[Webstral]

The fact that the Nazis receive much more attention than the Imperial Japanese throughout most of the West (with the sentiments of our Aussie and Kiwi cousins excepted and respected) in no way, shape, or form diminishes the crimes of the Nazis or the Japanese. I'm not sure why you bring up the Imperial Japanese, Waiting; typically, though, such a tactic is meant to ameleorate the crimes of the group or individual receiving the negative attention. "Johnny beat a puppy to death, and he doesn't get nearly as much crap as I get for having burned a kitten. I'm being mistreated," is the usual line of thinking.

The Nazis deserve every bit of bile humanity can heap upon them. Without a doubt, there are other groups who have committed heinous crimes on large scales. Whether the Imperial Japanese or any other group in history receives the negative attention they deserve is immaterial in assessing the Nazis. Their evil stands on its own (de)merits. I'd be happy to discuss the evil done by other groups and/or ideologies. Goodness knows such a vein is deep and rich. However, I reject out of hand any suggestion that the Nazis somehow must be given a go because the world isn't harsh enough on the Imperial Japanese, Stalin's Soviet Union, the Khmer Rouge, the Rwandese of the 1990's, the Mongols, or whoever. Evil is evil, and it does not get graded on a sliding scale.

Waiting, I'm glad you have a sense of humor about the photo. I seriously thought about exercising my prerogative as a moderator in this instance. Good on you!

I'm saddened that you don't seem to understand the impact of the photo at the top of this thread. I'm troubled that you're confusing the freedom of speech enjoyed by American citizens with the role and responsibilities of members of the US armed forces. I'm saddened by your apparent indifference to the potential impact of such an image on the USMC. The integrity of the Corps is struck a blow by the implication that an ideology alien to the American way of life has taken root in the USMC. This is no garden variety freedom of speech issue. The use of Nazi symbology begs the question of what this unit stands for. If the unit's use of Nazi symbols is tolerated by the Corps, then question of values gets applied to the Corps as a whole. I'm no Marine, but I love the Corps too much to be tolerant of a pack of thoughtless chuckleheads--elite thoughtless chuckleheads, but thoughtless chuckleheads nonetheless--who inspire doubt in the sacred connection between the USMC and the American way of life. We can talk all we want about the pros and cons of the use of the Confederate flag by civilians, but the military doesn't get the freedom of expression it defends.