By Jessica Taloney Reporter
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Published: Tue, October 30, 2007 - 4:13 pm
Last Updated: Wed, October 31, 2007 - 10:30 am
Jessica Taloney
A pair of security guards discovered a rope, which resembled a noose, hanging in a closet. The museum's director, Tommy McPherson, immediately talked to employees who said the rope was used to move exhibits and was tied in a "tow hitch knot."
"I was initially offended by it," said McPherson. "It took me a few looks and some explanation. I didn't know alot about nooses and I thought it simply looked inappropriate."
McPherson says he does not believe his staff intended to threaten anyone, but he still called a mandatory sensitivity meeting for all of his employees.
"I think that's a start," said Gary Dorth, who does not work at the museum. "I think sensitivity training is a good thing."
Dorth says he was glad to hear the museum is addressing the issue. The convenience store owner was recently the victim of what he says was flat out racism after a noose was found hanging from a tow truck called help him fix a flat tire."
"We serve over 200,000 people annually and we don't want to unintentionally use signs or symbols that are gonna cause emotional harm to people," said McPherson.
McPherson says the museum has zero tolerance for racism and while believes the rope was not intended as a noose, he says the sensitivity meeting was important to bring awareness to the power of symbols.
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I am married and not flirting. Now I have to fill up the message board to protest my innocence lol.
“Sensitivity training is actually stupid. It makes people very sensitive, so sensitive to every little percieved insult and ready to “hate the haters” at a moments notice, making for a hostile work environment for everybody, esp white people. Even more for white people who aren’t guilty of anything when a “minority majority” goes into lynch mob mode. Its a knot, morons! OMG what if you freaks saw a ranch hand or tack barn with all their “nooses” (lassos). What if you saw a “noose” in a pickup bed of an employee who uses it to hang deer on his camping trip. Are you going to demand he go to gitmo as a “hate monger” ? “