Teen Charged After Waving Noose At Black Student

[matcom]

<snip>

MONROE - A Monroe High School student was charged with felony harassment Wednesday for allegedly waving a noose at a black student.

The white student, 17, called the other boy a racial slur and swung the rope back and forth before him in the school's parking lot in October, according to a charge filed in Snohomish County Juvenile Court.

The black student told police he "took that as he wanted to hang me, since I was the only black person there," court records say.

The white student claimed he did not know the black student was present, court documents say.

The black student reported the incident to a Monroe police officer Oct. 27. It was one of at least four racial incidents at the school since classes started in September.

A school security officer confiscated a noose from another student's car Oct. 19. That student said other students also had nooses in their vehicles but kept them in their glove boxes while at school, court documents said.

In mid-September, a Mexican flag was torn down and thrown into a restroom, Monroe School District spokeswoman Rosemary O'Neil said. An argument with "racial undertones" also was reported, she said.

The black student who reported the noose incident also told investigators the white student who threatened him had a racist tattoo on his arm. The boy called him and other black students racial epithets "all the time," court documents say.

http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/04/11/11/loc_charge001.cfm

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. Good. I hope he is found guilty

What a lame argument. "I didn't know he was there."

[izzie]

2. Gee I knew a women who's husband used to do that.

She left.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. do what?

[izzie]

10. Leave nooses around the house for her to find.

--

[DebJ]

3. Is that Monroe, Louisiana? I have relatives there.

[rodeodance]

5. how is that young people think this behavior is acceptable?

This is a serious question.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

6. I don't believe that young people do think this is acceptable.

The people that think this is acceptable are racist and would think it was acceptable be they young or old.

[Zep]

20. The kid had a racist tattoo ...

... and this proves he is not a mainstream sort of racist.

Was the tattoo self-inflicted, some sort of gang thing? Or could he have had parental permission for the tattoo?

There's more going on here than a kid having a bad attitude about race and being a bully.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

21. Exactly.

And this is not the first such incident either.

[itzamirakul]

7. It begins at home...

more than likely. And it is fueled by radio personalities like Rush.

If there is one person I would like to see get his come-uppance, it is Rush Limblah-blah. I know he could easily be replaced, though by a thousand other race-baiters just like him or even worse.

It's funny though, these same kids that practice this racism, also slavishly copy every single iota of the black kids mannerisms, dress code, language, music, dance and all other cultural aspects of the very people that they profess to hate.

[joeybee12]

15. Because their parents think its acceptable, too!

[One_Life_To_Give]

30. Skin Head maybe?

If your goal was to preserve the world for the "Aryan Master Race" it probably seems pretty reasonable. Maybe even a bit lame. But as for the rest of society, I think we know the difference between free speach and threatening.

[nine23]

19. Snohomish County is in Washington State.

Why is a Canuck teaching you your country's geography? (Kidding).

[srk6969]

8. Gee what happened to freedom of speech!

Folks can burn flags, march in protest, and other various things but they can't wave a noose or say whats on their mind?
The only thing i see that he is guilty of is being a asshole but he does have that right according to the constitution!

[SemiCharmedQuark]

9. "waving a noose" is a threat. Marching in protest is not a threat.

Neither if burning a flag. We are allowed to peaceably assemble and express our point of view. We are NOT allowed to threaten others. Not only is it a threat, it is a hate crime. It is meant not only to scare this particular student, but all black students.

[tooncesj0nes]

11. double standard? why is it then...

....if we are not allowed to 'threaten others'- when an abusive spouse threatens their wife, the police will say 'until he actually does something, we cant do anything'..we've all seen this. and when the woman is killed, everyone says 'gee, we tried to stop him'..or 'why didnt the police do anything'...can someone explain?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

12. First of all, they should do something about a man threatening his wife

They should protect her.
Secondly, this "threatening" is a hate crime. A hate crime does not just threaten one person, it threatens a whole people. Those students who waved that noose at this kid did not do it because they had a problem with this particular student. They did it because he was black. They wanted not only to instill fear in this kid, but to instill fear in all black (and probably all minority) students.

[srk6969]

13. Burning a flag

Is a threat to some! Try burning a flag in front of a Marine and see if you don't get your ass kicked! I can guarantee you will. A Marine considers it a threat against his country!
So why is it allowed when it is a threat to some people and waving a noose isn't allowed. Down here where i live, folks carry a cross and burn it on top of Stone mountain. Is that a threat?

[bleedingheart]

14. wouldn't be burning the constitution be more upsetting

a piece of fabric is nothing but a piece of fabric...

[SemiCharmedQuark]

16. Just because a Marine would beat someone for it, doesn't mean it is wrong

Burning a flag is an expression. You are not threatening anyone. You are not even threatening a country. What it is meant to symbolize is the displeasure with the way the country is acting.
And burning crosses? Why are they burning crosses, to teach blacks some sort of lesson?

[ScreamingMeemie]

17. Question srk6969....Do you ever post positive in threads?

:shrug: Or do you just search for threads in which you can take an opposing view and mention the Marines???

Welcome to DU. :toast:

[matcom]

18. freepers have nothing positive to say

[LisaLynne]

22. Just what I was thinking!

Ah, the smell of disruption on a Friday morning. And in the Lounge no less! Is nothing sacred??? :)

[nine23]

25. Being a newbie here...

I do find it interesting how the lurkers come crawling out. Even when they're very careful and try to go "stealth", they still...well, reek.

[LisaLynne]

26. They are so easy to spot and ...

the funny thing is, I think they thing they're being, as you said, "stealthy". Welcome to DU, by the way! :hi:

[annabanana]

28. I would think that burning a cross WOULD be a threat, yes...

considering that burning crosses is a traditional pastime of the KKK, and seen as a direct threat to all Black Americans.

[gollygee]

27. You might have heard that there are limits to our freedom of speech

Do you actually equate bringing a noose to school and threatening to hang a student because he's black with peacefully marching in protest?

[Lerkfish]

29. whoa. dude.

waving a noose while making racial slurs is NOT free speech. That's assault. a crime.

why are you defending it? man, freepers need to get out in the real world once in a while

[nine23]

23. Ah, folks...I think this is about symbolism + racism...

White kid + Black kid. 2004. Washington State. (Blue state, at least west of the Cascades.)

(edit) Oh, and I forgot this: LYNCH.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

24. It's about racism.

The kid made a racist gesture. He committed a hate crime. I don't understand what your post is trying to say? Do you think it was wrong of the kid to be charged? :shrug: