The city of Glendale, Calif., continues to stonewall the current swastika controversy as brought up at a recent city council meeting by Jewish Defense League national chairman Irv Rubin, who complained about the 1000 light poles that are adorned with swastikas, which are offensive to many residents and non-residents alike. The city council, which referred to the symbols as "swastikas," maintained the swastikas are ancient Buddhist religious symbols. Countered Rubin, "A rose by any other name is still a rose." According to city attorney Scott Howard, the swastikas are not offensive and, in this case, "a rose is a gardenia."

If the logic of Glendale is correct, then Glendale is in violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. To refuse to remove the offensive symbol from city property using the argument that the symbol is a religious icon is against federal law. Says Rubin, "I don't buy this insane logic that these twisted crosses are ancient Eastern good luck religious symbols. The swastika is an insult to the memory of millions of people who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. It is an insult to the survivors of Nazi brutalism. It is an insult to Americans of all political and religious persuasions."