Words change meaning all the time... nice used to mean slight or subtle, cute used to mean cunning, girl used to refer to any small child. They can even change connotation without changing meaning - the N-word, for example, wasn't widely considered offensive a century ago and still isn't when spoken by a black person; however, the majority of white people would quite rightly not use it today.

Symbols do too, including the swastika as you rightly say. In fact, the swastika has been used by a very wide variety of people and at many different times; despite the popular belief that the Nazis reversed the direction in which the arms point, both left- and right-pointing swastikas have been used by several religions both ancient and modern.

I was sitting in the New Jersey airport, next to a nice lade with a southern accent. We talked about this and that, and she told me thather sons and their friends get together every weekwnd to strategize about how to re-fight the war to ensure that this time, the South will win. I looked at her incredulously. She said,"yes, it sounds insane, but there you are.'"
And yes, the war was about slavery.

I think its one o fhte things that we have to accept each new generation changes the language and the meanings, mostly so the old codgers won't understand what they are saying - Its their culture - It's like cockney rhyming slang by the time you have worked out the meaning of the rhyme from only the first part of it - they are ten steps ahead of you but mostly 20 steps ahead of the police.

Meaning can change. As long as the meanings live in memory they almost never do. The form of the swastika has been world wide for millenia. Lost and recovered several times.

A flag is just a flag, a symbol is just a symbol...it is what people make of these things that put meaning to them and give them either a good life or a bad life...

The swastika is also a variation of a Hindi symbol. They just got it backwards. It means something entirely different.

Yes, both words and sumbols do change meaning over time. What is generally recognized as the Confederte Glag today was not their official flag. It was just a State flage of one of the Confederate States. However, in the 1930's when Fascism was making itself known, even in the U.S. the KKK adopted the falg as one of tehir sumbols to represent white supremacy and their cause. it may have been used before then, but that is when what is generally seen as the Confederate flag today became generally recognized and prmoinent.

The past is gone

Change is inevitable ,only republicans don't change

Yes look at the swastika

Of course the meanings attached to symbols chang as the society and culture change. One can even use the symbols to promote change. Postman and Weingarten, in their book, THE SOFT REVOLUTION, point out that if you attach the smbols that a group considers central to their beliefs, you create resistance and anger. But, if you endorse their symbol, but attach a new meaning to it, you leave an opening to consider change.

In the United States I do believe many words have changed meanings as you imply. A lot of this I beieve is because of a very poor educationsal system (no child left behind) and a lack of conversations around the dinner table. I'm glad I've always been the mean mom that makes my children eat every night at the dinner table because it is there that we discuss the daily news, history, and things that really matter like social activism and gun laws. My 16 year old son just educated me on the orginial meaning of the swastika not long ago. It is up to us parents to pass down values and history to our children because if we do not they will easily become radicalized and sheep to whatever social enviornoment they happen to be in, rather it the North, South, East, or West. The melting pot has turned into seperate caldrens!

I have a newspaper clippings from 45 years ago. My friends and I were doing a bike ride to raise money for the local animal shelter. I am holding a sign that said, "We will ride 100 miles today to make the animals gay.". Yah I think the meaning of words change.

yes. The words gay and queer have changed as hasthe native American sign for good luck that is also known as the swastika.