A disturbing increase in PUVs in the country that display various forms and symbols of Hitler idolatry is making rounds on social media. Several Twitter and Reddit users have posted photos of jeepneys and tricycles as proof of the matter, garnering various reactions from the public.
A recent post from a public Facebook group called Cavite Florida ng Pinasposting showed photos of a tricycle with an image of a swastika, the symbol of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime, in front of the cart. The user who posted had the chance to ask the driver what symbol it was and what it meant, to which the latter replied, “Nazi yan. Kay Hitler yan. Ibig sabihin nyan disiplina.”
The photos circulated on Twitter where users did not hesitate to voice out their thoughts on the occurrence.
Another Twitter user posted photos about the same matter, arguing how these symbols aren’t raised and called out, considering its connotation.
Several Reddit users also shared their sightings of these symbols on public transport vehicles. One of them exhibits a cartoonish image of Hitler pasted on a jeepney’s interior.
Other Reddit users were quick to respond to the issue, expressing their sentiments and experiences regarding the proliferation of these messages. They commonly cited societal issues from people’s ignorance to general disregard and lack of education. Others argue that the drivers of these PUVs believe it to be a symbol of “discipline” or treat it as a mere “tribal” design.
It is recalled through recorded history that Adolf Hitler, who rose to power in 1933 in Germany, led the Nazism political movement characterized by intense nationalism and dictatorship. With the group’s aims to preserve the professed purity of the German race and society, they believed that the people who are deemed to be “without value” should be eliminated through anti-semitic efforts, including the Holocaust. These not only cover Jewish people, but also certain groups of Slavs, people of color, the disabled, and homosexuals, among others.
While the swastika symbol originated from Sanskrit, which means “prosperity” and “good fortune,” the image had been adopted by the Nazis and became associated with the ideology of a “racially pure” state, totally altering the connotations of the symbol. This became the most recognizable representation of Nazi propaganda with the colors red, white, and black.
Hence, the symbol had been an emblem of Hitler’s fascism, racial bias, and hatred. For the Jews, it meant fear and extermination. This apparent escalation of Hitler idolatry on PUVs in the country endorses the Nazi’s efforts of racial cleansing, relives the clear dehumanization of the marginalized, and supports tyranny as an effective means of ruling.
The key takeaway from this conflict: awareness starts with proper education—a systemic problem, as daunting as it may sound, that cannot be solved overnight. History is a challenging topic to impart, given the large number of sources to get information from and recurring issues that interfere with it, including misinformation and revisionism. While this so-called “discipline” appears to be a measure of good governance, we must remember that it was once upheld at the cost of human rights and liberties that we now enjoy today for free.
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