Noose – What’s The Big Deal?
Posted: Tuesday, November 13, 2007
by Kevin D. Moore
Knowledge Driven & Moore LLC
Hey, come on. Its a practical joke! Whats the big deal? No one really means any harm by it. Hmmm...
Unfortunately, there are some people in America that actually believe that displaying a Noose in a tree or on a doorknob or anywhere, for that matter, is ok and is not harmful. To be honest, depending on who is saying it, I understand their position. That doesnt mean I agree with it but I do understand it.
Starting with the second reason, there are people who are purposely displaying the Noose to make a statement that things should be back the way they were when Black people were slaves in America . They long for the days of the oppression and lynching of Black people without any concern for negative outcomes for themselves (e.g. jail time.) They long for the days when the displaying of the Noose would strike fear into the heart and soul of Black people. These people truly understand what the Noose represents to most Black people and they want to exploit that to further their beliefs and desires.
Now the first reason is definitely much different. And, please dont get me wrong when I say that I understand it. I say this because although I understand it, I dont like it. In actuality, Im really angered by it. However, every time I start to get angry, I recall these sayings He who is without sin...cast the first stone... and Pot calling the Kettle black. In other words, dont be a hypocrite. I recall these sayings because I have done the same thing that the first group of people have done. That is, I said things out of ignorance that others were extremely offended by. Needless to say, my ignorance didnt make me a bad person and it doesnt make others bad people. But once we become aware of our ignorance and the damage it can cause, we now have a choice.
Slide over to the dark side and its sinister ways or lift the vale of ignorance and concern ourselves with the feelings of others. Like many Americans of all colors and creeds, I choose concern. And when it comes to the Noose and it being a practical joke and not being harmful, well...the bottom line is that it is extremely offense to many Blacks given our history and what it represents. To be, or not to be concerned: that is the question.
Copyright 2007 Knowledge Driven & Moore LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Kevin D. Moore is the author of Did You Ever Wonder Why Black People Do The Things They Do? and is the President of a motivational speaking and consultant company on leadership, management, communications, and diversity. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY .
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Kevin, You are too kind! The "noose" is disgraceful. When we think we are making progress in race relations, we come up against this? We live in a crazy world and this business is just one more example of incivility in our country. Thank you for reminding all of us about the pain that this brings to many, particularly African Americans.James, Thank you for your kind words and I agree that we live in a crazy world. You would think in our present day and age that there would be no need for an article on this subject. But since I am a realist (sometimes…) it does not surprise me that there are people living for the ole days. Unfortunately, what does surprise me is that there are people that are very naïve… Thank God there are people like you trying to make a difference. Many thanks, Kevin
jeez kevin, i live in the country, by choice, and i have never heard of such a thing. it repulses me, i can tell you that. as I said, i gratefully inherited my mother's compassion-she was a nurse, and her best friend for many years, until she passed, was black. she loved my mother, vice versa, and she made a big fuss over any of us 4 kids when we went to visit my mom. we would take our kids, and she'd go nuts over them. I'm sorry to say i have no way of getting in touch with her, her name was mildred. i'd love to talk with her, but i don't know her last name. it never mattered to my mother, and it never mattered to me, i can tell you i cannot watch any kind of prejudice-jerry springer, oprah, having ku klux klan and black people. i won't watch. it abhors me to think that we as a human population, we have any cell in our brain that speaks of a difference to God. i mean color, sexual orientation, color of hair, piercings, tattoos, all of a sudden they don't believe in God and are bad. my son belives in God and angels and spirits being able to hear us and help us-i taught him that. he has a mohawk every so often, and piercings, and a huge tattoo, on his ribcage-i still have influence-he's 20, but i talked him out of having them anywhere that would not get him a job. my daughter doesn't have a prejudiced bone in her body-each one of her friends is from somewhere else. i would be unsettled if she went out with a black person, only because of selfish reasons-i'd have to deal with ancient strict catholic and italian family, but i don't think that's prejudiced, i hope, just being real. i would, however, support my daughter if that's what she was meant to do. absolutely. if her soul mate was black, then we'd have a black person in the family, and the babies would be gorgeous. she has an olive tone to her skin, anyway. do you know who is prejudiced? all those who believe in God! the God of my understanding is not the same. happy holiday, best regards, sueSue, Thanks so much for the look inside your family! It's great to know that there are others who see people as people. Also, I appreciate your honesty about your daughter. Paradigm shifts are never easy but your willingness to shift speaks volumes. God Bless and have a Happy New Year! Kevin
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