# Korean Zombie' compares GSP's UFC 158 Japanese 'Rising Sun Flag' gi to Nazi swastika



## onip69 (Oct 14, 2012)

> 'Korean Zombie' compares Georges St. Pierre's 'ridiculous' UFC 158 Japanese 'Rising Sun Flag' gi to Nazi swasitka
> By Adam Guillen Jr. on Mar 24 2013, 3:00p
> 
> 
> ...



http://www.mmamania.com/2013/3/24/4...rres-ufc-158-japanese-rising-sun-flag-gi-nazi


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## Sports_Nerd (Apr 23, 2012)

Just one more reason to love the Zombie.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

I was hoping this 'story' would go unnoticed. Fair play to Korean Zombie for being respectful, but the symbol obviously means something entirely different to GSP (we all know how much he respects martial arts), and Hayabusa sponsors many UFC and other fighters. Frankly, I'm certain everything under the sun could be construed as offensive by people the world over. The 'Rising Sun' symbol means many things to many people. What might represent war crimes in one area of the world clearly represents martial arts in another - why should either side be made to conform to the views of the other? 

And the swastika comparison is a bit much. This isn't a case of some skinhead marching around with a swastika tattooed on his forehead. It's a man who covets martial arts wearing a symbol representative of martial arts.

That said, I'm not Korean. I can't appreciate what the symbol means to some. But I'm also open minded enough to know that some views and representations don't translate across continents.


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## Crester (Apr 5, 2009)

I don't see anything wrong with the Korean Zombie expressing himself. And I really doubt GSP was aware of the meaning behind the rising sun flag. For example me myself... I just looked up Rising Sun Flag on wikipedia and saw it was actually a version of the Japanese flag used by various military forces. Before now I had no idea. So I can see how this could be offensive considering some of the horrible things the Japanese have done in the past.

Imagine walking infront of Jews with a gigantic Swastika? Or going to an group for African Americans wearing the Confederation Flag??? I completely understand the Korean Zombie... but I'm 100% GSP wasn't even aware of the meaning of that flag.


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

Crester said:


> I don't see anything wrong with the Korean Zombie expressing himself. And I really doubt GSP was aware of the meaning behind the rising sun flag. For example me myself... I just looked up Rising Sun Flag on wikipedia and saw it was actually a version of the Japanese flag used by various military forces. Before now I had no idea. So I can see how this could be offensive considering some of the horrible things the Japanese have done in the past.
> 
> Imagine walking infront of Jews with a gigantic Swastika? Or going to an group for African Americans wearing the Confederation Flag??? I completely understand the Korean Zombie... but I'm 100% GSP wasn't even aware of the meaning of that flag.


I feel the same way. Very unfortunate that this had to happen but I don't believe for a second that GSP or anyone involved knew the meaning behind this flag. I certainly didn't know.

I'm sure GSP won't wear it again.


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## Spite (Jul 7, 2009)

To some people the Union Jack is an offensive flag and represents the oppression of the British Empire.

Of course that was a long time ago and those people need to stop being so sensitive.

The comparison to the Swastika is ridiculous, the Nazi symbol represents political views and not good ones either.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

I'm offended by any fighter who wears stars and stripes to or inside the Octagon. Such were the colours flown when America attempted to absorb Canadian soils during the War of 1812.


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## Crester (Apr 5, 2009)

Spite but the hatred in Asia is still very "current". I have a Japanese friend who won't goto China because she says people hate her the second they know she's Japanese. The government even issued a travel warning telling people from Japan not to goto China because it's "dangerous". This isn't just some conflict from "way back then".


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

Spite said:


> The comparison to the Swastika is ridiculous, the Nazi symbol represents political views and not good ones either.


To someone living in Korea or Chine this symbol could be just as offensive. To them this flag represents an imperial nation that conquered and enslaved people with extremely negative political and social policies toward the countries dominated.

It may not be as offensive to as many people, but to certain people it could be considered just as offensive.


