Worcester USPS Reveals Findings in Noose Investigation

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

Patrick Sargent, GoLocal Worcester Contributor

On Wednesday evening, the Coalition Against Bias and Hate and the NAACP held a Community Meeting at the YWCA to address the findings of an investigation into a hangman's noose found at a Worcester Post Office.

Pat Yancy, President of Worcester branch of NAACP, said"This is the most horrific form of intimidation and violence. These symbols of hate and violence belong in the past. Let's not let that symbol of hate divide us as a city." However, Yancy admitted, "That we know of, no federal or state statutes have been broken."

The noose was first reported by Lamar Watkins, who has a Post Office box at the location, to the NAACP on June 12th. It was removed on June 26th. According to Mike Power, the United States Postal Service District Manager, employees at the Denholm Building Post Office Branch, said the noose had been up since November 2013, but wasn't seen by anyone in the public until it was reported to the NAACP.

Power said, "I was first notified about the situation by the U.S. Attorney General's office. I was taken aback by it. This isn't something we stand for. An immediate investigation began."

Mayor Joe Petty said, "The city handled it appropriately. The city of Worcester learned a lot."

A Terrible Joke

According to Power, the noose was a poor attempt at a joke. "We had an employee who thought he was making a joke on himself. It was a bad joke, gone bad. This person made the noose and did so making fun of his ethnic background. They called it their 'suicide device,'" said Power. "He was an individual that finds humor in things that most people don't find humor in."

Ron Macon, a Worcester resident present for the meeting, said to the panel, "The humor is lost."

The Postmaster General Dan O'Neil, said "We have over 400 employees in the district. We care a lot about Worcester. This is an employee that's worked with us for a long time and we've never had an issue with him."

Response from the Crowd 

In a group exercise room at the YWCA, a crowd of around 30 individuals were given the opportunity to make remarks and ask questions to the panel. Several of the members of the crowd spoke of the need for the USPS to provide a Diversity Officer, or a Diversity Department to help with issues like these and to prevent further issues such as these. Macon suggested that the USPS address people by any means of media possible in regards to this situation. "It would behoove the Post Office to get the message out, so others in the public will know."

Shirley Konneh, from Worcester's Human Rights Commission, said "For the noose to be up so long, it is unacceptable. It should've been taken down when Mr. Watkins reported it."

"It's our labor that unites us," said Gwen Davis, of Worcester. "Everyone at that post office and in the community has a job in disrupting racism."

In response, Power said, "As soon as we were notified, the employees took it down. They have showed tremendous remorse."

The Next Steps

"When any person in this community is threatened or marginalized, it should be a call to action for all of us," said City Manager Ed Augustus. "We will continue to be vigilant. We have a long way to go."

Macon said, "It was a good first meeting. A good first step. The proof will be in what happens next."

Power said,"It was an embarrassing situation for the United States Postal Service to be involved with. We take pride in the fact that our employees do things for all people across the country every day. We hold to be sacred that we are in every community in every state in this country. We are more sensitive from this experience and I extend our sincerest apologies to the Worcester community."

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