SAGINAW, MI – Regina Simon couldn’t quite believe what she saw.
The Saginaw resident was awakened around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, July 12 after her husband Donald got into the family’s vehicle at their North Carolina Road home.
“He went to grab a coffee this morning and it was in the side of his door on the truck parked right next to the house,” she said.
In the pocket of the door was left behind what appears to be a noose, with a note attached reading “Accessory to be worn with your BLM T-shirt! Happy protesting!”
“My husband woke me up…because he was just so shocked by it,” said Simon, who pointed out the window to the door where the items were found is broken.
Simon had been out in the neighborhood the day before wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt, but no comments had been made by anyone.
“That’s the first time I wore it,” she said. “The funny thing is I was talking with people about what type of reaction it would get.”
Saginaw police confirmed Monday, July 13 that they are investigating the matter as a potential racially motivated crime.
“The Saginaw Police Department is treating this case very seriously and Detectives are currently working on this case in conjunction with the FBI,” per a Saginaw Police Department news release.
They declined any further comment at this time “in an effort to preserve the investigation.”
Terry Pruitt, president of the NAACP Saginaw Branch, said he spoke with Saginaw Police Chief Bob Ruth Sunday night after learning about the incident and was happy to see the response by law enforcement officials.
“We’re certainly going to condemn any act of racism and discrimination,” said Pruitt. “This (incident) certainly is the height of despicability when you start talking about the noose and that sort of thing.”
He has spoken with Simon about the incident and pledged the organization’s support to the family.
Pruitt has also noticed an increase in the number of complaints received by the local branch in the last two to three years against Blacks, Latinos, Muslims, and Asians.
“I think the culture and climate we’re in, there’s an immense amount of polarization,” he said. “We’ve got some work to do to bring people and this nation back together…to eliminate discrimination.”
Pruitt added people should “not be closed mouthed about it” and provide any information they can when such an incident arises.
After the incident, Simon made the move to put signs outside her home reading Black Lives Matter, Who put a noose in our car?, and Honk to end racism.
It’s not the first time Simon has encountered a racial incident.
Around 20 years ago, Simon, who described herself as Mexican and white, was dating a black man and someone carved the N-word across the hood of her car.
Given the time that’d passed and no similar situation, Simon commented, “That’s why I thought, my God, aren’t we past this?”
“We have a nice home. I have a master’s degree. I’m a social worker,” she said. “We’re friendly with everyone in the neighborhood. All of our children play together.”
In speaking with other people, Simon noted she’s had open conversations with her husband, who is Black, about race and tries to listen to both sides.
“I’ve always tried to defend each side and lately I can’t defend it anymore,” she said. “Now it’s at my front door.”
Simon wondered aloud what she’d tell her 4-year-old daughter the next time she wants to take the family’s dog for a walk in the neighborhood.
“Do I have to tell her these are the hateful words that might get thrown at you?” said Simon.
For the person who left the noose and note behind, she harbored no ill will.
“I give them my pity, to walk around with this much hate,” said Simon, who is planning a march/rally through the neighborhood. “I’m not angry. I pity you.”
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Saginaw Police Detective Jeremy Holden at 989-274-0277, email jholden@saginaw-mi.com, or report a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-JAIL (5245).
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