@stranger_in_a_strange_land The meaning of a symbol changes over time and among individuals. In the case of determining the meaning of a symbol like a Christmas tree on the White House lawn, the meaning that is most likely to be seen by the majority of Americans is the meaning that matters. To most Americans, and to most people in the world, the Christmas tree is the symbol of, obviously, Christmas, a holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. No matter how much of the symbolism of Christmas had different roots, to almost everyone on the planet they are about Jesus. Now my Christmas tree has nothing to do with Jesus, but a public Christmas tree does.
What is the swastika a symbol of? It has symbolized many things in the past, and it was less than a century ago that it became associated with fascism and genocide. But that doesn’t change the fact that the swastika is a symbol of fascism and genocide. If you decide to use it and claim it has some other meaning, well good luck with that, try to avoid minority areas.