Prosecuting Hate
I'm not sure I've got a clear handle on the line between "hate crime" and "hate". A noose may (or may not) signify hate. Hanging a man with it is a crime that may (or may not) be motivated by racial hatred. Perhaps Sharpton and Jackson and all those they make efforts to keep in a mindset of victimization would like any expression of hate to be a federally punishable crime. Unless of course it's a hatred of white males expressed by a gangsta "artist". Don't get me wrong, hate is most often not a good thing - but there's a long continuum from thought to actual crime. If I were punished for all my thoughts, or for all the words that have come out of my mouth...
"Nooses are no prank... We were lynched!" - Sharpton (emphasis mine)
I'm by no means saying it never happened in the past, and I would not attempt to condone it then or now. But really people, when's the last time we saw a bona-fide lynching in the news? When's the last time youtube showed black corpses hanging from ropes over an old tree limb? It's time to rise above and move on. But without the "power of persecution", without a rallying cry - what would Sharpton and company stand on? What would keep them in positions of power and popularity? As long as they can keep everyone playing the role of a victim they don't have to take any personal responsibility.
Hanging a noose with the intent of intimidation is bad, but is it really worse than many other forms of intimidation? What am I supposed to think when a gang member makes a faux gun with his hand and acts like he's shooting someone? That it's ok as long as he does this to another black person, or it's ok as long as it's a non-black and was not accompanied by racial hatred? No, it is not freaking ok, it's intimidation with the threat of violence and death as well!
So do I agree with nooses? No. But I'd have a lot more sympathy towards viewing it as a "crime" if they weren't so hypocritical about hate and constantly perpetuating the victim mentality.
"Nooses are no prank... We were lynched!" - Sharpton (emphasis mine)
I'm by no means saying it never happened in the past, and I would not attempt to condone it then or now. But really people, when's the last time we saw a bona-fide lynching in the news? When's the last time youtube showed black corpses hanging from ropes over an old tree limb? It's time to rise above and move on. But without the "power of persecution", without a rallying cry - what would Sharpton and company stand on? What would keep them in positions of power and popularity? As long as they can keep everyone playing the role of a victim they don't have to take any personal responsibility.
Hanging a noose with the intent of intimidation is bad, but is it really worse than many other forms of intimidation? What am I supposed to think when a gang member makes a faux gun with his hand and acts like he's shooting someone? That it's ok as long as he does this to another black person, or it's ok as long as it's a non-black and was not accompanied by racial hatred? No, it is not freaking ok, it's intimidation with the threat of violence and death as well!
So do I agree with nooses? No. But I'd have a lot more sympathy towards viewing it as a "crime" if they weren't so hypocritical about hate and constantly perpetuating the victim mentality.