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## HaVoK (Dec 31, 2006)

Symbolism is, and always will be subjective. Regarding the Swastika; it had a completely different meaning until Hitler corrupted it. The whole 'I'm offended attitude' had gone over the cliff long ago. Too the point where I can't even take it remotely serious anymore. Usually it is not even the people directly affected doing the complaining. It is people complaining for them. 

If he was the Chinese Zombie I could understand his position a lot more.

Either way...this is just silly and overly redundant. Offended? Look away.


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

HaVoK said:


> Symbolism is, and always will be subjective. Regarding the Swastika; it had a completely different meaning until Hitler corrupted it. The whole 'I'm offended attitude' had gone over the cliff long ago. Too the point where I can't even take it remotely serious anymore. Usually it is not even the people directly affected doing the complaining. It is people complaining for them.
> 
> *If he was the Chinese Zombie* I could understand his position a lot more.
> 
> Either way...this is just silly and overly redundant. Offended? Look away.


I thought Korea suffered quite a bit under the hand of imperial Japan around WWII as well.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

Ape City said:


> To someone living in Korea or Chine this symbol could be just as offensive. To them this flag represents an imperial nation that conquered and enslaved people with extremely negative political and social policies toward the countries dominated.
> 
> It may not be as offensive to as many people, but to certain people it could be considered just as offensive.


The difference is that most of the known world appreciates what a swastika has come to represent. I'm willing to bet that GSP associates the 'Rising Sun' entirely with martial arts/The Karate Kid. As would many North Americans. As I said, I presume most things could be construed as offensive by people all over the world, so to what lengths do we go to censor ourselves so that no one's feelings are hurt? 

The fact that so many here were clueless as to the precise history of this symbol shows that it has an entirely different meaning from one continent to the next. Are we to automatically label ourselves ignorant and incorrect simply because groups that have undergone hardship don't approve? Why can't a symbol have multiple meanings? 

As I said, I respect Korean Zombie for being so respectful. He's simply trying to shed some light on the subject matter. But I don't think this is anywhere near comparable to walking into an arena wearing a swastika on your Gi.


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## Spite (Jul 7, 2009)

Ape City said:


> To someone living in Korea or Chine this symbol could be just as offensive. To them this flag represents an imperial nation that conquered and enslaved people with extremely negative political and social policies toward the countries dominated.
> 
> It may not be as offensive to as many people, but to certain people it could be considered just as offensive.


I understand that, and he wouldn't have wrote the letter had he not been offended by it.

But this isn't GSP having a fight in Korea wearing the GI, where I could understand the outrage it would cause.

It was a fight in Canada, where the symbol is not deemed offensive. In fact I'd wager it's not an offensive symbol in most of the worlds countries.

Respect is a two way street. Just because one or two nations find a symbol offensive doesn't mean the rest of the world has to ban it.


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

Canadian Psycho said:


> The difference is that most of the known world appreciates what a swastika has come to represent. I'm willing to bet that GSP associates the 'Rising Sun' entirely with martial arts/The Karate Kid. As would many North Americans. As I said, I presume most things could be construed as offensive by people all over the world, so to what lengths do we go to censor ourselves so that no one's feelings are hurt?
> 
> The fact that so many here were clueless as to the precise history of this symbol shows that it has an entirely different meaning from one continent to the next. Are we to automatically label ourselves ignorant and incorrect simply because groups that have undergone hardship don't approve? Why can't a symbol have multiple meanings?
> 
> As I said, I respect Korean Zombie for being so respectful. He's simply trying to shed some light on the subject matter. But I don't think this is anywhere near comparable to walking into an arena wearing a swastika on your Gi.


Some very valid points here. I agree the big difference is that most people do not know that is an offensive symbol, so you couldn't blame someone for wearing it in the same way you could blame someone for wearing a swastika.

That being said, I don't think this is an issue of being overly politically correct, just of people being educated. No one can really say they are being censored if they can't wear a rising sun shirt. Unless of course they can explain what it represents to them and why people should not assume he/she is a fan war crimes. Like you said the KZ explained his point respectfully, and I assume it will be received the same way.



Spite said:


> I understand that, and he wouldn't have wrote the letter had he not been offended by it.
> 
> But this isn't GSP having a fight in Korea wearing the GI, where I could understand the outrage it would cause.
> 
> ...


