blackemma
14th January 2004, 21:49
I posted this on Flag a bit ago and got some good responses, but I thought I'd take into some more opinions.
I was wondering what people's thoughts were on various symbols used by leftists and what they considered their meaning to be. Off the top of my head, I'd ask about the 1) the red flag 2) the black flag with the red star 3) red backgroup with black star 4) the red star itself 5) the screaming black cat and 6) the red and black flag with the two colours being divided diagonally and 7) the red and black with the two colours being divided horizontally. Any other symbols that tend to spark debate as to their use are also encouraged to be discussed.
As my understanding goes the red flag is the flag of the labour movement, which would include Marxism, anarchism, labour parties, and so forth. The black flag with the red star is the flag of the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico. The red backdrop with the black star belongs to the same group. The red star itself raises more debate and last I was told it was the symbol of those fighting on the sides of the Reds in the Russian Civil War and was later adopted by the Bolsheviks. If this is true then the red star is equally the property - pardon the word - of anarchists and various populists and not just Russian-style Communists. The screaming black cat - used by the IWW and the CNT as well as other trade-unionists - is the symbol of revolutionary syndicalism as I understand it. The red and black flag divided diagonally is the symbol of anarcho-syndicalism while divided horizontally it represents Latin American revolution, according to a self-described Latin American revolutionary I met at a protest. I've also seen the black star used but I'm not sure how much that's caught on and whether or not it has any real meaning other than it looks good.
Is this post somewhat idiosyncratic? Perhaps. I suppose that when using images in a symbolic way I like to understand their meaning. It would be unfortunate if someone was unaware of the political associations with the swastika for instance and was using it solely as a spiritual symbol. Of course, it's not likely that such extreme examples are commonplace, but I would think that many anarchists would be reluctant to use a symbol of the Leninists and vice versa. Most of all I like being able to understand the meaning of things when they appear.
Help?
I was wondering what people's thoughts were on various symbols used by leftists and what they considered their meaning to be. Off the top of my head, I'd ask about the 1) the red flag 2) the black flag with the red star 3) red backgroup with black star 4) the red star itself 5) the screaming black cat and 6) the red and black flag with the two colours being divided diagonally and 7) the red and black with the two colours being divided horizontally. Any other symbols that tend to spark debate as to their use are also encouraged to be discussed.
As my understanding goes the red flag is the flag of the labour movement, which would include Marxism, anarchism, labour parties, and so forth. The black flag with the red star is the flag of the Zapatista movement in Chiapas, Mexico. The red backdrop with the black star belongs to the same group. The red star itself raises more debate and last I was told it was the symbol of those fighting on the sides of the Reds in the Russian Civil War and was later adopted by the Bolsheviks. If this is true then the red star is equally the property - pardon the word - of anarchists and various populists and not just Russian-style Communists. The screaming black cat - used by the IWW and the CNT as well as other trade-unionists - is the symbol of revolutionary syndicalism as I understand it. The red and black flag divided diagonally is the symbol of anarcho-syndicalism while divided horizontally it represents Latin American revolution, according to a self-described Latin American revolutionary I met at a protest. I've also seen the black star used but I'm not sure how much that's caught on and whether or not it has any real meaning other than it looks good.
Is this post somewhat idiosyncratic? Perhaps. I suppose that when using images in a symbolic way I like to understand their meaning. It would be unfortunate if someone was unaware of the political associations with the swastika for instance and was using it solely as a spiritual symbol. Of course, it's not likely that such extreme examples are commonplace, but I would think that many anarchists would be reluctant to use a symbol of the Leninists and vice versa. Most of all I like being able to understand the meaning of things when they appear.
Help?