When a major organization commits what seems like an obvious public relations blunder that makes you wonder how anyone in the organization could have possibly signed off on it, one has to always bear in mind that the ‘blunder’ was in fact a deliberate act, designed to get attention. The people behind the ‘blunder’ then apologize profusely and thus avoid the opprobrium. A win-win!
That was my suspicion with this report about a fashion accessory in the shape of a noose. There is no way that anyone could not see the noose as offensive. It seems like a rather obvious ploy to get attention and it worked.
Of course, by blogging about it, I too am feeding the monster …
What’s offensive about it? It’s only a little noose, clearly not functional.
Also, lots of people wear crosses and even crucifixes on a necklace.
Classic offence tourism. Particularly entertaining when it comes mainly from people in a country so barbaric that it still executes people.
I do not see it as offensive. At least not more offensive than numerous socially permitted symbols.
Firstly, noose does not have any strongly significant meaning in the culture I come from. I am not exactly sure how people were executed more than a century ago here (there must have been various methods, probably involving bullets), but capital punishment hasn’t existed during my lifetime.
Moreover, I just did a quick image search for “gun jewelry,” “bullet jewelry,” “handcuff jewelry,” and “whip jewelry,” and it all exists.
In addition, crucifix necklaces definitely take the cake when it comes to gruesome jewelry. They portray a dead body hanging on a torture implement. But somehow those aren’t seen as offensive.
Besides, we live in a society in which people walk around with various hate symbols (like the Confederate flag).
Moral outrage about a noose necklace while permitting various other just as disturbing symbols seems like an irrational double standard for me. People tolerate some problematic symbols just because they are habituated to them and simultaneously they also complain about something more novel.
In the US, with its history of lynching, the noose is considered an explicit symbol used to send a message that you’re not welcome around here if you’re Black.
Symbols don’t offend me anymore since I learned that we ourselves decide what they mean. Of course I recognize that symbols can be used to send hateful messages etc. Still waving the Confederate Flag in Suriname is hardly the same as waving it in the USA. But what despisable message do these fashion nooses send? Beats me.
Tasteless, sure, but fortunately that’s not to be condemned or I should protest MS’ choices of music and comics every time.
@GenghisF: as it happens the world consists of more than the USA alone. Paris, where that show occurred, is one example. But I have noticed before that many self declared American progressives support America First too.
GenghisFaun, I didn’t know that. Thanks.
The article Mano offered was referring to suicide, which seemed weird — who uses an executioner’s noose for suicide? But that makes more sense.