Family, under pressure, removes its hanged dummy

[philamena]

Anyway...I think a dummy with a black hood, in light of recent newsevents, might be seen as racist. And when people take offense and ask you to remove it, a civilized person would say, "So sorry, I didn't mean it that way. ..... thread

Angelmom,
I agree with you.

 

[CaliKid]

Hello! It's nearly Halloween. Where I live there's a man who owns a field on one of our major streets, and every October he hangs a similar figure. Sometimes it's stuffed with straw. He's put it under tractor wheels, shoved it upside down in a truck engine, etc. People need to laugh, and this is being blown way out of proportion.

 

[reb]

<Everyone who has EVER been discriminated against...cannot forget!>

YES, INCLUDING WHITES!! I have seen FAR more BLATANT, unabashed, out-in-the-open racism and hatred (AND VIOLENCE) against WHITES,, in our culture,, and especially when I was living in a black-majority city. But NO ONE CARES about that! When a white person is robbed, beaten, raped or murdered by a black person,, it is so common and so ho-hum it rarely even makes the news. And there is never any outrage. Which makes me outraged. AND it is never, ever, EVER called a HATE CRIME.. which in fact it is.

 

[White Rain]

<Everyone who has EVER been discriminated against...cannot forget!>

YES, INCLUDING WHITES!! I have seen FAR more BLATANT, unabashed, out-in-the-open racism and hatred (AND VIOLENCE) against WHITES,, in our culture,, and especially when I was living in a black-majority city. But NO ONE CARES about that! When a white person is robbed, beaten, raped or murdered by a black person,, it is so common and so ho-hum it rarely even makes the news. And there is never any outrage. Which makes me outraged. AND it is never, ever, EVER called a HATE CRIME.. which in fact it is.

:clap:

 

[GlitchWizard]

I wish the people who were so upset about the noose and it's implications, would fight as strongly to end the deaths that still occur by hangings (be it to help fund suicide prevention programs or ending the death penalty in countries that use hanging) rather than F'ing up my Halloween.

I do understand it can be disturbing to people who have lost a loved one to suicide, but many suicides are also done by drowning, knives, guns and pills - yet those are all out there too. Personally, I am disturbed by men who yell at their wives where I see it, due to my background, but I also realize that EVERYONE is disturbed by SOMETHING, and Halloween is about laughing in the face of what disturbs us. Having it lose it's power over us by minimizing the effect. Kids afraid of ghosts and goblins dress up as ghosts and gobins and mooch candy from strangers - when the rest of the year you don't dare take candy from strangers. It's a holiday meant to unsettle and resettle your mind. I love it.

Whomever said the noose and swastica represent only racist things to a certain age group, I GUARANTEE if you ask me (age 40) and my child (age 15) they are both just symbols you see on some kind of record album and also had a place in history - but if you don't have hate on the brain, you don't assume everyone is hating.

PS
But if people keep insisting that I am a horrible person because I am white and someone white a long time ago did something bad to someone black a long time ago - without admitting that someone black now did something bad to someone white now - it's going to fuel racism in me that didn't exist before. Me, and my daughter, and everyone else who has to listen to this crap. It's NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. (My new phrase of the day.)

 

[angelmom]

I wish the people who were so upset about the noose and it's implications, would fight as strongly to end the deaths that still occur by hangings (be it to help fund suicide prevention programs or ending the death penalty in countries that use hanging) rather than F'ing up my Halloween.

I do understand it can be disturbing to people who have lost a loved one to suicide, but many suicides are also done by drowning, knives, guns and pills - yet those are all out there too.

<snip>

Really? Your neighbors have Halloween decorations with guns and bottles of pills and knives?

I'd be looking to relocate.

ETA: I DO donate to a suicide prevention group. Being upset and volunteering are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Paladin]

I am appalled by racism and how people in the year 2007 can still harbor such ignorance is hard for me to understand.

I'm surprised you made this statement. I prefer to think that racism is taught. Many people are still alive from the racial turmoil that occurred in this country 40+ years ago. It's obvious they taught their offspring to hate. I'd say give it another hundred years before being surprised about this.

Then again, maybe it will never happen. People were hating on the Jews thousands of years ago and there is obviously still lingering racism towards them.

 

[MissieMt]

I find this entire line of thinking racist and totally offensive.
Thuggish tactics???
People called LE...How is that thuggish??

