SWASTIKA, N.Y.: The rural upstate New York hamlet of Swastika is keeping its name, despite a complaint that it symbolizes the hate and intolerance of the Nazi regime.
The unincorporated crossroads in the Adirondack Mountain town of Black Brook, about 35 miles south of the U.S.-Canada border, has been known as Swastika for more than a century.
But town council members considered a name change after a visitor from New York City said it was offensive, especially to the memory of World War II veterans. Michael Alcamo said he was bicycling through the area this summer when he came upon Swastika.
I was stunned that the people who live there wouldn’t have a meeting and pick a different name sometime after 1945, if not prior, Alcamo said Thursday.
Council members met Sept. 14 and unanimously nixed a name change.
Black Brook…
