N.Y. Considers Anti-Noose Legislation

State Senate Approves Bill Making It A Felony To Use Threatening Symbol

(CBS/AP)  New York state lawmakers Monday took a step toward making it a felony to etch, draw, paint or otherwise displaying a noose or an image of a noose, typically used to send a threatening racial message.

"We won't tolerate this," said Sen. Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican who sponsored the measure that passed Monday in the Senate. "There is no place for racism and intimidation in America and this rash of incidents clearly demonstrates the need for tough new penalties."

The bill is sponsored in the Democrat-led Assembly by Rules Committee Chairman Joseph Lentol of Brooklyn. The Assembly may convene Tuesday and could consider the bill. There was no immediate comment from the Assembly.

Monday's Senate vote came as New York City police said a black high school teacher in Brooklyn had been targeted with a letter containing racial slurs and a string tied into a noose.

The 44-year-old teacher at Canarsie High School told police she received the letter and the noose through the mail. Police say they have no suspects.

The discovery is among a number of recent incidents involving symbols of lynchings in the Old South.

Nooses were found earlier this month on a black professor's door at Columbia University, outside a post office near ground zero in lower Manhattan and in locations on Long Island. There have been no arrests.

There have been a number of other nooses found in high-profile incidents around the country - in a black Coast Guard cadet's bag, on a Maryland college campus, and in the Jenna Six case in Louisiana, where six black teenagers were charged with beating a white student. The incident happened after nooses were hung from a tree on a high school campus there.

Skelos said he is optimistic the Assembly will pass the bill. He said that, as in the case of Nazi symbols and burning crosses, an intent to threaten or harass would be part of an anti-noose law.

[thee0racle]

ridiculous waste of lawmaker''s time. Making a law doesn''t stop the underlying social problems. Might as well have a No Rebel Flag law, too. Why don''t they band together and stop paying billions for a senseless war and start taking care of the people that elected their useless butts?

[gangesdak]

Granted noose should not be drawn or displayed like what we noticed recently. But many of them, I believe, were done lightheartedly. Most of them were done by kids, not ina sense of anger, but for fun. Some people may not like that kind of fun. But to put them into law as felony! This is gross waste of tax payer money. These law makers are nuts.

[lewiston14]

You have to be kidding.

[allgood34]

WOW! NY has nothing better to do than come up with more laws when they can''t even enforce the current state/federal laws. The governor was to hand out legal documents (drivers licenses) to illegal aliens (the key word illegal)which should be against the law but then wants to make it a felony for someone to display a noose??? I understand what a noose represents and I do not condone the behavior in any way but I should think priority should be on the illegal aliens breaking the laws by illegally crossing our borders and using our services and over crowding our public schools without paying taxes.

The only reason for the recent increase in noose displays is because the media is making a huge deal out of the Jenna 6 case. Why can''t they make a huge deal out of the millions of law breakers which 10''s of thousands are commiting felonies every day? Is that not news???

I hate this country''s priorities.

[signof4]

You gonna ban gang graffiti? What if a black makes and displays a noose? Will they be prosecuted for hate crimes?

[hwy71so]

They should make it a felony to use the "N" word as well.

[hwy71so]

They should also outlaw all the "four letter" words.

AND burning the flag? Its illegal to make a statement by hanging a noose, but its okay to burn the very symbol of these United States.

Yep, sounds like New York...

[hookster12]

From the time of our creation as an independent nation millions of men, women and children have given up their lives for the freedom of voicing their opinion whether it%u2019s vocal, in script or sign language. I can believe that the people we voted into office would even consider wasting our hard earned tax dollar to take away this basic right, apparently these people don%u2019t have enough to do in Albany these days.

[brianbwb-2009]

Freedom of speech is one of the rights guaranteed by the constitution. I, a "Black" man, say let all those who wish to express their fear and hatred do so, it is much easier to fight an enemy who is not camouflaged.

Don''t even ban the "N" word, let everyone say whatever it is they wish to say, just let the system of public excoriation work, as it did with Imus.

The constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech does not mean guaranteed freedom from the consequences of your speech...

[diverinnl]

"The constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech does not mean guaranteed freedom from the consequences of your speech..."

Posted by brianbwb at 08:07 AM : Oct 23, 2007

Exactly!

[hwy71so]

brianbwb,
I agree with you. I was speaking tongue in cheek. If NY can ban the hanging of the noose, then the US can ban the desecration of the flag. I could personally care less about the noose thing. Doesn''t apply to me as I have no use for one. But, I''ve known hundreds, maybe thousands of men and women who have given up all to serve under the principle the flag stands for. Yet, to desecrate the flag is merely, "making a statement". Government says its freedom of expression. I see no difference between that and the display of a noose.