They certainly don't have to ban it but I would ask why anyone would feel the need to wear a symbol such as that knowing what it represents to millions of people. If there is no positive association with the symbol then why antagonize people. This is all assuming the wearer understands the meaning of course.


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## Voiceless (Nov 8, 2010)

Canadian Psycho said:


> I was hoping this 'story' would go unnoticed. Fair play to Korean Zombie for being respectful, but the symbol obviously means something entirely different to GSP (we all know how much he respects martial arts), and Hayabusa sponsors many UFC and other fighters. Frankly, I'm certain everything under the sun could be construed as offensive by people the world over. The 'Rising Sun' symbol means many things to many people. What might represent war crimes in one area of the world clearly represents martial arts in another - why should either side be made to conform to the views of the other?
> 
> And the swastika comparison is ridiculous. This isn't a case of some skinhead marching around with a swastika tattooed on his forehead. It's a man who covets martial arts wearing a symbol representative of martial arts.
> 
> That said, I'm not Korean. I can't appreciate what the symbol means to some. But I'm also open minded enough to know that some views and representations don't translate across continents.


I'm pretty sure it had a different (nonoffensive) meaning for St. Pierre or maybe even not much of a meaning at all besides just being the design on his sponsored Gi. But Korean Zombie is right here, in most parts of East and South East Asia the rising sung flag is somewhat comparable to the swastika flag for Western countries. It's not that much a question of open mindedness, because it's not just some made up design that by coincidence looks the same as the flag under which so many war crimes were done, but it refers directly to Japanese combat culture. It's not like some Tibetan Buddhist monastries that happen to be decorated with "sun crosses" which happen to look like the swastika by the German Nazis, but more like a clothing company imitating Wehrmacht clothing style and decorating the clothes with swastika. Even if that clothing company does not intent to be offensive, it would leave quite a bad taste. Koeran Zombie said that he fully understands that St. Pierre wants to show his connection to Japanese martial arts and neither the modern day Japanese flag on his head band nor the Japanese writings offend them, it's just the "rising sun flag".

I absolutely think that St. Pierre was just not aware about its historical meaning, but being educated on the issue now I would expect from him to ask his sponsor to give him some other design, so he doesn't risk possibly offending about 1/3 of the world population.


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## Spite (Jul 7, 2009)

Ape City said:


> They certainly don't have to ban it but I would ask why anyone would feel the need to wear a symbol such as that knowing what it represents to millions of people. If there is no positive association with the symbol then why antagonize people. This is all assuming the wearer understands the meaning of course.


I agree, GSP being the all round nice guy that he is will most likely change it.

Besides, I'm sure none of the top brass in the UFC are aware of its meaning either. You can bet they don't want to upset the Asian market.


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## Voiceless (Nov 8, 2010)

Canadian Psycho said:


> The difference is that most of the known world appreciates what a swastika has come to represent.


Actually not really. It's really more comparable than you think. The appreciation of what the swastika represents in the Western world is somewhat similar to what the rising sun flag represents in Asia AND vice versa. The swastika does NOT necessarily have the negative image in many parts of Asia as it has in Western countries (on the contrary it may even have a positive image as it is also a symbol commonly used in Buddhism). The difference in the association connected to the respective symbols comes from the fact that big parts of the Western world suffered under the Nazis while Asia did not, and on the other hand a big part of Asia suffered under imperial Japan while the Western world did not. It's a matter of education. Of course every part of the world educates its people more on what actually concerns/concerned that specific part of the world (just look a your daily news and think about how much you really get to now about what happens in the rest of the world). That's just normal. The problem is just that if someone operates or is perceived globally he should rise his awareness on how to avoid problems.


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

ugh korean zombie why did you have to open your mouth like this when i'm a big fan of yours, oh well still a fan but not of these types of stupid issues being raised.


