Conservative Toronto mayor Rob Ford won't attend gay pride this year, but the Raelian Movement will.
Kind of like Scientologists, only more progressive and inclusive, the International Raelian Movement believes that Earth's humans were created by another human race, called Elohim, elsewhere in the universe, and jettisoned here to our homeland.
They also believe that the swastika, the once-peaceful symbol used by Nazis during their reign of terror and now incporated into the Raelian's logo, needs to be revived. And they're are taking their message to Toronto pride.
"For religions like Jainism and Buddhism, the swastika represented luck, well-being, harmony and piece," said Raelian spokesperson Diane Brisebois. "When people think of the swastika, they immediately think of the Nazis and we want to change that."
Another spokesperson remarked, "The goal is to return the swastika's true meaning of peace and harmony to this ancient symbol regretfully hijacked by the Nazis."
While I can understand where the Raelians are coming from — it's akin to LGBT people reclaiming "queer" — I think the swastika is so tainted and tarnished that it is beyond all redemption.