#seriously i think about the hindu swastika all the time

[unravelingwires]

Cancerates

When you eradicate cancer, you have to take out healthy cells too. Chemotherapy consists of murdering cells in your body, taking advantage of the fact that cancer cells are more vulnerable while not actually stopping normal cells from being vulnerable. If you think about it, even the actual cancer cells are a part of you. They are your cells mutated, not some invading outside force. Smoking, radiation, and air pollution can all encourage mutations, but it’s your DNA that ultimately poses the problem.

The swastika started out a Hindu symbol. It’s still exceptionally common in India, where it was used religiously for centuries before the Nazis took it. Between that and Indian political parties using the hammer and sickle, I have practice scrutinizing the background of family photos to make sure nothing questionable has slipped in.

I’m the kind of person who stopped using the okay symbol when it became an alt-right dog whistle; I’m not saying anyone has a right to reclaim the swastika. I just think a lot about the fact that it was ours, first.

[solojihyo]

Hey, I'm back and curious, in reference to the swastika and incidents surrounding it. This is neutral, I generally just want to see your opinion on it.

Obviously it is known for representing the holocaust, but it was around along time before ww2 as well. Unfortunately it gained a negative association because of nazi Germany, but prior to that it was and still is (I believe) a common symbol for religions in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures. It continues to be used as a symbol of divinity and spirituality in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

Do you think the fact that ww2 was more recent unfortunately means that it cannot be used for its original meaning(s)?

I feel like it's a sticky situatikn sometimes the person may actually be referring to the original meaning? And maybe sometimes people are quick to judge? (I'm not saying in any way that Chaeyeoung wore the shirt for the original meaning of it) I just thought and realized what if someone has or will wear it and generally want to just represent their religion, like Hinduism or Buddhism, etc.

Sorry this is so long. I can message you privately if you prefer, so you don't have to keep answering these asks

hiiiii. so i've been thinking about this ask since i saw it this morning, and before i answer it, i just want to clarify that ultimately i'm no means an expert - my opinion is literally just my opinion. that being said, if anyone else sees this, i'm fine with answering asks related to this as long as people are respectful about it.

so i'm someone who is indian and who has been exposed to, as well as practiced, hinduism throughout the years. and you're right. in indian religions, the swastika is a religious symbol that is valued by many. it still is, especially in the east. but obviously that isn't the same in the west. one, because those religions aren't prominent in the west, and two, because of the association with nazi germany.

and so i think my answer to your question has to do with these two factors. what matters is the context. like... if i go back to india and see people using the swastika, particularly in their religious practices, i'm not going to assume they're all nazis. and i'm not going to tell them to not use the swastika either, because the symbol has been around since way before hitler used it. it absolutely should be allowed to be used for its original meanings.

however, i think this is a different situation in the west. and again, it has to do with the context. if i go into a hindu temple in north america, there is a chance i'll see the symbol. but does that mean that all the people who go to that temple are nazis? no. however, i would seriously question seeing the swastika in a non-religious setting anywhere else in the west. so to answer your question, in the west, i think it also depends on the context. people can use it for its original purpose, however, they need to be aware that the majority of people will associate the swastika with nazi germany. it's recency bias. so people need to be way more careful about how they use it in the west, even if they intend to use it for religious purpose.

so yeah. you're right about the sticky situation part. if we're looking at the context of chaeyoung's incident in particular, the swastika on the shirt was clearly related to nazi germany. people can be quick to judge, yes, but ultimately, other people using the symbol need to be aware of the contexts of the situations in which they're using it, especially in the west.

sorry this was so long, but i hope this helps :)

[support-groups]

Not allowing hate to consume us...

This past weekend was, in our opinion, a very dark spot in our American History. We are all for people having the freedom to express their feelings and their ideals.  It is a freedom that many countries outside of the United States, where we are based, do not get to enjoy.  However, and this is a BIG caveat, expressing ideals of hate and ignorance is how countries who do not allow such freedom, operate.  How many people have flooded into free countries escaping despots and dictators that decided because of how you look, act, love, worship, etc. you are no longer welcome or even worse, human and worthy of respect or life.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

What are we so afraid of when it comes to another human being?  I have had the privilege to know refugees who were fleeing religious persecution in Sierra Leone, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.  They wanted nothing more than to learn the language and integrate into society.  Hate drove them to leave everything behind, yet the joy they possessed at being free, will forever remain with me and inspire me.   They never let hate consume them, which is what this week’s Life Hack is all about.  

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.” Elie Wiesel

I know for myself that when I start scrolling through my many Social Media feeds, my heart starts racing a bit, I get anxious and then sick, I am literally watching grown men carrying torches, wearing hoods, flying Swastikas and running down people in the street.  I just want to weep!  I am reading “Hidden Figures” at the moment and I can’t help but be amazed that a book that deals with segregation in the workplace, school and public places in Hampton, Virginia during the 1940’s-1960’s and juxtaposing what happened last week, in 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia.  I have to remind myself that there is good in the world, there are people that stepped up and counter protested.  Those who marched in the name of hate are being called out on Twitter and identified.   People are not sitting idly back and watching, but they are reacting and are outraged.  