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## duckyou666 (Mar 17, 2011)

Out of everything in that article, the one thing that has stuck on me is..., "the fast talking Nick Diaz..." :confused02::confused03:


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## Woodenhead (Jan 5, 2010)

Plenty of symbols etc. have more than 1 meaning, and may offend some while others revere them for totally different reasons. Shouldn't be a big deal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika


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## Hellboy (Mar 15, 2008)

I find it hilarious that posters on this forum think their opinions on what countries/races of people find offensive is even valid.


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Canadian Psycho said:


> I was hoping this 'story' would go unnoticed. Fair play to Korean Zombie for being respectful, but the symbol obviously means something entirely different to GSP (we all know how much he respects martial arts), and Hayabusa sponsors many UFC and other fighters. Frankly, I'm certain everything under the sun could be construed as offensive by people the world over. The 'Rising Sun' symbol means many things to many people. What might represent war crimes in one area of the world clearly represents martial arts in another - why should either side be made to conform to the views of the other?
> 
> And the swastika comparison is a bit much. This isn't a case of some skinhead marching around with a swastika tattooed on his forehead. It's a man who covets martial arts wearing a symbol representative of martial arts.
> 
> That said, I'm not Korean. I can't appreciate what the symbol means to some. But I'm also open minded enough to know that some views and representations don't translate across continents.


Foreigners not understanding japanese culture doesn't make a symbol representing militance and aggression a karate symbol. You are essentially saying it would be totally cool for GSP to wear a swastika if he decided it represented double leg takedowns. They use it similarly in japan to how some southerners in the USA use the confederate flag.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

osmium said:


> Foreigners not understanding japanese culture doesn't make a symbol representing militance and aggression a karate symbol. You are essentially saying it would be totally cool for GSP to wear a swastika if he decided it represented double leg takedowns. They use it similarly in japan to how some southerners in the USA use the confederate flag.


You and I both know that's not what I'm saying. I even addressed talk of the swastika comparison. But I also understand and appreciate your point. I even acknowledged that I don't understand what the symbol means to Koreans and certain other peoples. As someone from a completely different race and background, it'd be impossible for me to understand fully. 

That said, your example doesn't really work. The 'Rising Sun' symbol actually is representative of martial arts in many circles/cultures. That doesn't quite compare with GSP spontaneously deciding that a swastika represents a 'double leg'.

Besides, I never made the point that this symbol didn't have a vitriolic meaning to certain peoples. My point was that a symbol can have multiple meanings. The Karate Kid heavily featured this symbol... I'm inclined to believe that said film was more about martial arts than it was subliminal racism (although... lol).

All that aside, I'm sure GSP will take note, reconsider his wardrobe, and everyone will be better off. I appreciate what this symbol means to a large portion of the world, and it probably is better to pick another design. It's a minor concession in the grand scheme of things.


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

Hellboy said:


> I find it hilarious that posters on this forum think their opinions on what countries/races of people find offensive is even valid.


I find it hilarious that you automatically discredit everyone opinion because they are posting on this forum. :wink03:


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Canadian Psycho said:


> You and I both know that's not what I'm saying. I even addressed talk of the swastika comparison. But I also understand and appreciate your point. I even acknowledged that I don't understand what the symbol means to Koreans and certain other peoples. As someone from a completely different race and background, it'd be impossible for me to understand fully.
> 
> That said, your example doesn't really work. The 'Rising Sun' symbol actually is representative of martial arts in many circles/cultures. That doesn't quite compare with GSP spontaneously deciding that a swastika represents a 'double leg'.
> 
> Besides, I never made the point that this symbol didn't have a vitriolic meaning to certain peoples. My point was that a symbol can have multiple meanings. The Karate Kid heavily featured this symbol... I'm inclined to believe that said film was more about martial arts than it was subliminal racism.


I'm inclined to believe that the people making that film didn't know what it represented since the vast majority of instances where I have seen japanese people using it was for the purposes of douchebaggery much like southerners use the confederate flag. 

I am not saying GSP is racist or the people who made the karate kid are(though you could probably make a case for it) but your argument is ludicrous. The rising sun flag was the one used by the troops attacking pearl harbor this has everything to do with whether or not western media latched onto various imagery which doesn't change the acts those images represented. People still use nazi imagery including swastikas in japan and india without associating it with wanting jews dead that doesn't make it cool to do.


