Regardless of where it originated or what it may have meant in other contexts, it’s been used enough to represent and be associated with the Nazi party and its ideology that today it’s almost universally recognized as a symbol of that history. Regardless of intent, that association is what it communicates.

Given the current rise of fascism around the world, this whole “well, actually, it’s really the Roman salute” discussion feels like a Nebelkerze — a smoke screen that distracts from the symbol’s actual, present-day meaning and function.