Peace Sign

Em Eye · Post by **Em Eye** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 2:05 pm

Can anyone tell me the story or reason behind the peace sign? Why is it a circle with the line through the centre and the 2 smaller lines? When did it first appear?

Carpe Diem · Post by **Carpe Diem** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 2:16 pm

The symbol consists of the semaphore letters "N" and "D" (for "nuclear disarmament") inside a circle. The original colors were white on black. According to The CND Story by John Minnion and Philip Bolsover (1983), Holtom and other CND artists pointed out other symbolism in the flag as well: the semaphores together, without the circle, look like a stick figure with its arms outstretched -- "the gesture of a human being in despair"; the circle represents the womb or unborn generations, as well as the world; and the color black represents eternity.

Bruce Tindall, 29-MAY-1996

Another, presumably 'unofficial', explanation is that it is the cross of christ with the arms drooping in despair. The symbol is also, in fact, the Death Rune of the Futhark runic alphabet. Whether this is an intentional similarity or not, CND supporters, particularly 'Christian' ones, used to get very uppity when this was pointed out!

Stuart A. Notholt, 30-MAY-1996

The "peace sign" was originally the symbol of the (U.K.) Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). It was designed by Gerald Holtom in 1958. The frequently-repeated but mistaken belief that it was designed by Bertrand Russell probably stems from the fact that Russell was the president of the CND at the time.

The first public use of the symbol was on flags and placards during the 1958 Aldermaston march (in England). It was described in Manchester Guardian articles covering the march.

Bruce Tindall, 28-MAY-1996

The peace symbol has a convoluted and confusing history. It's most notable appearance in modern times was its first use by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) at their Aldermaston march in 1956. The CND meaning of the symbol is semaphore for 'N' (the two diagonal lines) and 'D' (the two vertical lines). About ten years later, the symbol was adopted as a general peace sign within the student anti-war movement. It became probably the single best known symbol of the youth culture of the sixties. The CND was partly based on traditional churches, and I think they were also conscious of mixing two historic Christian symbols:

The outer circle, designates EARTH (waste and void, Gen 1:2).
The inner design, the "witches/crows feet", designate "GOD reaches down" (with gift of salvation, John 3:16).
With the appropriation of the symbol by the peace movement in the sixties, non-traditional and fundamentalist Christians (who apparently knew nothing of Christian symbols) placed a satanic meaning on it, calling it the Witch's Foot, or Crow's Foot (and sometimes Chicken's Foot), or Broken Cross. In the 1980s, the symbol was further appropriated (at least in the U.S.) to represent environmentalism. In this sense, it is rendered as a blue and green imitation of the U.S. flag, with the peace symbol replacing the stars in the canton.

T.F. Mills, 9-OCT-1996

http://www.peaceloveandme.com/pcesign.html

madwolfie · Post by **madwolfie** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 4:32 pm

You did it again CD ...

Bafana · Post by **Bafana** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 4:38 pm

The peace sign is actually an ancient symbol of evil used by the priests of political correctness to enchant normal prople into believigng their vile lies and distortion of reality. It has been known to make milk spoil, wine sour and virgin goats go sterile.

BTW CD when did you sign-up to the susterhood of hate???

Carpe Diem · Post by **Carpe Diem** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 5:13 pm

What do you mean now?

Carpe Diem · Post by **Carpe Diem** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 5:35 pm

madwolfie wrote:You did it again CD ...

Em Eye · Post by **Em Eye** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 8:14 pm

Thanks CD!!! I was expecting some stupid replys and got a fantastic histoey lesson. Thanks.

seraphim · Post by **seraphim** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 8:20 pm

CD, where do you get all these great smilies? And how do you get them posted?! Forgive me, but I am not too good at uploading images....

And thanks for the history lesson!

madwolfie · Post by **madwolfie** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 8:24 pm

CD... SHOWOFF!!!!

(for the smilies & other animated gifs only)

P/S I do appreciate the history lesson though

Carpe Diem · Post by **Carpe Diem** » Thu, 08 Dec 2005 8:59 pm

seraphim wrote:CD, where do you get all these great smilies? And how do you get them posted?! Forgive me, but I am not too good at uploading images....

And thanks for the history lesson!

All of them from the same source, my faithful friend Google. I use Google several times a day, also for business, I guess I just have learned how to get the right search from the beginning...

Bafana · Post by **Bafana** » Fri, 09 Dec 2005 11:42 am

Carpe Diem wrote:What do you mean now?

What do you mean "What do I mean???"

BTW CD very impressive display - Did you know thsi or did you track it down on the ineternet

Carpe Diem · Post by **Carpe Diem** » Fri, 09 Dec 2005 11:54 am

Bafana wrote:
Carpe Diem wrote:What do you mean now?
What do you mean "What do I mean???"

BTW CD very impressive display - Did you know thsi or did you track it down on the ineternet

I mean, what does this mean?

Bafana wrote:BTW CD when did you sign-up to the susterhood of hate???

Sorry but I don't get you at all!

Of course I did not know this... if you knew me better you would know that ALL my knowledge is based on Google.

I'm a Google-made man!

Bafana · Post by **Bafana** » Fri, 09 Dec 2005 2:18 pm

Carpe Diem wrote:
Bafana wrote:BTW CD when did you sign-up to the susterhood of hate???

What I mean is the vile new world order slithering its way under the cloak of enlightned political correctness - The sisterhood of inhumanity full of greed, selfishness and all things generaly unwomanly/unhumanly/unnaturlly and good in life...

BTW susterhood of hate typo for sisterhood of hate...

I like yahoo meself buyt google gernally mkes me smarter then I is

Vaucluse · Post by **Vaucluse** » Fri, 09 Dec 2005 2:21 pm

Bafana wrote:
Carpe Diem wrote:
Bafana wrote:BTW CD when did you sign-up to the susterhood of hate???
What I mean is the vile new world order slithering its way under the cloak of enlightned political correctness - The sisterhood of inhumanity full of greed, selfishness and all things generaly unwomanly/unhumanly/unnaturlly and good in life...

BTW susterhood of hate typo for sisterhood of hate...

I like yahoo meself buyt google gernally mkes me smarter then I is

You're an engineer then?

Bafana · Post by **Bafana** » Fri, 09 Dec 2005 5:14 pm

Vaucluse wrote:You're an engineer then?

Off a sort.

How did you ever guess

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Peace Sign

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