I'm just wondering why are they considered a racist symbol. When they have been used for thousands of years, to hang many people of different races and religions even before the American's were discovered. Criminals and innocent have been hanged by nooses. I recently saw an article in People that talked about nooses left in places where people that are African American were working and/living. I'm not condoning this at all. I think it is disgusting to use a noose at all. I understand to a lot of people nooses remind them of the 50s and 60s when they were part of lynching. I don't want a debate, I just want a better understanding of this situation. I appreciate your thoughts and comments. PS if you are going to say anything hateful I don't want to hear it, there is enough hate in this world.
2007-11-12 17:10:00 · 13 answers · asked by jlyn1980 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Because some people like to make every aspect of history about them-them-them. Taking the blinders off and looking at the world from anything but their own victim mentalities more often than not proves too challenging. I have to guess literacy has something to do with it, as reading just a few books would open one's eyes......but, of course, some of these folks think that books themselves are racist, and therefore should be shunned. Unless, of course, these books support their agenda of me-me-me-only-my-folks-suffered...then those books are embraced. It would suprise many to learn the majority of "lynch mob justice" and "hangings" were aimed at white foks, almost exclusively so to those who choose to look at the BIG (challenging) picture....but that doesn't jive with agenda, thus is ignored, denied, or painted as bias for being oh-so-accurate to something that doesn't paint the minority a victim.
2007-11-12 17:23:57 · answer #1 · answered by Dixie Echo 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Because in the U.S., the noose reminds people of the 50s and 60s in which a majority of people being hanged with a noose were black. Of course, the use of the noose has been used to hang many different people in the U.S. and abroad but the racist hangings are the ones that stick out in everyone's minds.
2007-11-16 01:38:46 · answer #2 · answered by indiekidforlife 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello,
Well I still see some placards that come up from racist sites showing a noose and a watermelon saying be a good boy you get the melon; be a bad boy you get the rope!
There are even jokes that came up from the 50's and 60's saying a well hung Afro American is one at the end of a noose as opposed bo being well endowed in certain body parts.
Based on these observations along with pictures of the famous lynchings in the 20's to 50's I'd say there is a legitimate gripe about the noose and its context.
Regards,
Michael Kelly
2007-11-12 17:23:35 · answer #3 · answered by Michael Kelly 5 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Unless specified intent is made resonately clear for a particular RACE of person to be hung by a hangman's noose, it IS a bengin symbol that carries other speculative intentions.
The bengin noose may hold a symbol of having American Justice return to its more simpler days--where executions were done swift n' steady; iconic of the Wild West era.
Blacks "offend" way too easily for political reasons rather than personal ones; easily caught up in "noose hysteria".
Sad to say: We are in a social phase of Political Correctness--where "offended" crushed feelings are given idiotic media center stage circus attention.
If it "offends" you--stay quiet about it and look the other way because you can't prove racist intent unless it's clearly evident....and a simple hangman's noose alone is NOT evident of ANY racial intent.
Grow up America!!!
2007-11-13 08:46:37 · answer #4 · answered by Mr. Wizard 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
For the thousands of years they have been used they have mainly been for criminals. Whereas in recent times nooses were thrown up around any tree that happened to be near to hang colored people on for usually no reason at all (or insignificant petty reasons i.e. he looked at me)
Therefore the nooses that are being left in places are refering to the random lynchings, not the criminal trials. they are threatening those that live and work nearby that they might end up hanging from that noose.
2007-11-12 17:16:46 · answer #5 · answered by veggiegirl 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
If a Fiat car ran over a slave 300 yrs ago Black people would call it a racial car. Nooses were used for yrs as a punishment. Innocent blacks were not the only race lynched. Any item can be considered racial if used for that purpose.
2007-11-13 03:07:23 · answer #6 · answered by dh 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm sorry, but unless you are 9 years old, i think this is a very ignorant question.
Why are they considered racist? Because the noose was a symbol of Hate thru the last part of the 19th century and the first part of the 20th.
The swastika was not seen as a symbol of hate until Hitler adopted it. That symbol was used in many societies and religions, including the Jewish tradition. But do you want to see one hanging on your tree outside?
2007-11-12 17:14:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋
Due to lynchings, nooses are deeply offensive to blacks in particular. You have to admit...there's nothing benign about a hangman's rope.
2007-11-12 17:12:06 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
There were cases of Americans of African descent being hung in uniform when they returned from WWII. That should be reason enough.
I could site many more but that one inflames me the most.
2007-11-12 17:14:18 · answer #9 · answered by tugar357 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋
As I'm sure you are well aware, they represent the lynching of black people. Hence, they are considered to be a form of racism.
2007-11-12 17:12:35 · answer #10 · answered by Todd B 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