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## Ape City (May 27, 2007)

osmium said:


> I'm inclined to believe that the people making that film didn't know what it represented since the vast majority of instances where I have seen japanese people using it was for the purposes of douchebaggery much like southerners use the confederate flag.
> 
> I am not saying GSP is racist or the people who made the karate kid are(though you could probably make a case for it) but your argument is ludicrous. The rising sun flag was the one used by the troops attacking pearl harbor this has everything to do with whether or not western media latched onto various imagery which doesn't change the acts those images represented. People still use nazi imagery including swastikas in japan and india without associating it with wanting jews dead that *doesn't make it cool to do.*


I dunno man, the swastika is literally an ancient symbol.


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Ape City said:


> I dunno man, the swastika is literally an ancient symbol.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_Cafe

Clearly the hitler portrait was representative of Buddha as well.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

Eh, I bow out of this conversation. I'm looking at this thing from multiple view points, and if I'm just going to be dubbed ludicrous for being open minded (and far from insulting), then there's no sense in being a part of this discussion. It's a touchy subject and I've said what I have to say.


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## Woodenhead (Jan 5, 2010)

Yeah, best to leave now - obviously, there's a lot of people who would think that everybody should be offended by the exact same things, regardless of culture/background/experience, etc. Ban everything & live in a bubble, yo.


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## EVERLOST (May 28, 2007)

Im not offended by anything but Cain's Brown Pride Tattoo....thats literally it. God I hate that guy.


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

Canadian Psycho said:


> Eh, I bow out of this conversation. I'm looking at this thing from multiple view points, and if I'm just going to be dubbed ludicrous for being open minded (and far from insulting), then there's no sense in being a part of this discussion. It's a touchy subject and I've said what I have to say.


You aren't being open minded you are closing off avenues of debate out of apathy or disillusion. Declaring that everything is probably offensive to someone and using that as a basis for your argument is nonsense. Everything isn't a direct symbol for occupation, mass murder, genocide, or the like.



Woodenhead said:


> Yeah, best to leave now - obviously, there's a lot of people who would think that everybody should be offended by the exact same things, regardless of culture/background/experience, etc. Ban everything & live in a bubble, yo.


It isn't a matter of whether you are personally offended or not. I am not personally offended by swastikas, confederate flags, rising sun flags, or the like but I will rightfully judge someone to be a douchebag for displaying them if I know that they know the symbols are offensive to large groups of people. Whatever you associate them with is irrelevant.


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## JASONJRF (Nov 3, 2009)

Canadian Psycho said:


> I was hoping this 'story' would go unnoticed. Fair play to Korean Zombie for being respectful, but the symbol obviously means something entirely different to GSP (we all know how much he respects martial arts), and Hayabusa sponsors many UFC and other fighters. Frankly, I'm certain everything under the sun could be construed as offensive by people the world over. The 'Rising Sun' symbol means many things to many people. What might represent war crimes in one area of the world clearly represents martial arts in another - why should either side be made to conform to the views of the other?
> 
> And the swastika comparison is a bit much. This isn't a case of some skinhead marching around with a swastika tattooed on his forehead. It's a man who covets martial arts wearing a symbol representative of martial arts.
> 
> That said, I'm not Korean. I can't appreciate what the symbol means to some. But I'm also open minded enough to know that some views and representations don't translate across continents.


The Nazi Shwaztica also meant something different I believe before Hitler used it. So I dont think changing it would be conforming it would be respectful. North America is not the Center of the world although many who live here believe it is (I live in US).


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## Woodenhead (Jan 5, 2010)

osmium said:


> Whatever you associate them with is irrelevant.


Whatever the individual associates it with is totally relevant. Especially if it's something proven to be innocuous. (like my friend's swastika tattoo - it's Hindu)

But IDK I also like this, so disregard.


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## Hammerlock2.0 (Jun 17, 2009)

People don't realize what a symbol means all the time. There are people walking around with Che Guevara tshirts for God's sake and I see assholes using hammer and sickle and red stars all the time. Most of the time it's punks around this area. I'm sure their alternative livestyle would be appreciated in Soviet Russia. And If some douchebag wants to walk around with a japanese war flag on his body then so be it. Same as the hakenkreuz it tells me that I'm talking to an idiot.


