William R. Richardson: “Part of what makes this Nation respected is our ability to acknowledge history, both good and bad, and make the…”

“Part of what makes this Nation respected is our ability to acknowledge history, both good and bad, and make the conscious effort to not repeat those same mistakes. Make no mistake about it. The noose is an ugly symbol, and it is a painful reminder of a time period where a piece of rope was used to administer criminal injustice and to intimidate an entire population. Likewise, it is important to note that the lynchings were not limited to African Americans alone. Historians have noted and documented at least 605 cases of Hispanic Americans who were lynched between 1848 and 1928. According to the Tuskegee Institute, more than 4,700 people were lynched between 1882 and 1959 in a campaign of terror led by the Ku Klux Klan. Also noted is that white individuals were lynched during that same time period, and of that 4,700, it is believed that at least one-fourth were white members. It is important to understand that the noose can create a memory of pain as noted by my colleague. It is a pain that is often considered similar to viewing a swastika. This is a terrible reminder to us all that intimidation, whether it be done in speech or in action or in symbols, should not be tolerated.”