Noose Found in Stadium Construction Site; Workers Fired
posted 10:52 pm Fri January 25, 2008 - WASHINGTON
Officials with the city and electrical subcontractor Truland Systems say the noose was found Tuesday in a break room for construction workers.
"It kinda hurt because I never had to delt with that and it was disgusting," said electrician Keith Battle.
The decision to fire the Truland workers came after an investigation by Truland and the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission. "Truland does not condone this type of action. We are very fair, non-racially discrimintatory company," said John Jordan with Truland Systems. Truland spokesman John Jordan tells The Washington Post that the company was deeply appalled by the noose.
It's unclear if the noose was meant as a joke or prank, but one construction worker told ABC 7/Newschannel 8 reporter Matt Brock:
"That's not a joke at all," said Eric Beamon. "I thought we were past that with Martin Luther King Holiday just on Monday. That's unbelievable to me." It's not the first allegation of racist behavior at the job site. Less than a month earlier, five black electricians were fired after a Truland worker criticized their work and made what they believed were racially derogatory remarks.
Officials with the sports commission say the employee who had the noose was in his first day on the job and they don't believe the two incidents are connected.
At-large D.C. Councilman Kwame Brown has promised to conduct an investigation of the incidents.
"I want answers now," said Brown in a statement. "This is an outrage. I will fight tooth and nail to discover the truth of what happened. I will also do what's in my power to ensure that companies with a proven history of discriminatory practices never get contracts or do business with the District of Columbia . Hate crimes will not be tolerated."
Latest Comment on Noose Found in Stadium Construction Site; Workers Fired
fxdwng
10:18 am on 01/26/08
Not sure what happened either, but good thing Kwame Brown is on the case. He wants answers. So I guess since he stomps his feet and demands answers, he'll get some. Here's an answer; a couple of construction workers with too much time on their hands decided it would be funny to make a noose out of some cable. Now, I know that's not quite involved enough for Kwame, he'll want to show links to some terrorist orginzation, or relate it to gun control, or the state of the public schools or something. Might need to start a coalition, or have an awareness day, or a march...yeah a march, that would do it.
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