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## arkanoydz (Mar 15, 2010)

I'm Korean and I was not even remotely alive when the Japanese occupied my country for 38 years - banned our language, banned the use of our names, raped the shit out of our women, experimented on 'human guinea pigs', etc. therefore I have no hatred whatsoever towards Japanese or any other nationality for that matter.

HOWEVER, I would never dare to utter stupidities along the lines of "stop being butthurt" to any young Jew, Armenian, Chinese, Native American, and so on. I believe all nationalities have the capability of being cruel in conquer and at the same time - to become victims and fall prey to atrocities. It's human nature.

Korean Zombie acted very well - he informed without being rude - actually he was quite diplomatic about the whole thing. He acknowledges that GSP had not idea of the significance of the Rising Sun symbol to the Asian countries who have suffered war atrocities by the hands of the Japanese.

I respect those on this forum who have the mental capability to distinguish - this is a case of 'informing' and not politicizing or making polemic out of things. 

To those members who dismiss this as Korean Zombie and the millions of Asians who are alive today who have experienced traumas that few of us can even fathom as 'butt hurt' - I hope in time you learn to take into consideration the pain of others (such as war victims who have experienced death of their loved ones, cruelty, ****, torture, occupation, etc) before uttering such stupidities. Yes, this is a 'fun' forum where we talk about MMA and things we love - but it's always good to do things with respect, especially because it is an international forum


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## Ludinator (Mar 15, 2012)

Dnt know why Gsp even wears stuff like that, he looks like a tw**.


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## Grotty (Jul 21, 2006)

It doesnt offend me but i respect the viewpoint of others.

I bet the UFC wouldnt let him wear it if he fought in South Korea though, they would say its about respect but it would be about ticket sales and other revenue possibly being affected ... shallow.


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## cdtcpl (Mar 9, 2007)

I gotta respect Zombie on this one. Instead of going on a rampaging tirade and letting things get out of hand he calmly tried to inform GSP, and through him the rest of us, about something he feels strongly about. I honestly think if more people handled things this way they would be taken more seriously.

I knew about the war crimes, etc, but I honestly had no clue that they (S.Koreans and Chinese) viewed the Rising Sun symbol as such a toxic thing.

Where is that 'The more you know' pic?


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## Guy Incognito (Apr 3, 2010)




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## H33LHooK (Jul 13, 2011)

Sorry, but IMO, the douche here is KZ.

Instead of sending an email, or picking up the phone, wherein he could _privately_ express his concerns with GSP's fashion choices, Kim chose instead to publicly smear GSP via a snotty, holier-than-thou lecture on Facebook. 

Guess what, DYK? You don't have the right to not be offended.

And next time, if/when your precious sensibilites are offended, privately reach out to the guy for a man-to-man, instead of posting some thinly-veiled hissy-fit on FB.

.


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## NoYards (Sep 7, 2008)

I'd side with the 'Zombie' on this one. 

That said I doubt GSP knew the impact of the gi he was wearing, and since he has walked out in several other less offensive gi in the past I doubt there will be much of an issue with 'retiring' the offending gi.

That said, is the design the same design and origin as used during WWII?

As someone pointed out the Buddhist use a symbol quite similar to the swastika, but it's pretty lame to be offended by the Buddhist version which was used centuries before the Nazis, and isn't the same design anyway .. although I doubt this is the same thing, and that the symbols are largely the same, and come from the same source.


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## demoman993 (Apr 8, 2007)

I really doubt that GSP knew of this meaning. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy that would deliberately surround himself with something that would be such a touchy subject. 

It is kind of sad that almost everything out there has to be a hot button issue now but that seems to be the way of the world. 

Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App


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## Freiermuth (Nov 19, 2006)

Japan IS the land of the rising sun and use that type of symbol all over unlike Germany who is, other than the Nazi party, not associated with the swastika. So I think comparing them is a bit of a stretch, although I do understand many Koreans and Chinese still harbor (justified) resentment for what the Japanese did.