Being outraged is good, but what I am finding is that it is hard to turn off.  We see a lot of things in the news that make us mad, because I am going to go with the belief that most of us are on the same page here.  We are people who see something that is wrong and it bothers us, it makes us mad!  That is called a moral compass by the way and that is a really good thing to have.  

While having moral indignation is good thing, it isn’t a sustainable and healthy emotion.  Here are some ways we can combat the frustration and anger:

Learn about another religion and culture.

No matter who you are and where you are from, no matter your religion or your birth country, there is someone out there that makes you uncomfortable.  I would venture that a lot of people might say that the religion they think they least understand is the Muslim Faith.  If that is the case, go out there and meet a Muslim family.  Seriously!  Call up a Mosque and tell them that you would love to host a Muslim family for a night of dialogue at your Church or Social Group. Chances are, they already do this with Churches and Temples in your area.  

This goes for learning about Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists, the Bahá'í Faith, Hindus, etc.  If you are curious about another religion, attend their services.  Do call ahead to make sure you are culturally appropriate in your dress and how,  say, Men and Women act around one another.  Something that seems out of your scope of reference is no longer scary or foreign when you put a face to it.  

Volunteer at a soup kitchen or at a street feed event.

Do homeless people, those on drugs, and those with unmedicated mental issues scare you?  People fall on hard times and it is easy to blame them for their situation until you hand them some food and see their humanity shine through. This goes beyond donating online or dropping off bags of food or clothes.  Get up close and personal.

Join a cause or event and make a difference.

There are wonderful events you can participate in and causes you can back and support.  Support a candidate you feel will advocate for you.  Attend meetings, volunteer to hand out information regarding candidates in a local election. Support organizations that promote peace across political party lines.  

I wish I could picture a time a place in the future where people did not judge someone according to their color or their religion, but what I can picture is the numbers of such people shrinking.  Each person who decides to be color blind and show religious ambivalence makes our world a little bit brighter, when this gets passed down to future generations, the legacy of the world becomes kindness and compassion.  

Wishing you all a wonderful rest of your week.  Show kindness and don’t allow hate and bitterness to take root in your life.

-Team SG

https://depression.supportgroups.com/

https://anxiety.supportgroups.com/

https://stress.supportgroups.com/

http://www.upworthy.com/feeling-hopeless-after-charlottesville-16-ways-you-can-make-a-big-difference?c=ufb1

https://www.lifeafterhate.org/about

[liquidcatt]

Steven Universe characters described by Encyclopedia Dramatica

Note: Don’t take these seriously please. This is meant to be a joke, so don’t start screaming/sending death threats at me because I didn’t write any of these. Please have an open mind. This contains offensive content 

Steven Universe(DeMayo)- The main character. As the bastard son of Rose Quartz, he has inherited all of her powers; such as healing literally anything ever, creating life, possessing people, and others. If you pose a threat to the planet's existence, Steven will still see you as capable of changing; but if you hit on him, you're worse than Hitler. Has PTSD.

Greg Universe(DeMayo)- Steven's dad. He's an ex-solo-musician with cat hair and the poster child for how to fail at life but still get the best girl. Seriously though he met Rose because she's the only person who liked his music. Now Greg runs a Car Wash and lives in a van, so Steven lives with the gems.

Connie- Steven's obligatory love interest. Connie's mom is a doctor and her dad is a cop who works for multiple beaches in multiple cities so she isn't in the same place for long, meaning she can't make friends. Because she has no friends she spend most of her time reading books and looking at boats. This probably means she knows about Onion's status as Satan. [Insert Un-funny Lolicon joke here.]

Rose Quartz- Steven's mom who had to become an hero to give birth to him. Apparently, she can find beauty in anything(even this show's fandom), has magical healing tears, the power to create minions from plant matter, and she used to plant magic moss bent on devouring everything because she doesn't give a fuck. She's a girl imbued with white attire, pink hair extensions and magical powers linked to a gem who had tried to 'heal' the spirits of the corrupted gems and forsaken her physical form because reasons. The definition of a Mary Sue. She's later discovered to be a fucking murderer.

Pearl- She is a smart-ass who thinks she's superior inferior to anything surrounding her. Has an unquenchable thirst for Rose Quartz. She watches Steven in his sleep. Since she can't sex it up with Rose anymore, she'll settle for the next best thing: Garnet. Her weapon is a Spiral-tipped spear.

Amethyst- A Gem that was grown on Earth by evil gems. FAs on Tumblr can NEVER get enough of her because, like a disturbingly high number of characters in this show, she's FA-worthy. Constantly stuffing her fat face (even though apparently Gems don't need food, or drink, or sleep, or air). Used her shapeshifting power to turn into her fursona, "The Purple Puma" and wreck people behind Pearl and Garnet's backs. You learn later in the series that she is Jasper's bitch and has shown to be worthless as hell. Her weapon is a spiked whip.

