Michelle 'Bombshell' McGee and 7 other swastika scandals
A Nazi-themed photo shoot of Jesse James' alleged mistress Michelle "Bombshell" McGee" is just the latest focus of furor over the notorious Nazi symbol
Michelle "Bombshell" McGee — the woman who allegedly came between Sandra Bullock and her husband, Jesse James — is now being labelled a neo-Nazi. The tattoo model once posed for a photo shoot wearing a swastika armband and, according to court papers obtained by Radar Online, has been accused by her ex-husband of supporting "white power" ideals. The outrage over McGee's willingness to sport a swastika is only the latest example of America's sensitivity to the anti-Semitic Nazi emblem. Here, seven other notable incidents:
1. The Navy's "swastika building" blunder
July, 2006: After Google Earth photos revealed that the Seabees Barracks at the Coronado Naval Base in San Diego strongly resembled a swastika when seen from the sky, the Navy decided to spend $600,000 to modify the structure. (Watch a Fox report on the Navy building)
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2. Highway of hate
September, 2006: The Anti-Defamation League expressed outrage after swastika flags were discovered flying along four California highways. "We continue to be alarmed," said ADL Director Amanda Susskind, "that anti-Semitic incidents remain at a disturbing level." The flags were "promptly removed."
3. Zara's swastika-emblazoned handbag
November, 2007: Clothing company Zara provoked fury after releasing a line of handbags bearing swastikas. While some denounced the move as "outrageous," others pointed out that the bags were made from Indian fabric, and that the swastika is originally a Hindu symbol for "strength."
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4. The swastika-shaped nursing home
March, 2008: In a replay of the Seabees Barracks incident, the Wesley Acres Methodist retirement home in Decatur, Alabama, underwent about $1 million in renovations after complaints that the government-owned building, built in the 1970s, closely resembled the Nazi symbol from the air. Some claimed the building was built as party of a "government-funded conspiracy" to honor Nazis.
5. Marilyn Manson's deliberately provocative song
June, 2009: Shock rocker Marilyn Manson berated his record label for attempting to censor his album, "The High End of Low," which featured a song called "Pretty As a Swastika." "It's shocking to me," said Manson, "that it's easier to buy a gun at Walmart than it is to buy my record."
6. Taylor Swift's swastika snafu
October, 2009: Taylor Swift found herself at the center of a scandal after photos surfaced of the singer posing at Katy Perry's birthday party next to male reveller wearing a swastika t-shirt. A spokesperson for Swift claims the musician "didn't realize what was on [the man's] shirt."
7. The Hitler baby
March, 2010: Danish-Norwegian artist Nina Maria Kleivan caused a global gasp after circa-2001 photos of her infant daughter, Faustina, dressed to resemble legendary dictators such as Saddam Hussein and Adolf Hitler, hit the internet. Kleivan originally shot the photos for a art exhibit called "Potency." "We are all born as a blank slate, who knows who we will become," she told The National Post. "I wanted people to think about where tremendous evil comes from."
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