2008 Woodie Awards
Web post: Noose was 'Halloween joke'
Male student confesses to police about incident
By: Alex Piazza
Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: News
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An anonymous person admitted Friday to hanging four nooses inside a classroom on the Central Michigan Life Web site one day before CMU Police received a similar admittance of guilt on Saturday morning.
However, it is uncertain whether or not the student who called police Saturday morning has any connection to the individual who posted the comment on Friday afternoon.
"The truth is I hung the nooses as a Halloween joke," the Web submission said. "I did not realize how nooses have been used in the recent past in Columbia and Jena as a 'symbol of hate and racism' and did not realize how inappropriate it has become. Honestly, it was more a symbol of 'I would rather be hung than do more work on this project' and the people involved took it in that context. If I had been aware of recent events, I would have known better than this."
A male student called CMU Police on Saturday morning and confessed his role in the hanging of four nooses inside Engineering and Technology Building room 228.
The university released a statement on its Web site Saturday afternoon after the student contacted police, but the name of the student remains unreleased.
"Student privacy laws prevent us from disclosing information about students or the disciplinary measures they receive," said Steve Smith, director of media relations.
The individual who posted on the Web site did not leave contact information. CM Life editors approve online posts before they appear on cm-life.com and the comment was not approved because it was an anonymous confession to a serious campus issue.
The individual said in the Friday comment he or she was considering coming forward.
"I have not decided whether it will help diffuse the situation, or just give a target," the Web submission said. "I do not want to be made an example of over something I never meant in a harmful way."
It has yet to be determined whether the nooses were intended to target a specific individual or group.
However, it is uncertain whether or not the student who called police Saturday morning has any connection to the individual who posted the comment on Friday afternoon.
"The truth is I hung the nooses as a Halloween joke," the Web submission said. "I did not realize how nooses have been used in the recent past in Columbia and Jena as a 'symbol of hate and racism' and did not realize how inappropriate it has become. Honestly, it was more a symbol of 'I would rather be hung than do more work on this project' and the people involved took it in that context. If I had been aware of recent events, I would have known better than this."
A male student called CMU Police on Saturday morning and confessed his role in the hanging of four nooses inside Engineering and Technology Building room 228.
The university released a statement on its Web site Saturday afternoon after the student contacted police, but the name of the student remains unreleased.
"Student privacy laws prevent us from disclosing information about students or the disciplinary measures they receive," said Steve Smith, director of media relations.
The individual who posted on the Web site did not leave contact information. CM Life editors approve online posts before they appear on cm-life.com and the comment was not approved because it was an anonymous confession to a serious campus issue.
The individual said in the Friday comment he or she was considering coming forward.
"I have not decided whether it will help diffuse the situation, or just give a target," the Web submission said. "I do not want to be made an example of over something I never meant in a harmful way."
It has yet to be determined whether the nooses were intended to target a specific individual or group.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 75
Nathan Inks
posted 11/19/07 @ 1:37 AM EST
BULL CRAP! Who doesn't know what racial implications hanging a noose has.
Natasha Moore
posted 11/19/07 @ 1:45 AM EST
1) Where was this right to keep a person's business disclosed when many of the men accused in the DeMarcus Graham case were publicised and being humiliated via cartoon, articles, etc?
2) To this "anonomous" person: Where in the world have you been all of your college career? Are you seriously going to sit here and pretend like we were not going to take this the way we should?
If anyone thinks that for a moment we (anyone who takes offense) would stand by and not voice our opinion on the matter, they are dead wrong. (Continued…)
Nathan Inks
posted 11/19/07 @ 4:22 AM EST
Another thing. I invite this mystery poster to tell me how he didn't know that the nooses were racist but that they was "not politically correct" and how exactly he had never heard that nooses were a symbol of racism. (Continued…)
benji
posted 11/19/07 @ 8:56 AM EST
"There is no joke or prank here," Smith said. "The university finds this type of action intolerable and it will take this opportunity to engage the campus community in a dialogue about diversity, respect, inclusion and the importance of upholding values that embrace all people. (Continued…)
Meagan Slappey
posted 11/19/07 @ 9:28 AM EST
I think the young man should make a public apology to the students of CMU for being ignorant and careless. It is a poor excuse on the young man's part of "not realizing how nooses have been used in the recent past. (Continued…)
G Washington
posted 11/19/07 @ 9:54 AM EST
The youngman has no clue what NOOSES mean to the African-American people. Its evident this child has never taken a course in African-American History or any other race history. (Continued…)
D. Samuel (CMU Mom)
posted 11/19/07 @ 10:26 AM EST
As a parent of a CMU student I am very relieved that this matter has come to closier. However I do think that the student involved should be held accountable for his/her actions. (Continued…)
Concerned Reader
posted 11/19/07 @ 10:27 AM EST
It's funny how CM-life states in the article that "CM Life editors approve online posts before they appear on cm-life.com and the comment was not approved because it was an anonymous confession to a serious campus issue. (Continued…)
toya
posted 11/19/07 @ 11:34 AM EST
1st it was a halloween joke, then it was 'rather be hung than work on this project'. Which lie would you like to stick to? Not being aware of the Jena six case is what's a joke. (Continued…)
John Tuttle
posted 11/19/07 @ 12:17 PM EST
The student who pulled this prank without with the nooses, didn't watch the news because of its bias, rightly so. Well, people are beating up on him and abusing him with the "news" they read or saw in the mainstream media. (Continued…)
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