Oregon Senate passes bill that says displaying a noose is a hate crime

(APRIL 5, 2021) Last week, the Oregon Senate approved a bill almost unanimously. In government, a bill is an idea for a law. The word "unanimously" means everyone agrees. Here, 27 state senators voted "yes" and only 1 senator voted "no."

What was the bill? The bill would make it illegal to display a noose. According to Cambridge Learners Dictionary, a noose is "a piece of rope tied in a circle, used to catch animals or to hang (= kill) people." With this new law, displaying a noose would become a hate crime. The dictionary defines "hate crime" as "a crime or crimes, usually involving violence, committed against someone because of their race or religion, because they are gay, etc."

Senator Ginny Burdick said, "Displaying a noose is a hateful act. It is meant to intimidate and harass." That is because a noose was used often in history by white people to hurt people of color. According to the Anti-Defamation League, "Its origins are connected to the history of lynching in America, particularly in the South after the Civil War, when violence or threat of violence replaced slavery as one of the main forms of social control that whites used on African-Americans." Today, it is a symbol that is commonly used to intimidate Black people

"Hate crimes are disturbingly on the rise in Oregon, including in my district," said Burdick. "A noose is a racist symbol. It is intimidating to our neighbors of color. And it needs to be banned."

According to The Oregonian newspaper, "If the House passes the bill, displaying a noose would be punishable by up to 364 days in jail, a fine of up to $6,250 or both."

A bill must be approved by both the state senate and the state house of representatives before it becomes a law. The Oregon House of Representatives will vote soon.