No doubt they would have firebombed the house???
How you go from calling the police to firebombing a house is totally beyond me..

For the record People above the Mason/Dixon line are just as racist as those below, probably more so ... they just stay in the closet about it.

I am appalled by racism and how people in the year 2007 can still harbor such ignorance is hard for me to understand.

I suppose that to degrade another just makes some people feel better about themselves.

I feel the same way Amraan. I know many people who are not from the south, and many of them are racist but they are VERY hush hush about it-in my opinion that can be even scarier sometimes. It's a sad, sad world when you have enemies as soon as you leave your mother's womb.

 

[Amraann]

I'm surprised you made this statement. I prefer to think that racism is taught. Many people are still alive from the racial turmoil that occurred in this country 40+ years ago. It's obvious they taught their offspring to hate. I'd say give it another hundred years before being surprised about this.

Then again, maybe it will never happen. People were hating on the Jews thousands of years ago and there is obviously still lingering racism towards them.

Paladin based on the post I quoted its obviously still being taught.

Disgusting isn't it??

Racism is taught and its not just by parents... .... Hubby and I have always loved Motown music... so our children were basically weened on it..
We moved to West Central Florida and our two oldest were in school ..
My son who was in Kindergarten at the time always loved the music we played.. One night a Motown tribute special came on...... Imagine our shock when our 5 year old saw the singers and got all up in arms about it. WHY??
Because they were black!
Trust me .. this is nothing we taught him! As a matter of fact we had a pretty quick come to jesus talk after that.
I enlightened my son to the fact that despite his white skin his grandfather was from Cuba and the same people spewing hatred of blacks would spew the same hatred towards a Cuban and even worse a white chick (me) who married a Cuban.
To be fair...racism is not ruled by whites alone... Hubby's Cuban family (his dad's side) are pretty racist themselves.. Apparently the lighter skinned you are the better... They absolutely GUSH about the blonde haired blue eyed Cuban relatives.
My younger BIL, whom we mostly raised, began dating a black girl.
Hubby's cousin called me all in a wreck about it... ranting about "if they had children"
OMG the Horror!!! (note sarcasim please)
She went on and on about these potential "mixed" children....
Much like I enlightened my 5 Yo a few years before I enlightened her..
What the Hell did she think my children were????? OH thats right mixed!! But blonde haired and blue eyed so that was ok?
She shut the hell up quick after that.

 

[Linda7NJ]

It's simple to me..it's nothing more than a Halloween decoration. GET OVER IT! Black's do not own nooses.

It would be far different if the family placed it on a black family's tree, but they didn't.

 

[Hopeful One]

I haven't read all the posts here yet but I just read the article. Give me a BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!! This sort of thing drives me MAD!!!!! Ooooh!! Let's not offend anyone!!! How about if we all live in the same color houses with the same size yards with no lawn ornaments and drive the same color-approved cars?? It was a HALLOWEEN prop, people!!!!!!!!!! Get over it!!!! I am SO tired of having my freedom of speech/expression taken away because some whiny brat is offended. If you don't like it, DON'T LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not to mention, not everything is supposed to be some negative racial slur or message. Yes, there are racist people out there. But I think the majority of us aren't.

Deal with it.

 

[Hopeful One]

Since I have lost a loved one to suicide who chose hanging as his method, seeing this would really freak me out. I cannot imagine being faced with it on a daily basis.

I respect your opinion and I'm very sorry for your loss. HOWEVER, we have all had traumatic events in our lives. What if I had a relative who died in a car crash? Should we ban cars because it would be hurtful for me to look at them? My sister is a recovering alcoholic and she is bombarded with images of beer and other alcohol countless times during the day. She isn't asking anyone to take down their banners, signs, or advertisements though. No, it's a part of her life and she has to DEAL with it.

I'm not directing this at you, just pointing out that we are all faced with difficult things throughout our daily lives. Part of life is getting over things, moving on, evolving (like reb said). It's life, it's hard. Period. The end.

 

[Amraann]

I haven't read all the posts here yet but I just read the article. Give me a BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!! This sort of thing drives me MAD!!!!! Ooooh!! Let's not offend anyone!!! How about if we all live in the same color houses with the same size yards with no lawn ornaments and drive the same color-approved cars?? It was a HALLOWEEN prop, people!!!!!!!!!! Get over it!!!! I am SO tired of having my freedom of speech/expression taken away because some whiny brat is offended. If you don't like it, DON'T LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not to mention, not everything is supposed to be some negative racial slur or message. Yes, there are racist people out there. But I think the majority of us aren't.