You know? A lot of haunted houses and other halloween displays use nooses in their decorations.

[mudrose-2009]

Oh, goodied, more politically correct c/rap coming down the pike. How wonderful to know we are now advancing into the area of thought crimes. Great! Anything else these clowns would like us to be politically correct about?

[bobebenson]

I once learned how to make a hangman''s noose.. In BOY SCOUTS!

[mike71067]

More silly laws. Wow. Let''s regulate other forms of expression and thought also. There''s a reason that a flag-burning amendment won''t ever pass. Think about it.

[feedback3-2009]

Will they also outlaw waving Glocks around in Rap videos. How about crosses. I personally would rather never see Barney the purple dinosaur again. And by the way the Phrase "the n word" is the most offensive thing I can imagine. If you can''t even say the word you give it more power.

[ciscocruiser]

This is getting ridiculous. If someone hates, let them hate. If they commit a crime, punish the crime. Period. E.g. If someone paints a swastika or a smiley face on a store window, that is defacing private property. Period. 1984 is coming true.

As for nooses (am I still allowed to say the word?), ignore them. The more we notice, protest, pay attention, the more people will do this. If they get zero attention, they will stop.

[Scooter68]

Let''s see drawing a picture of a noose is illegal, making the shape of a gun with your fingers is threatening (Thereby reason to suspend an elementary school student) and the Rockies baseball team wants to trademark the word "Rocktober" YEAH I''d say we have lost our grip on reality - over regulation is here.

[nexgen99]

I guess this means kids can''t play hangman anymore!! Just like they can''t draw cowboys with with guns.

[ms38654ob]

This is way beyond silly. No way it will survive the Supreme Court.

Don''t these dipwads have something better to do than insult the Constitution? What''s next?

[ramos937]

This is getting more ridiculous. The odds are that these nooses are being putting out by kids who want to tweak the noses of society.
They are getting a big kick out of doing so. Since no one is being physically damaged, just ignore them. This is a fad that will soon dissapear if it is ignored.

[hwy71so]

Simply put, this bill is unconstitutional.

[hwy71so]

Has nothing to do with color. It has to do with passing unconstitutional legislation. We have these freedoms for good reasons and there are too many legislators going off half-cocked these days.

[yankeerebel7]

A noose, like many other symbols, has multiple meanings. For instance, in the Old West it was a sign of justice and the law. It also may be a sign for suicide. People use it as a halloween decoration in their front yards.

This is stupid. We need to laugh at overly sensitive people, not bend over for them.

[rudy654-2009]

Good! Sending people death threats should never be considered protected free speech. Good grief, how can anyone defend threatening someone with a noose as free speech?? I guess a few of you have such plans and now feel your rights are threatened? GOOOD!!!

[oscarez]

"By the way I''''m a Jew so I want to make it illegal to have an oven. You can''''t draw an oven or use one tough. Grow up African Americans.
Posted by superchez1 at 10:22 AM : Oct 23, 2007"

Just wondering, how do you feel about swastikas painted on Synagogues?

[oscarez]

"We won''t tolerate this," said Sen. Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican who sponsored the measure that passed Monday in the Senate."

Republican, no need to say any more.

[dogsoul]

Hysterical... when it comes to trying to nab terrorists who are plotting mass murder against us every day - liberals do everything & ANYthing to roadblock Bush''s surveilance efforts on constitutional grounds - whining & weeping about how Bush is destroying our country by spying on suspicious Arabs... uncovering our techniques - alerting the enemies - taking legal action etc...

But show a couple nooses & get a story written - and it''s to hell with freedom of speech, we need to enact laws against saying this sort of thing!!!

Amazing the thought process liberals go thru and where their priorities lie...

[jn122736]

Oh, goodied, more politically correct c/rap coming down the pike. How wonderful to know we are now advancing into the area of thought crimes. Great! Anything else these clowns would like us to be politically correct about?
Posted by mudrose at 09:02 AM : Oct 23, 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wish it WERE no more than political correctness!

This type of law against free speech and demonstration serve more to control people, period, than PC.
As a matter of fact America is fast becoming a total police state with %u201Cwe the people%u201D being controlled by those in power rather than the other way around.

It doesn%u2019t matter which party is in power. A republican AND a Democrat-led Assembly sponsored this bill.

Prosecuting people for making a SERIOUS, EMANATE, threat is certainly justifiable, but the prosecutor should have to prove that a specific threat was intended against a particular person or persons.

Stopping a revolution of ARMED citizens would be a formidable task for any domineering government.

