That's a tough one. I think I'd have to see it. Are they the reverse of the Nazi swastika? Is it one giant one? Or is it patterned?

pldms wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:23 am But be prepared to be called ‘the Hitler rug guy’, and have to endure the ‘friendship’ of the sort of person who will defend you.

I think this is the key. Your rug isn't a Nazi rug, but it will be a "conversation piece", and you will spend a lot of time talking about it.

Me? I'm 6'8", and I'm BORED SHITLESS of talking about it to people in the street, people who know tall people, people who know short people, people who think they're funny etc. Keeping the rug or not depends on the kind of conversations you enjoy having.

I'm friendly with an older gay couple, the Larrys. One Larry is black, the other white, both Baby Boomers. The former Larry is collector of Black Americana. They have an impeccably designed home peppered with sambos, mammies, pickaninnies, and other post-Civil War ephemera. I've never questioned either of the Larrys about these items, but I have been super curious to get the white Larry's take on it as this is a home they both share. I have a friend separate from the Larrys who is white and has expressed interest in collecting these items. I responded that for him not being an antiques collector that it probably isn't a good look. The Larry that is black also isn't an antiquarian, so to speak, but I feel that as a black American his reasonings for exhibiting this memorabilia feels genuine, familiar, even loving, moreso than a white guy doing it whose reasons might be completely innocuous.

Maybe if you had strong Native bloodlines running through your ancestry I'd say display it, but you already own it and have been displaying it. Keep it out and use as a conversation starter? Honestly, it's futile to posses something for show only to keep it hidden away. You are no edgelord and the good in you is unmistakable, so maybe donate it if the thought of being perceived wrongly is too heavy.

rsmurphy wrote:You are no edgelord and the good in you is unmistakable, so maybe donate it if the thought of being perceived wrongly is too heavy.

FM rsmurphy is right; you should donate it to me. I'm not Navajo but I'm 1/32nd Choctaw and I am willing to deal with the ethical ramifications

Ok here's the deal- you're allowed to keep and display it, but *every time* someone looks over at it, you have to play the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme. Every single time.

Only you can decide if this is worth it.

zorg wrote: Wed Sep 21, 2022 3:26 pm I’m sure the Navajo would trade it back for some glass beads.

Get the fuck out of here.

Hairy Caul wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 3:49 pm

zorg wrote: Wed Sep 21, 2022 3:26 pm I’m sure the Navajo would trade it back for some glass beads.

Get the fuck out of here.

Okay, I was just going to let it roll off my back, but this is the second person calling me out for being a horrible racist.

The joke was meant to bring attention to the idea that we're splitting hairs here trying to decide whether we as colonist fuckers might offend our fellow colonist fuckers by displaying wares most likely unfairly procured (considering the pre-war provenance).

To make my post worthwhile, I will mention that the serial killer Buffalo Bill has a Swastika Quilt in Silence of the Lambs.

zorg wrote:this is the second person calling me out for being a horrible racist.

I was the first person to comment on your post, but I never said you were horrible. Do you feel horrible?

zorg wrote:The joke was meant to bring attention to the idea that we're splitting hairs here trying to decide whether we as colonist fuckers might offend our fellow colonist fuckers by displaying wares most likely unfairly procured (considering the pre-war provenance).

Of course, anyone could extrapolate all that from

zorg wrote:I’m sure the Navajo would trade it back for some glass beads.

I mean that's so obviously your point.

zorg wrote:To make my post worthwhile, I will mention that the serial killer Buffalo Bill has a Swastika Quilt in Silence of the Lambs.

What was it made of? Scraps of big fat person skin?

Christopher wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 2:14 pm Ok here's the deal- you're allowed to keep and display it, but *every time* someone looks over at it, you have to play the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme. Every single time.

Only you can decide if this is worth it.

I like this idea.

But seriously, I dunno. I mean, it has nothing to do with Nazism, so why hide it? Why let that ruin the rug and symbol forever? Is that OK? Would a Navajo feel the same way, that the rug is ruined? Is it just a swaztika or is there something framing it? That would add context...

Also I am an ashkenazi Jew and I would have no problem with this rug, knowing you are not a Hitler fetishist or apologist. If the rug looks Navajo and I walked in and saw it I would just think, oh, hey, Navajos must hate Jews too.

Show us the fucking rug!

My friend found a similar purse in a Seattle Goodwill. How that made it onto the rack is anyone's guess.