Everything Old is New Again

So it begins:

Texas:

Baylor University officials said they are investigating "deeply disturbing" incidents the day Barack Obama was elected the nation's first black president, including an apparent noose hanging from a tree.

"These events are deeply disturbing to us and are antithetical to the mission of Baylor University," interim president David E. Garland said in a statement Wednesday. "We categorically denounce and will not tolerate racist acts of any kind on our campus."

On Tuesday afternoon at the world's largest Baptist university, some students notified officials that a rope resembling a noose was in a campus tree, Garland said. Campus police took the rope and are investigating.

On Tuesday night, Baylor police broke up a shouting match between groups of white and black students arguing about the election, but no one got physical or was injured, Baylor spokeswoman Lori Fogleman said.

Campus authorities also responded to a barbecue pit fire where several Obama campaign signs were allegedly burned, Garland said.

"We believe that the incidents on our campus yesterday were irresponsible acts committed by a few individuals," Garland said. "As a community we condemn these terribly unfortunate events that do not represent the values we share as members of the Baylor family."

Massachusetts:

A predominantly black church under construction in Springfield was destroyed by fire early yesterday, just hours after Barack Obama's landmark victory, triggering concerns that the building was purposely set ablaze in a possible hate crime.

The blaze started at Macedonia Church of God in Christ at 3:10 and caused an estimated $2 million in damage.

Church officials pledged to rebuild, but the concerns that their building was targeted dampened a mood that had been so uplifted in the night of Obama's historic win to become the nation's first black president-elect.

"This was a special time in our nation's history, but I also know not everybody was happy and celebrating," said Bishop Bryant J. Robinson Jr., head of the church. "After 71 years of being an African-American, you know these things happen."

I guess they didn't get the memo from the WSJ yet:

One promise of his victory is that perhaps we can put to rest the myth of racism as a barrier to achievement in this splendid country. Mr. Obama has a special obligation to help do so.

Racism in America is so pre-11/4.