Here are
some of the reasons I believe Poynter’s Al Thompkins perpetuates racism
when he supports the notion that the noose hangings in the
From
Diverse Online
Current News
Perspectives: Hanging
Nooses, Hate Pose a National Health Risk
By Daryl Rowe, Shelly Harrell, Miguel Gallardo, Thema Bryant-Davis, and Joy
Asamen
Oct 31, 2007, 05:21
The
recent increase in the number of hanging nooses in public spaces targeting
African-Americans has been highly disturbing, given the horrific legacy of
lynching in this country. Since three White students hung nooses from a tree
outside a
Hanging
nooses are powerfully heinous symbols of hate and White supremacy that evoke an
especially hideous epoch in U.S. history, from 1882 — 1968, when more
than 4,700 African-Americans were lynched, tortured, mutilated, burned,
castrated and terrorized — with the active or implicit support of entire
communities. Not only did the hanging noose come to symbolize the de facto total disregard for the sanctity
of African-American life and liberty, the public participation in these
ritualistic murders marked the dehumanization of the perpetrators. Thus,
hanging nooses — far from being pranks — signify blatant racism and
contempt for the lives and dignity of African-Americans, requiring constant
vigilance to identify, prosecute, and punish its perpetrators, to the fullest
extent of the law.
As
psychologists, we are in the business of understanding, healing and preventing
human suffering. Hate crimes, including the hanging of nooses, are sources of
psychological trauma and suffering. Post-trauma symptoms can include
depression, anxiety, distrust, difficulty concentrating, unhealthy forms of
self-medicating such as substance abuse and physical health consequences such
as hypertension. In addition to the traumatic impact on the direct target, witnessing
or hearing about traumatic experiences, particularly for those who are
vulnerable to future attacks by virtue of shared race with the victim, can also
have important psychological consequences. In addition, psychologists have
explored the phenomenon of intergenerational trauma where current generations
continue to be impacted by the collective memory of genocide, colonial
occupation, slavery and other atrocities.
It is
important to pay attention to the far-reaching consequences of racially
motivated hate crimes. The consequences of hate crimes in any form (e.g.,
religious, sexual orientation) permeate all levels of society, creating
communities soiled by distrust, fear and isolation. Addressing, preventing and
eradicating hate is not just a “Black issue,” it is a human rights
issue. Racism is, at its core, about the dehumanization of others. When we
tolerate racism, we are giving our society permission to dehumanize people on
the basis of phenotypic expression. It is imperative that these incidents not
be ignored, dismissed, or treated lightly. Responses such as
“what’s the big deal” and “just get over it”
indicate a denial of the lived experience of others, an externalizing attitude
of “blaming the victim,” and an unwillingness to get out of our own
comfort zones and privileged lenses to see the world through the eyes of
another. As a nation, we are at risk for regression, for descending into a
previous state of unhealthy functioning. Choice and free will are important
concepts in mental health. What is our will as a nation? Do we choose to ignore
these signs of impending illness and let the sickness of racism ravage the soul
of our nation? Or do we choose the path of health, growth and transformation?
Hate is
a preventable illness. But its prevention must begin early and involve
opportunities for cooperative and interdependent contact between individuals of
different racial/ethnic groups. As an educational institution, we take
seriously the responsibility of engaging young people in experiential learning,
which is a fundamental pedagogical principle for creating learning experiences
that endure. As psychologists and educators, we suggest that the development of
positive intergroup relationships, characterized by respect, compassion and an
understanding of our interconnectedness, should become a fundamental component
of the basic educational experience of children and youth, no different from
reading, writing and arithmetic. The health of our society depends on it. In
the end, our goal must be even greater than the common contemporary call for
tolerance. Ultimately, we are being called as a nation to truly live our most treasured values and
be accountable to live in ways that honor the humanity that we share.
Drs. Daryl Rowe, Shelly Harrell, Miguel Gallardo, Thema
Bryant-Davis and Joy Asamen are members of the psychology faculty at
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