Garnet- The Leader of the Crystal Gems since Rose died. She is secretly a fusion of two lesbians (lesbians exist in kids' shows now). Her powers include seeing into the future, swimming in lava, and a diva voice. The Gem Homeworld is full of Dixie Confederate Republican gems that didn't like Garnet being Garnet, so she joined Rose Quartz's army to fight for Earth so she could be free to be a black hole of faggotry. The french dub of the show censored Garnet's gayness spawning a sewer flood of hate. Her weapon is a pair of gauntlets.

Ruby & Sapphire- Dwarf lesbians that make up Garnet. A hot-headed red one with fire powers and a cool-headed blue one with ice powers. Completely Original. Can't last five seconds apart from each other. They are the real reason why people started to watch the show and Rebecca likes to milk them whenever she can.

Lapis Lazuli- A waterbender. The Crystal Gems trapped her in a mirror for 5750 years until Steven broke her free. She flew to her homeworld in space to find that if you give a civilization 5750 years they tend to advance. She fused with Jasper so she could use her water-powers to trap herself and Jasper at the bottom of the ocean forever. Fans want to fuck her because tumblr fags think they relate to her 'abused' past. Thus, making her the most overrated and second to boot meme'd SU character and all that cringy shit.

Peridot- A racist who uses prosthetics and jerks off to The Diamond Authority. She used to be a baddie but now she's a goodie because of Steven's selective character redemption powers. As an "Era-2" peridot, she's a shitty millennial whose only power as a gem to be magneto.

Jasper- A roid-rager who Peridot dragged her with to Earth, is Lapis' abusive girlfriend and thinks Steven is Rose Quartz. She fused with Lapis after being jelly that Garnet is infinitely better than her in every way (even though she thinks fusion is for pussies) but Lapis dragged their fused body into the ocean. After separating from Lapis, Jasper became obsessed with fusing with her again, but was thrown back into the ocean. She later created an army of corrupted gems, but fuse-raped one of them and got AIDS.

Bismuth- The blacksmith that made all the Crystal Gems' weapons. She treated the war like an actual war and got bubbled for it. Upon her chimp out in her debut, the fans started demonizing Fructose for having a "black-coded" character be loud and aggressive, and also for stating that murder is wrong. Steven refused to shatter other gems, and this made Bismuth turn apeshit against Steven, attempting to shatter him. Dead

White Diamond- Best girl.

Yellow Diamond- Gem-Hitler. She wants to destroy the earth because killed her baby sister. She is such a boss that even the crewniverse fangirls over her VA.

Blue Diamond- A Sith Lord who refuses to accept the fact the Pink is dead, also a massive emo.

Pink Diamond- Worst Diamond. Only had one planet to her name before Rose Quartz fucking killed her.

Fusions

Opal- Whenever Pearl and Amethyst aren't arguing for no reason, they can perform fusion to "form Opal": a four-armed giant woman; the gems claim that they only fuse when they have no choice but hardly ever do it when they need to and when they do it it's hardly ever when they need to. Fun Fact: Originally they were going to pose her arms to form a swastika as a Hindu reference but were forced to scrap it because culturally ignorant Jews and Social Justice Warriors would have been offended and that can't ever happen. Her weapon is a bow.

Sugilite- Whenever a mission can only be completed with brute force and lots of it, Garnet and Amethyst will fuse to form Sugilite. In exchange for that power the three succumb to roid rage. Is voiced by Nicki Minaj. Obviously the SJ-Wankers were appalled by how obviously racist her character is, which surprised us all since SJWs typically jerk off to and worship the Steven Universe characters. Sugilite's weapon is a flail.

Sardonyx- A fusion of Garnet and Pearl. A gap-toothed cricket who apparently works at a casino. Pearl lies to Garnet so they keep having to fuse into her, because she enjoys how it feels, causing Garnet to get butthurt and ignore her for several episodes until Pearl basically admits to being a worthless cunt who can't do shit on her own. Her weapon is a giant hammer.

Malachite- The Lapis-Jasper fusion that dragged it's horrid form to the bottom of the sea to save the C-Gems, getting kinky with each other with whatever shit they find down there to pass the time. It ultimately got it's shit wrecked by Alexandrite.

Stevonnie- The accidental shota/loli fusion of Steven and Connie who frequently suffers from hallucinations brought on by Steven's own mental instability, initially thought to be Connie's fighting 'skills' being overwhelmed by her edgy 14 year old mind, being the downward spiral moment of the series if it had any upping points.

Smoky Quartz- A fusion of Steven and Amethyst. A ripoff of sardonyx. This fruit is such a shit waifu that 4chan straight up gave up on fapping to every gem in this show. Immediately, Tumblrites started drawing the most disgustingly obese incarnations of him that could exist, doubling the demand in Clorox bleach. His weapon's a yo-yo. No jokes, he flings a giant yo-yo at his enemies to attack.