New York, NY, January 26, 2026: The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) calls on Ye (formerly Kanye West) and The Wall Street Journal to correct a paid advertisement published on January 26, 2026. The advertisement equates the sacred Swastika with the Nazi Hakenkreuz, a factually inaccurate and culturally harmful conflation that offends nearly two billion adherents of Dharmic and other indigenous traditions worldwide.

For millennia, the Swastika has signified auspiciousness, well-being, and good fortune across Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain communities. It appears on temple thresholds, ritual altars, wedding mandaps, doorways, and festive rangoli—features of daily life that cultivate reverence and hope. Many families recall seeing the symbol during festivals and prayer at home, which makes its mischaracterization especially distressing. In the broader Dharmic family, including Sikhs, there is a shared commitment to protecting the dignity of sacred symbols and to sustaining interfaith respect. Labeling the Swastika as a hate emblem erodes this dignity and stigmatizes innocent cultural expression.

Historical accuracy demands a clear distinction: Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party did not call their symbol the “Swastika.” They called it the Hakenkreuz (hooked cross). Contemporary reporting in the West during the 1920s likewise used the term Hakenkreuz to describe the Nazi emblem. Conflating Swastika with Hakenkreuz erases crucial context and collapses a sacred, ancient icon into the narrative of a modern hate movement. A concise overview of this distinction is available at https://cohna.org/hakenkreuz-not-swastika/.

This terminological precision has been recognized in law and policy. Virginia’s statute (https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter9/section18.2-423.1/) and California’s AB 2282 (https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB2282/id/2607192) formally acknowledge the difference, as does the Canadian Parliament’s recent action on Bill C-9 (https://cohna.org/cohna-celebrates-historic-victory-on-bill-c-9-amendment/). The call for accuracy is shared across communities, including Jewish voices such as B’nai Brith Canada and designers and historians like Steven Heller (https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/the-daily-heller-when-is-a-swastika-not-a-hate-symbol/). This cross-community consensus reinforces a simple truth: historical clarity protects cultural dignity and strengthens social cohesion.

CoHNA has previously urged Ye to use the correct term. In February 2025, when Hakenkreuz imagery appeared on merchandise, advocates reminded platforms, media, and the public that Hitler’s symbol is the Hakenkreuz—not the Swastika. According to CoHNA, it is deeply disappointing that a year later the same misinformation persists in esteemed media venues, intensifying stigma against Dharmic communities and undermining religious freedom.

While acknowledging the intent to atone for antisemitic remarks, accuracy and cultural context remain non-negotiable in public communications of this magnitude. The distinction between Swastika and Hakenkreuz is not semantic; it is a safeguard against misrepresentation and a pathway to interfaith respect. CoHNA therefore urges Ye and The Wall Street Journal to issue a public correction that clearly differentiates the sacred Swastika from the Nazi Hakenkreuz, and to recognize the pain caused by this conflation to Dharmic communities.

Grounded in unity and mutual respect across Dharmic traditions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism—this clarification advances social harmony, supports religious freedom, and promotes historical accuracy. Responsible language choices by public figures and major outlets can help prevent the stigmatization of sacred symbols and foster a culture of empathy and understanding.

Educational resources: https://cohna.org/swastika

Inspired by this post on CoHNA.