[News] Nooses Hung From Jena, La. to College Park, Md.

[Anti-Imperialist News]

http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs09182007.html

September 18, 2007


Nooses Hung From Jena, La. to College Park, Md.

By RON JACOBS

On September 7 , 2007 a noose was found hanging from a tree outside 
the Nyumburu Cultural Center at the Universtiy of Maryland.  This 
incident occurred only two days after a rally for the Jena 6 (a case 
that also involves the hanging of nooses) at nearby Howard University 
in Washington, DC that attracted between 1500 and 2000 
people.  University of Maryland officials have been quick to comment 
on the noose incident at the center and student organizations led by 
the campus Black Student Union have mobilized thousands of students 
and community members against racism.  What follows is an exchange 
with one  of the many organizers of the anti-racism campaign.

Ron: First, can you tell me about the incident and how it was discovered?

Rayyan: On September 7 , a noose was found hanging on a tree outside 
the Nyumburu Cultural Center at the University of Maryland.  There is 
speculation that the noose had remained on the tree for nearly a week 
before it was finally reported to the police by an unknown 
person.  On Friday, the police department issued a statement 
characterizing it as a hate crime, and indicating that they were 
looking into the matter.

Ron: What is your role at the University of Maryland?  How long have 
you attended the university?

Rayyan: I have attended the University of Maryland as an 
undergraduate for the last two years (this is my third year on 
campus).  I am currently a Criminology and Criminal Justice major, 
although when I am not studying, I play a role in organizing as an 
activist on campus.  I am a member of the International Socialist 
Organization (and have been since my freshman year).  The ISO often 
unites with other student groups (such as the Latino Student Union 
and the Muslim Students Association) to organize around issues of 
social justice (among them the issue of immigrants rights, defending 
Arabs/Muslims from racism, and organizing against the war).  As an 
activist, my primary goal is to help rebuild an organized Left on the 
campus and around the country that can stand against the social and 
economic issues that face working people today.

Ron:What is the Nyumburu Cultural Center?  Who has their offices 
there and what is its history?

Rayyan: Nyumburu is a multicultural center that is now in its 28th 
year.  The word "Nyumburu" comes from a Swahili word meaning "freedom 
house," and the primary aim of the center is to provide a safe haven 
for community members of all different ethnicities and cultural 
backgrounds.  By providing a place for intellectual dialogue, the 
Center is able to fight against racist violence and ethnic discrimination.

Ron:Were you surprised at this incident?  Had there been any 
indication in recent years that the apparent sentiment that the noose 
symbolizes exists on campus or in College Park?

Rayyan: Racial tensions have been boiling up on campus for the past 
few years now.  In 2005 there was an incident of police brutality 
towards people of color on campus after police officers broke up a 
party in a university residential complex.  Community Roots, an 
activist group on campus, along with other student organizations 
initiated a rally in response to brutalitywhich drew out over 150 
people .  The recent incident, however, is a little different in 
character in that it was not another episode of police using racism 
as a weapon--this recent crime was most probably committed by a 
member of the University community.

Maryland often prides itself on graduating more African Americans 
than any top twenty public university, but it can't just be a 
statistic.  The university has to embody those principles and address 
issues of racism in an open manner.

Ron: What has been the ad hoc response of the students?  The 
administration?  Faculty and staff?

Rayyan:The President of the University, President Mote, released a 
statement to the campus community on September 8--excerpts are pasted below:

To Members of the University Community:

The University of Maryland is proud of its great diversity and deeply 
committed to the right of all members of our family to work and live 
in an environment in which they feel safe, and respected. The recent 
report of a hate crime, which is now under investigation by our 
Department of Public Safety, is of great concern.  The possibility 
that this act appears intended to bring to mind the horrific crime of 
lynching, which is such a terrible and tragic part of our nation's 
past, is particularly abhorrent.

The University of Maryland will not tolerate discrimination, 
harassment or acts of hate.  All members of our community should be 
aware that incidents that run counter to our inclusiveness should be 
reported to one of the offices listed at the end of this letter.

I know that I speak for the entire University of Maryland community 
in saying that we are dismayed at this possible hate crime.  We know 
that the successful investigation of this act and the apprehension of 
those responsible will be greatly assisted by members of the campus 
community who come forward with information.

I thank the campus community for standing in unity against the spirit 
and execution of such acts.

C. D. Mote, Jr.
President

The students response has been incredible.  The Black Student Union 
has played an amazing leadership role in organizing the campus.  As a 
campus community, we cannot give them enough credit for their 
response to this incident.  Yesterday, the BSU held a town hall 
meeting at which over 200 students attended (it was held right in 
Nyumburu).  There were people of all genders, races, and backgrounds 
attending in solidarity with the people of color on the campus in a 
united fight against racism.

Ron: As you know, there was another racial attack regarding a noose 
recently in Jena, Louisiana.  What do these occurrences represent to 
you?  Is this type of racism coming back or do you consider them to 
be harmful but isolated incidents?

Rayyan: It is not a coincidence that two days after a successful 
"Justice for the Jena 6" solidarity rally at Howard University a 
noose was found hanging at the University of Maryland.  The reality 
is that despite the massive gains made by the Civil Rights and Black 
Power movements, racism is very much alive today.  In addition, there 
is a polarization in society--the people who support such bigotry are 
on the defensive because those of us who are anti-racists have made 
it clear that we will not tolerate racist injustice in any 
form.  That means that when they come out with their nooses (in Jena, 
and in CP), we need to make it absolutely clear that they are not 
welcome.  We need to make sure that these racists are no longer 
comfortable in expressing such violent behavior.

Ron Jacobs is author of 
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859841678/counterpunchmaga>The 
Way the Wind Blew: a history of the Weather Underground, which is 
just republished by Verso. Jacobs' essay on Big Bill Broonzy is 
featured in CounterPunch's collection on music, art and sex, 
<http://www.easycarts.net/ecarts/CounterPunch/CP_Books.html>Serpents 
in the Garden. His first novel, 
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0977459098/counterpunchmaga>Short 
Order Frame Up, is published by Mainstay Press. He can be reached at: 
<mailto:rjacobs3625 at charter.net>rjacobs3625 at charter.net




Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20070918/ebfed776/attachment.htm>