for 10 NOV 07: BREAKING NOOSE

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: You may find this item humorous, serious, or a little of both - but we offer these thoughts from time to time, as we keep a seventh-day Sabbath.)

How many civil rights leaders must be wondering what they started? Ever since the "Jena Six" rally in Louisiana in September, sightings of nooses seem to have jumped across the country. It makes me thankful I never learned to even tie a square knot in the Cub Scouts.

The latest case of a "noose in the news" came this past week at Hardaway High School. A senior and a freshman were suspended at least ten days, for allegedly making a noose and tossing it at two African-American students. As far as I know, Hardaway has NO rodeo team which would justify this....

One of the suspended Hardaway students supposedly explained he wasn't trying to make a noose -- he was making a "painter's knot," like people would use for a boat. But when we did a Google search for "painter's knot," about all we found were news stories about this incident. So apparently painters don't even make special knots for their ladders.

The suspended Hardaway students will face a school district tribunal next week, and could face even tougher punishment. Yet there's still no word of any punishment for the noose at a Columbus State University Halloween display. It's becoming clear that the campus's new NAACP chapter hasn't started yet - either that, or it's following the example of the local Rainbow/PUSH chapter.

Phenix City's Sin City Inquisition and Bar-B-Q blog (an ironic name for a topic like this) argued the other day that the fuss over nooses is a matter of political correctness. African-American people see the noose as a symbol of racial hatred and slavery. Other people groups might see it differently - such as the people in Iraq who celebrated when Saddam Hussein was hanged.

My Pastor for years contended that a thing is NOT wrong - but the way a thing is used can be. Tied one way, a rope can be a useful tool. Tied another way, we're learning it can hurt people's emotions and feelings. And depending on whether you win a tug-of-war, it can go either way....

What looks like "political correctness" in one person's eyes can be a matter of sensitivity and offensiveness in another's. As someone who tries to follow Jesus's example, it can be a challenging line to walk. The Bible's book of James tells me only perfect people "offend not in word" - so we can cross Don Imus off the perfection list, for one.

Yet Psalm 119 in the King James Version says about people who love the law of God: "nothing shall offend them." Other translations say nothing shall make them stumble. So believers need to develop a resiliency to offensive things. The challenge is in having a thick skin, without also having a hard heart.

The apostle Paul was so concerned about offending people that he warned in I Corinthians 8 against it. "If I hurt one of the Lord's followers by what I eat," the Contemporary English Version says, "I will never eat meat as long as I live." And you wondered where the sudden growth of vegetarianism came from.,..

The bottom-line concept in all of this seems to be this: we should regard other people above ourselves. And in fact, the Bible recommends that in Philippians 2. There were hangman's nooses around back then -- except they were supposed to be used only to kill guilty people, instead of dragging people before judges and tribunals.

If you're really concerned about other people and their feelings, why would you need to tie a rope into a noose - and especially leave it out where others might get wrong ideas from it? The case at Hardaway High School shows some people need to think before they act in this way. Otherwise, offenders might find they've left just enough rope to hang themselves.

This blog has thousands of visitors each month, from people in Columbus and around the world. To advertise to them, offer a story tip or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.

BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 1941 (- 293, 13.1%)

The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.

© 2003-07 Richard Burkard, all rights reserved.