[Antiracism] 3rd Noose Incident at Hampshire College

[Wilson Valentín-Escobar]

Colleagues and Friends,

Despite Hampshire College's "progressive" image, this is the third 
noose incident on campus in the past three semesters.  More information 
below.

Wilson Valentín-Escobar
Assistant Professor of Sociology and American Studies

Begin forwarded message:

> From: HCAnnouncements at hampshire.edu
> Date: April 18, 2008 11:53:31 AM EDT
> To: Subject: Community Gathering Today at 3PM on Library Lawn
>
>
>
> This is a critical announcement that was automatically sent by 
> Hampshire College's Intranet Announcement system.
>
> For additional announcements, please visit 
> http://intranet.hampshire.edu
>
> Title :  Community Gathering Today at 3PM on Library Lawn
>
> Memorandum
>
> Date: April 18, 2008
>
> To: Hampshire College Community
>
> From: Ralph J. Hexter
>
> Subject: Community Gathering Today at 3PM
>
> At 4:45 p.m. yesterday (April 17), a student reported to Public Safety 
> that at approximately 10:30 a.m. that same morning, the student and a 
> friend were walking by Emily Dickinson Hall when they found a 
> crudely-made noose hanging from a tree. The student reported having 
> removed the noose at that time and having brought it to the student's 
> residence hall. Public Safety, working with the students through the 
> evening, obtained statements from both and has the noose in its 
> possession. Investigation by Public Safety is continuing.
>
> Display of a noose, given the dreadful history of murder and 
> oppression it evokes, is a form of hate speech. It is hard to think of 
> an object or symbol that carries the same valence in American history. 
> We must stand together against the intimidation of any members of our 
> community.
>
> Whoever did this is expressing clear opposition to our commitment to 
> active anti-racism. As I have noted, I called on the entire college to 
> engage in active anti-racism in Making of the College 2.1, issued 
> early in the fall of 2007. Over the past few weeks students and I have 
> been in productive dialogue in fleshing out details of an Active 
> Anti-Racism Administrative Action Plan. Discussions with students 
> continue, but I had already determined to make public the latest 
> version of this plan by the end of this week. The events of the last 
> twenty-four hours make it all the more important that the entire 
> community, and the interested public beyond our campus, know what our 
> commitments are. I will release that larger document within a few 
> hours.
>
> I ask you all to join me at 3 p.m. today on the Library Lawn for an 
> expression of solidarity in our commitment to active anti-racism.
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