No noose, good news

I caught the tail end of "The Noose: An American Nightmare" on CNN last night about the resurgence, post Jena 6, of the noose as a symbol of hatred toward the Black community. (In scattered incidents during the last few months, nooses have been used publicly as a means of intimidating African-Americans in the way anti-Semitic types paint swastikas on Jewish temples.)

The special has come under fire for a few reasons -- one, out of fear that it will inspire copycat incidents; and also because CNN "allegedly" bumped up its coverage of noose sightings in an effort to boost ratings for the special.

In one segment, North Bergen talk radio personality Hal Turner (who has decribed himself as a "white nationalist') predicted we will see more nooses on the horizon -- perhaps, in part, because he is selling them on his website.

As Turner told host Kyra Phillips, nooses symbolize "justice."

PHILLIPS: You're saying this is not a symbol for the way black people were treated years and years ago.

TURNER: Maybe they deserved it, and I don't care. This is a symbol of justice, and you're going to see a lot more of this in the United States.

I hate giving additional play to this particular viewpoint, but I also don't think ignoring it is in our best interests, either. Race relations have improved dramatically in this country in the last 50 years, but, let's face it, we still have a long way to go.

Incidentally, Hal Turner is no relation to CNN founder Ted Turner. Or, to Nat Turner, the American slave who was tried, convicted and sentenced to death on this day (Nov. 5) in 1831. Nat (who carried the surname of his owner, Samuel Turner) freed black slaves and killed whites during a slave rebellion in the months before his death. Today he is considered a heroic figure to some in the African-American community, albeit an enormously controversial one, since he urged his followers to "kill all whites."

Hal Turner has the right to say whatever he wants, but selling "The Jena 6 Style Noose" for $10 is more than a bit sickening. By pushing the boundaries of free speech, he enables the angriest among us to justify blanket hatred as some sort of legitimate movement.

I manage to look the other way when people feel the need to burn a U.S. flag. I suppose I can also look the other way if people hang nooses from their porch lights. But I wish these symbolic messages could be replaced with more articulate, productive protests, because they are so painful for so many people. And at the end of the day, they accomplish absolutely nothing. In fact, they're such visceral hot buttons that they generally make things far, far worse -- as if we all need another reason to constantly look over our shoulders and worry about what the stranger next to us is capable of.

I suspect that his appearance on CNN will bring a virtual flood of media attention to Mr. Turner and his inflammatory views. Metaphorically, they'll be giving him "enough rope." It will be interesting to see what he does with it.

Comments

[Linda]

If we wish on old Hal what he wishes for others, then wouldn't we be just like him. Maybe we should all just pray for his conversion.

[Kathy from Pompton Lakes]

I wish the media would stop letting these wackos, for the lack of a better word, have the 15 minutes of fame. If we do not give them an outlet for their hatred, maybe one day their beliefs will finally die out.

[Debbie from Lyndhurst]

Kathy...Well said!!!

[Terry]

Who let this lunatic on the air anyway.Seems the more airtime they get the more popular they become. They need to censor them.

[Ruth Ann]

When you hear stuff like this you can't believe it's 2007. Who encourages these lunatics----shame on CNN for giving him a platform.

[dawniris]

I think it is good to talk about these things despite how difficult it is. This way, the hate mongers get to see that not everyone feels the same way that they do....

What some folks (not saying posters here) don't realize about nooses is that it's not just a symbol that causes deep fear and hurt among people in a particular group, but it's also potentially a lethal weapon because it's tangible; it's an ugly object that literally, can be used by hateful, evil people to unjustly, unfairly and brutally kill people just because they're black (and not because they're guilty of anything either).

Lynching's are not justice and never was justice despite what that ignorant, hate monger "Hell (Hal) Turner" says. Shame on all folks who think like that.

God help us: let's pray that they won't carry out that evil hate as well.

[Evelyn]

Hal Turner has a big following on the internet, something a lot of non-geeks may not know. People like this are like spiders under rocks - they do not flourish when exposed to daylight so that we can see what they are. We all know they are out there, but the more we can point them out, the less they can infiltrate society and try to pass themselves off as "normal". Really, regardless of what CNN says, a noose is really just an international sign for "bigoted moron".

[dawniris]

I agree Evelyn. That's what makes people like that cowards. They often disguise themselves as decent people but hide the ugly truths of themselves.

The fact that there is an audience who supports Hell Turner shows the reality that we still have major problems with race relations in this country.