And before anyone states that I am being racist, I personally thought that it was tasteless for that person to behave in that way.
BUT, he was not going to hang anyone and to me the noose is just part of the US's history. In the western states that is how justice was carried out. Yes, I know that the KKK used it for their BS, but people wearing a white pointed hate isn't against the law.
My big beef with this is the fact that we are already on a slippery slope and where will it stop? Where we as US citizens have NO rights? Look at what happened with that student and John Kerry. IF you look at the extend video you see a student asking questions and then cops coming from no where and telling him to leave. Wow, didn't know asking questions was against the law either.
POLICE STATE ANYONE!?
2007-09-21 04:27:41 · 18 answers · asked by Fedup Veteran 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
The noose that I am describing is what happened last night at a get together where blacks gathered to speak out against the Jena 6. I saw it on the news this morning and people kept saying what the two teens did was a "Hate crime" when all it was, is freedom of speech.
2007-09-21 05:08:52 · update #1
Agreed. All the western justice stories were centered around fighting the big powerful rancher. I don't think you can get hung for stealing a cow anymore!
2007-09-21 04:35:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
While I share your outrage of the rights of citizens or lack thereof, we need to also be mindful of the facts. What happened with Andrew Meyer was ridiculous, and what goes to show is if this wasn't broadcasted, it wouldn't have brought on the opportunity to get some dialogue going about our rights.
And No - having rope is not against the law, but when you fashion it to be a noose, and hang it from a tree, that is a threat - a method for social domination - and the ones who put the nooses up knew damn well the sentiment behind it. And of all places to do that foolishness, they choose the school?
And just point of information, lynchings still occured in the US well past the Civil Rights era, although thankfully not in staggering numbers as in previous decades.
2007-09-21 05:38:09 · answer #2 · answered by Pask 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I feel sorry for you living in such a hysterical country as the USA but owning a rope or making a noose from it has nothing to do with freedom of speech, neither is it racist. However if you had the rope or noose with intent to commit a crime then it would be seen as an offensive weapon.
As far as free speech is concerned politicians hate to be heckled, especially by people with valid points. I'm sure that Kerry's lackeys would have primed the police to remove such people as troublemakers likely to cause a breech of the peace. Just shows you what kind of a guy Kerry is and the people he surrounds himself with. Personally I think you would find it very hard to find an honest U S Politician. They all look suspect to me.
2007-09-21 04:39:06 · answer #3 · answered by quatt47 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
your referring to the Jena 6 situation...
I happen to agree with you, with one exception. As a student you have free speech, but it is limited in a sense on school grounds. For example, in public I can legally shout racial slurs at anyone I want to...but on school grounds even though it's still not against the law, I could get suspended or expelled because the school has it's policies.
However, hanging nooses from a tree, could be construed as a threat of violence or harrasment...which would be illegal..but I guess that would be up to a jury if it ever got that far.
What bothers me is the group of people who are claiming racism by comparing the hanging of nooses in a tree with the beating of a minor by 6 black students (5 of which were adults). There is no comparison... as you stated, there is no law against hanging a rope in a tree, but there are laws against beating people up. Although I feel that the students who hung those ropes should be expelled from that school indefinitely, and the students who beat up the 17 yr old kid should go to jail.
2007-09-21 04:40:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
A noose is symbolic of hate crimes, but I imagine it would be protected. Swastikas are protected too, it doesn't make them right to display.
And what about what happened with that student in John Kerry? Sure, he has freedom of speech, but what about everyone elses? The rules of the event were one question, he violated those rules then became disorderly. Perhaps the taser was too much, but still if it hadn't happened you people would still be claiming his rights were violated. It's my opinion that Mr. Meyer violated the rights to freedom of speech of John Kerry and the other people that attended the event by attempting to dominate it when he wasn't the host.
2007-09-21 04:36:29 · answer #5 · answered by Pfo 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The kid wasn't asking a question. He was ranting and wouldn't shut up. In a police state he might have been beaten or killed. Here he was only made to do the funky chicken.
Nooses offend black people. The US, a former slave holding country, now cherishes its black people. Therefore nooses are a hate symbol and not allowed.
You can, however, wear the colors and insignia of the US Nazi party - whose founding party members killed thousands of US soldiers not to mention trying to wipe out a complete religion/race. In this case it doesn't matter how many Jews or Americans you offend.
So you see, where not in danger of becoming a police state. We're in danger of becoming a completely dysfunctional state.
2007-09-21 04:37:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
No, but using a rope or noose to threaten someone is a crime.
It would be protected by free speech if you hung 100 nooses from your own tree on your own property. Just as you can wear a Swastica or have them all over your bedroom walls but you can't paint them on the side of a church or other building.
2007-09-21 04:36:44 · answer #7 · answered by elysialaw 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Inciting to riot or conspiracy to intimidate are usually crimes, but unless the victim is someone the 'system' cares about, they may not be enforced. Yelling 'FIRE' in a crowded theater is an example - hanging a noose where there are Blacks around is a similar action.
2007-09-21 04:34:04 · answer #8 · answered by Ben 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Who said that having a rope or a noose is against the law? The kids that used to got suspended from school because they sent a threat.
2007-09-21 04:33:48 · answer #9 · answered by Orange County is great! 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
When it comes to "civil rights", the rules change somewhat.
It's no longer just about the item, but what was it or the owners' intent.
That's where Hate crimes get to be a real issue, because it attempts to regulate what we think, VS an actual action.
A slippery slope indeed.
2007-09-21 04:34:12 · answer #10 · answered by Mark A 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