Just Halloween or Racist?

[Mem]

A family in NJ was forced to take down their Halloween display because one of the many figures (that they have put up for 7 years now) was of a figure in a black hood over it's face with a noose around it's neck, hanging off of the wall on a house. Do you think this is just Halloween on a racist display that should be taken down? This was after one complaint from an African-American woman.
The family took it down voluntarily, but the Township said that there was nothing illegal in their display.

 

[B_4inches]

Well it doesnt sound like they were forced and I would have to see it to make any sort of judgement.

 

[Hellboy0]

Would have to see the whole setup to have a good opinion. But the figure in question might have been a representation of an executioner and therefore, not necessarily racist.

We don't really celebrate Halloween in Australia...too bad, cuz it's my favorite holiday!

 

[frizzle]

Racist? Depends on why the family decided to put up the display, which I would hazard to guess that they put it up with no racial strings attached. Would the same happen in the man happened to be a white guy?

 

[agnslz]

I don't think it's racist, I just think it's a little weird.

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

I've seen the article, and i think they're making a mountain out of a molehill.
They said clearly they weren't going for a racist theme, so the town has no case.

 

[dreamer20]

A family in NJ was forced to take down their Halloween display ... Do you think this is just Halloween on a racist display that should be taken down?
The family took it down voluntarily, but the Township said that there was nothing illegal in their display.

As it was taken down voluntarily I question the use of the words "forced to take down the display". I assume they were "asked" to take the display down in light of the other current inflammatory noose incidents in the U.S.A.

You have not given us a link to the actual story and pictures mem0101.
If your illustration were the actual display of a hanging black effigy dressed in grey pants with the poster below it stating "this is not a hate crime" it is understandable how the lady interpreted this image and why she was disturbed by it.

 

[Mem]

As it was taken down voluntarily I question the use of the words "forced to take down the display". I assume they were "asked" to take the display down in light of the other current inflammatory noose incidents in the U.S.A.

You have not given us a link to the actual story and pictures mem0101.
If your illustration were the actual display of a hanging black effigy dressed in grey pants with the poster below it stating "this is not a hate crime" it is understandable how the lady interpreted this image and why she was disturbed by it.

NJ.com: Everything Jersey

The original display had more Halloween decorations. This was on the news, but I could not find pictures of it. Their was a life size vampire and other ghoulish items on display. The pic you see is when they started to take down some items. The sign was not originally there. It was only put up after the commotion.

They were not forced, but pressured to take it down. I'm sure they were afraid of having damage to their home if they did not take it down, thus forcing them. Legally they had no obligation, nor broke any laws that would force them to take it down.

 

[Principessa]

This is not a racist display. The only problem with this display is that it comes on the tail end of the Jena 6 debacle and a few other genuine hate crimes aimed at black people involving nooses.

Racist? Depends on why the family decided to put up the display, which I would hazard to guess that they put it up with no racial strings attached. Would the same happen in the man happened to be a white guy?

Huh? You can't tell the race of the figure hanging in effigy. My first thought was it looks like the guy that operates a guillotine and I thought it odd he would be hung instead of having his head chopped off.

I don't think it's racist, I just think it's a little weird.

Ditto!

 

[Osiris]

You are probably right NJ and that really makes me mad. People need to get over it. That is no better than the Rabbi here that threatened to sue Sea-Tac airport because there was a nativity scene and no Jewish holiday representation.

Everything isn't a personal racist attack and calling a lawyer just because you don't like the way your neighbor looks is ridiculous The world has become to sensitive over the wrong things. Get pissed about hunger, famine, crime, disease, poverty, or genocide to name a few. Stop suing for every damn thing. Real criminals can't get their justice due to the amount of ridiculous cases flooding the court system.

I think this will be more the cause of society's downfall, not global warming.

BTW, who is going to sue the Ozone layer for copping out on that one? Or is the Ozone layer racist?

 

[Not_Punny]

I don't care if it was racist or not. It was an unusually disturbing get-up, and if a neighbor on my street had something similar up, I'd leave a basket of muffins on their doorstep along with a smiley face and a request to amend the display.

People get into Halloween BIG TIME in Los Angeles, and I've rarely seen anything that creepy. It just looks too real.

 

[frizzle]

Huh? You can't tell the race of the figure hanging in effigy. My first thought was it looks like the guy that operates a guillotine and I thought it odd he would be hung instead of having his head chopped off.

Nevermind that's a hood.