What's the Benefit of Associating with Hate Symbols?

Co-Producer Speed Weed • Previously Bart | Illustrator | Queer | Really likes 80's Synthwave

The title pretty much says it all.

What does someone gain by defending symbols associated with hate and oppression? What's the point of associating with something that is known to have hurt people, either in the past or present?

i.e. someone saying that hate symbol x /actually/ isn't a hate symbol, and that people who display it somehow are not using it as a symbol of hate.