Scott Richards said: "I'm saying the media would have called it a McCain poster had it been McCain."

******************

THAT is a pretty big assumption. So you are right, Scott, "Everyone is making assumptions and assuming guilt."

Based on the way the media (aside from Fox News) reports things on McCain, no, not a big assumption.

Mike said:

There is no other way to view a black man hanging by his neck from a tree.

If they were so ignorant to not understand the instant cultural association, they surely would be quickly made aware of it by all the attention, and they would come out and say "Wow!  Despite us being in college, we were ignorant of the history of lynching blacks in America - we meant to make a different kind of political statement."

I agree with the second half of that statement....People are woefully ignorant and self absorbed not to mention thoughtless.  I would even agree with the first half had they used a rope or even some kind of cord or formed a noose.  The fact that they used nearly invisible fishing line implies that that was not part of the message.

Michael said:

Whether or not the students intended to invoke the image of a black man hanging from a tree, the note on the cutout was in reference to a scholarship that is given to minority and low-income students, mostly minority students. How can that not be read as a racial statement?

Specifically it said"Act 6 reject" I assumed they were labelling Obama has having not qualified (ie: being not good enough) for the Act 6 program.  this would again be a slam to Obama but not a slam on races.

Updated to embolden Mikes post*

But Don - why hang it from a tree then?  Why not hang it from a window?  Why not secure it in multiple spots with the fishing line.

There were SO many other ways to do this that didn't involve hanging a life-like image of a black man from a tree by his neck.

"Assholes?" --- such harsh language.  Why isn't this just a "tragedy" that "happens to be criminal"?

A crucified, murdered young gay man not merit the same passion you express here for this racial hate crime that fortunately left no one dead?

Marc:

I'm not quite sure how to respond.  Lets me address your first point and then see where we get from there.  The events in the article Jodi linked were not a tragedy. They were at best a stupid misguided prank and at worst an act of racial hatred, but, as you point out, no one died so a tragedy did not occur.  Are the acts criminal? Quite possibly, but I don't know for sure and note I did not posit an opinion as to that.  I was reacting to the schools reaction.  And the actors who commited the act are assholes (or jerks or anyother name you want to call them).

As for my response in your thread, in no way was I minimizing the tragic death of Matthew Sheppard.  The only one who read my comment that way, or commented upon as such, was you.  If that is what you took from my comment I'm sorry, but at no time was I minimizing the heinous act that took a young person from this earth before his time.  My point was that whenever a young person dies it is a tragedy because we lose the potential of what that person will be.  Sheppard's death was not only tragic, it was also criminal.  It was a heinous act of hatred which should not be minimized or forgotton.  I responded succintly, but not without feeling.  I suspect anyone who has read what I have written on this board regarding civil liberties and basic human rights would understand that.  Clearly you did not.  

As someone who has posted on this board for sometime I think I have established what type of person I am.  To that end I thank everyone who defended me or spoke on my behalf.  Its very appreciated.  Clearly, you have a different view of me and I suspect that you dislike me.  Thats fine.  You are entitled to do so, although candidly I cannot think of what I have written to cause you to feel that way.  So if you want to ignore my posts, or challenge what I write or even attack me -- be my guest I'm a big boy.  What I cannot do, however, is allow your misunderstanding of my comments, in this thread or any other,  to color the way others may read my words or to assign some meaning to the words that are not there (or intended to be there).    And while I feel it necessary to defend myself because I think you have mischaracterized both my words and character, I do not want my "self-defense" to be interpreted as slight of your feelings.  So again, if you have taken offense at my words I apologize, as none was intended.

Bad news (in my opinion) -- McCain is dropping out of Michigan.

Apparently, the McCain camp felt they couldn't make any headway in the state. It's yet another sign that the McCain/Palin ticket is in trouble.

Palin is coming to Greensboro on Oct. 16th for a fundraiser. I see this as a bad sign, as if you are still need to money three weeks before the election, you are in trouble. That is the home stretch of a campaign - you should have your money lined up and spend 100% of your time campaigning.

I'm a McCain supporter, but my hopes of him winning are growing dimmer by the day.

Didn't Michigan go democratic in 2004?  He maybe just allocating his resources to Ohio, PA or Florida.

But Don - why hang it from a tree then?  Why not hang it from a window?  Why not secure it in multiple spots with the fishing line.

There were SO many other ways to do this that didn't involve hanging a life-like image of a black man from a tree by his neck.

I agree with you...we are really on the same page.  I think whoever did this should without a doubt be punished to fullest extent of the law. 

I merely posit, that perhaps all is not as it seems...

Perhaps they thought without rope and noose, and racial epithets scrawled across him that they thought they wouldn't muddy their message...

Perhaps they thought they were being clearly political...

Or perhaps you're right, and they were so stupid that they couldn't even send the most basic racial threats of violence and make it clearly racial.

There is no excuse for this level of ignorance, and thoughtlessness, but perhaps without proof otherwise it would be prudent to assume they are innocent of the hate that we would normaly associate with this.  I would just like more information and background...even if the reasons were stupid I want to hear them before I label them rascist.

Believe me, I hear you...and my gut instinct upon reading about this was the same as yours...but I have met people that truly have no sense of history...I have actually had the pleasure of sharing that history with the uninformed...

I knew a girl that was complaining about MLK day...not understanding the magnitude of his contribution to or scrifices for our society.  She really didn't realize the  history of segregation and the struggle(ongoing) for equality.  I sat down with her and had lunch and I taught her some history, told her some stories, and had her listen to MLK' s most famous speech.  I think she gets it now...

My point is that if these kids were sheltered...and perhaps homeschooled, they may have missed a great deal of acculteration that is needed to understand the historical prescident of their own actions...I just want more info.

Don