Posted on 01/05/2007 9:10:26 PM PST by mfnorman
NEW YORK (CNN) -- James Jackson, a 26-year-old black employee of 180 Connect, was preparing for another day of installing cable, telephone and Internet service to residential customers of Cablevision in Nassau County, New York on December 7.
When he walked to the fenced-off area to pick up equipment for the day's jobs he looked up and was shocked to see a vicious, racist symbol in his workplace. A noose was hanging in the fenced-off equipment area, visible to the dozens of installers, the majority of whom are black, but accessible only to his boss and an equipment manager, both of whom are white.
Jackson, a former messenger who had worked at 180 Connect for a year and a half, immediately confronted the equipment manager, Dave Willie.
"I asked Dave," Jackson told CNN, " 'What is that hanging up there?' and he said, 'That is a noose' and I said, 'I know it's a noose, but why is it up there?' And he walked away."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Amen. I just roll my eyes when these "I'm offended" stories hit the news.
Having lived a total of 48 years, the last 28 in the south, I can tell you there is far more racism up north than in the south.
In the north, it's more covert than overt, but at least in the south if you are racist, you are open about it.
My son was dating a black girl for about three years and the relatives up north were fit to be tied, but only in whispers and phone calls. All lovey dovey in person, though
Because that is the most promising way to win a lawsuit, that's why.
Frankly, I would consider it a motivation symbol. To me, it might represent the notion that this boss wants me to get to work and that he means business.
1. A fake can of Zylon gas in a Jewish person's locker.
2. A model plane in a model skyscraper on the desk of a 9/11 widow(er).
3. A desecrated flag in the lunch box of someone who expresses strong patriot beliefs.
My reaction would be to recognize that people are exercising their right to free speech. There is no constitutional right to not be offended (assuming somebody actually is offended, and not just trying to play the civil court system for a check).
They could care less about the supposed insult, if they did, they would have gone after the guy who put up the noose. It sounds like a bad taste gag gone bad and now the EEOC is looking for another excuse to justify its funding. Stupid employee put the noose up, smart employee know a cash bonanza when he sees one. And in New York, no one will take the side of the guy who put up the noose. The entire media will pontificate about pc race relations and destroy the guy.
why not go all the way then? why not claim that trees are racist symbols since that is what was also used to lynch them from. what about crosses? shouldn't they also be labeled as racist? another thing, how come no prominent blacks spoke up against the method of execution for saddam hussein as being to racially insensitive?
I was just going to let the matter drop, but the thought came to me over night:
Perhaps it is a good thing that the younger generation does not understand how terrified blacks were of the hangmans noose as late as the 50's and 60's, and apparently even today.
in Army AIT in 1960, I saw a grown black man piss his pants and get down on his knees when opening his locker and finding a hangmans noose somebody had put there.
How would you like to be sleeping in a room of 50 people, knowing that somebody in that room had threatened to hang you?
I really didn't think I needed a sarcasm tag at the end of my rhetorical question. It was meant to be sarcastic.
"I find myself now racist towards most Muslims"
Even if 'Muslim' was a race, that statement still wouldn't make sense.
Hey, it's just a botched joke. The guy meant to make a moose.
Ask Jon Carry.
The irony is that I have friends from the civil rights era who were seriously discriminated against. As in having to use the bathroom in the field behind the LeRose movie theatre in Jeffersonville, Indiana. (This is back in the 50s.)
But now these same people are whining about stupid stuff, just because they've been in the habit of complaining for the past 50 years.
Symbolism; the topic drives Rush nuts.
It's certainly alot easier than faking a 'work related' injury. Sometimes it's hard to remember whether it's your left leg or right. And you know those hidden cameras will catch you picking something up sometime.
The only bad face I see in the company is if they cowtow to such a lame emotion worn on the sleeve of an employee. If the company has no more defense of its interests over a hypersensitive employee, I don;t think I would want to do much business with them. IMHO, I have more respect for the company that tells such an employee to go pound sand.
That is one sick dude that hung up a noose. He should be fired. Do not sue, do not collect $200.00. I think the management has some problems if they don't fire him.
No Noose is Good Noose?
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