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## VolcomX311 (Aug 18, 2009)

The Japanese and Koreans aren't fans of each other, historically. I don't think the Chinese are huge fans of the Japanese either. The long awaited apology Korean Zombie is referring to is probably the Raping of Nanking, which if you know your history was pretty brutal. The name suggests the gist of it. I see where Korean Zombie is coming from, but is he being too sensitive because GSP certainly isn't wearing the Rising Sun in support of Japan's previous geo-political behavior. Hard to say, but interesting.


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## Roflcopter (Sep 5, 2008)

Classless GSP. First he cheats to make weight and then insults Koreans.


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## jonnyg4508 (Jan 30, 2010)

This is what happens when you wear goofy get ups that don't suit you at all to look cool and sell your brand.


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## onip69 (Oct 14, 2012)

> *Hayabusa apologizes for St-Pierre 'Rising Sun' gi in wake of Jung complaint*
> 
> by Matt Erickson on Mar 25, 2013 at 4:15 pm ET
> 
> ...



http://www.mmajunkie.com/news/2013/...ierre-rising-sun-gi-in-wake-of-jung-complaint


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## Joabbuac (Jan 31, 2009)

H33LHooK said:


> And next time, if/when your precious sensibilites are offended, privately reach out to the guy for a man-to-man, instead of posting some thinly-veiled hissy-fit on FB.


He did it to highlight the issue to some people who might not of known before that they find it offensive - i have seen many people say they did not know there was any issue here and now do. 

It helps people who care try and avoid using the symbol again and lets the UFC and sponsors know not to let people use it again.


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## Aiken (May 3, 2010)

There is an insurmountable difference between the Nazi swastika and the Japanese Rising Sun symbol and as a Jew I find the comparison naïve, and believe it says way more about the Zombie than it does GSP 

Sure there are any number of Asian who resent the Japanese for their brutality during WWII – but to compare POW conditions under the Japanese to the Nazi death camps is sensationalist and simply designed to make headlines.

The Rising Sun remains the National Flag/symbol of the Japanese nation. Whereas the swastika is a Hindu symbol perverted by the German Nazi party in the 1930s; and since 1945 the swastika has been universally identified with the holocaust and the deliberate and systematic extermination of 6,000,000+ Jews.

It is a fact that History is written by the victors, and there is always resentment from the displaced/conquered losers. I had an Uncle (who died a dozen years ago) who spent several years as a Japanese POW and his hatred of the Japanese people was legendary – but even he acknowledged the difference between his captors and the Nazis…

As quoted by the Zombie - 
"Since you're influenced by Japanese martial arts, your wearing a headband designed after (the) Japanese flag is understandable. But again, that huge 'Rising Sun' on your gi means something else."

So according to the Zombie’s statement, it would be OK to wear a small swastika on a headband – or perhaps on an armband – but inappropriate to drape yourself in the entire Nazi flag…

I hope that’s all clear now

<control/alt/sarcasm>


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## Voiceless (Nov 8, 2010)

Aiken said:


> As quoted by the Zombie -
> "Since you're influenced by Japanese martial arts, your wearing a headband designed after (the) Japanese flag is understandable. But again, that huge 'Rising Sun' on your gi means something else."
> 
> So according to the Zombie’s statement, it would be OK to wear a small swastika on a headband – or perhaps on an armband – but inappropriate to drape yourself in the entire Nazi flag…


No, he speaks of two different flags.


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## Aiken (May 3, 2010)

Voiceless - I have re-read the article and agree with you; I was incorrect having assumed that the symbol in question was the Japanese red sun white background - without realizing that the symbol in question was the red sun with the red rays (on a white background). 

So in case anyone didn't catch that, yes possibly for the very first time ever, someone is admitting they were wrong on the internet... remember where you where when you read this, your kids will want to know.

I still think the comparison to the swastika was OTT, but as you know, I've been wrong once, and so it could happen again!


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## Crester (Apr 5, 2009)

Aiken... you are being silly now. The red circle (sun) on a white background is Japan's national flag. The "rising sun" version is a flag used specifially to represent Japan's military forces.


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