancient India as well as Classical Antiquity. Swastikas have also been used in various other ancient civilizations around the world. (taken from wikipedia.)

Pagans have to deal with the pentegram being associated with evil when its not.

 

[smokey]

I did think KKK at first. The problem is a lot of negative groups will take symbols and twist them. The earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization, Ancient India as well as Classical Antiquity. Swastikas have also been used in various other ancient civilizations around the world. (taken from wikipedia.)

Pagans have to deal with the pentegram being associated with evil when its not.

Thats another one that gets to me, they dont even look alike geometricaly (ok I guess to someone who doesnt know the differance they do)
I remember my brother teaching me the differance when I was about 6 years old (he liked to learn about satanismand the occult) a good pentagram has a point up towards the heavens and a bad pentagram points down towards hell.
I remember him telling me about how the evil version is a goat with two horns pointing up so all the good drained out the bottom.