People in power know this, and for all who vote for republicans, or any other party, strictly because of a stated stance on gun control, a word of warning:
Some/most in BOTH parties are using your intense feelings about guns, (just as they do with religion) to control you.

When the country reaches a certain point of police state the total disarming of ALL citizens (by their own government) , will be a simple matter indeed

[papabc]

Stupid Law

They already go after people for hate and racial crimes. Doesn''t the noose fall under those.

The Government State of the Liberals will mother us where everything will be a crime they do not like. They will protect us to death with little or no room for personal freedoms.

Next: Outlaw Thought?

[papabc]

"" there are too many legislators going off half-cocked these days. ""

Most legislators are already half-cocked, Demo and Repub.

[sftodd]

One thing democrats and republicans can both agree upon is wiping their arse with the First Amendment. Because much as they might disagree on other things, when it comes right down to it, they are really just part of the same disgusting group of cowards incapable of leading and incapable of understanding when the tyranny of the majority is dangerous such as when the majority starts deciding what we are allowed to talk about and what simply cannot be tolerated. Thank God for the ACLU; with cowards like this in our government, someone has to do the hard work of protecting the freedom of speeach in this country. I am offended and disgusted by the noose, but I will fight for every american''s freedom of expression, period, no exceptions. Yes, it''s that important.

[jn122736]

Sorry I meant to type EMINENT rather than emanant

[sftodd]

P.S. Why is it that the only time you see a conservative up in arms about First Amendment violations is when it comes to hate speech? Are they really such simple minds that they can''t grasp the fact that fighting for "free speech" based solely on the content of the speech (as they always do) is not fighting for free speech? Yet, every time some one trys to prevent hate speech, pro-First Amendment conservatives come out of the woodwork like the roaches that they are. It would be nice to see you guys when our president tries to censor criticism of the U.S. government. Where''s your First Amendment principals then, you hypocrites.

[hwy71so]

"Most legislators are already half-cocked, Demo and Repub.

Posted by papabc at 11:24 AM : Oct 23, 2007"

You got that right.

[proudnative1]

Clearly, there is a need to push extreme justice in our Government for all individuals who call the United States of America their home. I am appalled to know that our youth has turned a blind eye to the rights of all who live in this country. Our futures lie in their hands. I, also a minority, take pride in being a Native American. I hear of the hate crimes, and children becoming victims to crime, and a war that has already claimed so many lives! There are fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, grandsons, granddaughters, and friends, who are sacrificing so much and some even their lives, to keep peace and freedom, not only for the United States of America, but for all mankind! Now our Government has to fight to keep peace among Americans%u2026I support this bill, not only in New York, but one day, for the Nation!

[jn122736]

Posted by sftodd at 11:26 AM : Oct 23, 2007
And
Posted by sftodd at 11:43 AM : Oct 23, 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you were to reformat the above two comments to omit the name-calling and personal insults you would be conveying a message of importance for consideration.

I, and I am sure, many others can and do agree with your basic thoughts, however, insults and name-calling destroys any real value in what you write, in addition to being extremely divisional.

If we cannot unite as Americans first, rather than be divided simply as republicans or democrats, we can never control our government as originally intended by the founders.

And that, my fellow Americans, is OUR responsibility and the %u201Cbuck%u201D truly does stop here.

[sftodd]

If you were to reformat the above two comments to omit the name-calling and personal insults you would be conveying a message of importance for consideration. . . .
Posted by jn122736 at 12:39 PM : Oct 23, 2007

I''m not sure I agree -- it seems to me that name-calling is the only language conservatives understand, and if you don''t dumb it down for them, you sound like John Kerry, intelligent, but no one listens to him. I''m trying shame conservatives who on the one hand support Guilliani when he violates the First Amendment by cutting public funding to museums based on the content of their artwork, but scream and cry like babies when someone wants to prohibit their hate speech. I''ve found that with simple-minded conservatives, their opinions are based on what they feel, not what they think. I''m trying to help them feel differently.

[worldpirate]

slowly we are having our rights stripped from us. i guess the taliban has won. what has happened to the USA i grew up in? Many ambitious young men wanted to be President ask our youth now! we are the people why are we allowing our lawmakers to make let alone introduce these uncontitutional laws? wake up america !

[frb01]

I am a resident of NYS. Certainly we have enough legislation on the books to cover it. Maybe they should have been just as eager to pass a state budget on time, it was late every year for over 20 years. Or maybe they should be just as quick to pass legislation that gets jobs for the upstate. Note to Hillary, you failed that test. These people are pathetic. If we would come together as a nation, and fix the problems instead of ramping them up we could have worked on fixing this along time ago.

[toolmangler-2009]

Don''t make ''new'' laws, enforce the ones on the books now!!!!!