Deal with it.

It was inappropriate.

I disagree about the majority NOT being racist. Most just do not admit it...
The true test... what would you do if your daughter brought home a black BF?

 

[angelmom]

I respect your opinion and I'm very sorry for your loss. HOWEVER, we have all had traumatic events in our lives. What if I had a relative who died in a car crash? Should we ban cars because it would be hurtful for me to look at them? My sister is a recovering alcoholic and she is bombarded with images of beer and other alcohol countless times during the day. She isn't asking anyone to take down their banners, signs, or advertisements though. No, it's a part of her life and she has to DEAL with it.

I'm not directing this at you, just pointing out that we are all faced with difficult things throughout our daily lives. Part of life is getting over things, moving on, evolving (like reb said). It's life, it's hard. Period. The end.

As I said in my original post, my experience with suicide doesn't make me think this display should be banned. I just think it's tacky to hang it up. Obviously, the people who would do such a thing don't care. No, it's not all about me. It's not all about them and their Halloween and their yard either. Think about other people for a change.

Would you think that a Halloween display of a car with the driver holding a half empty bottle of tequila and a dummy laying across the hood or under the wheels was funny?

It's just kind of sick IMHO, and when someone asks you to take it down, a little selfish to have a tantrum about it and rant on and on about your civil rights being violated. As others have said, it's JUST a Halloween decoration. Get over it.

 

[Hopeful One]

It was inappropriate.

I disagree about the majority NOT being racist. Most just do not admit it...
The true test... what would you do if your daughter brought home a black BF?

Accept him with open arms. The same way I did when my sister brought home a black bf. And the same way I do with my one-year-old half-black nephew whom I am practically raising.

 

[Paladin]

I'd like to pose a question for you all for the sake of discussion. If the dummy was wearing something other than a black hood and jeans, anything, like a 3-piece suit or a white sweater and khakis, do you think the reaction would necessarily be the same?

 

[Hopeful One]

It's just kind of sick IMHO, and when someone asks you to take it down, a little selfish to have a tantrum about it and rant on and on about your civil rights being violated. As others have said, it's JUST a Halloween decoration. Get over it.

Right, it's JUST a Halloween decoration. If you don't like it, don't look. If I saw a Halloween decoration in someone's yard that I didn't like, I would NEVER be so self-righteous to ask them to take it down. If I was offended, bummer for me. But it's not my yard. I will just avert my eyes. I am highly annoyed by people who think they have a right to go through life and never be offended by anything. We're all human, we're all different, we all have a different sense of humor.

 

[Amraann]

As I said in my original post, my experience with suicide doesn't make me think this display should be banned. I just think it's tacky to hang it up. Obviously, the people who would do such a thing don't care. No, it's not all about me. It's not all about them and their Halloween and their yard either. Think about other people for a change.

Would you think that a Halloween display of a car with the driver holding a half empty bottle of tequila and a dummy laying across the hood or under the wheels was funny?

It's just kind of sick IMHO, and when someone asks you to take it down, a little selfish to have a tantrum about it and rant on and on about your civil rights being violated. As others have said, it's JUST a Halloween decoration. Get over it.

I don't think it should be banned... My reasoning is that I like to know who I am dealing with..
Either they are racist or they are just stupid ... either way not someone I would want to befriend..

From the article I read no one had a tantrum they simply called LE.

 

[angelmom]

I'd like to pose a question for you all for the sake of discussion. If the dummy was wearing something other than a black hood and jeans, anything, like a 3-piece suit or a white sweater and khakis, do you think the reaction would necessarily be the same?

I personally would still think it is tacky and gross, b/c my reaction isn't racial. I'm just a white girl from the 'burbs who hates gory stuff like that. Do people not consider the little kids that are around? It is creepy, and I don't understand why people think it is entertaining or amusing to display stuff like this. When we have a whole thread about the movie Gone Baby Gone and whether or not it should be pulled in respect for a single family on another continent, this whole thing astonishes me.

Others might have a different opinion.

 

[Amraann]

I'd like to pose a question for you all for the sake of discussion. If the dummy was wearing something other than a black hood and jeans, anything, like a 3-piece suit or a white sweater and khakis, do you think the reaction would necessarily be the same?

NO it would not be ...which is equally disgusting.