As a rule, a rope is just a rope. But an innocuous rope can be put to a pernicious political purpose:

Earlier this week, a “staff member” at Sherwood High School “discovered a small rope tied in a manner resembling a noose, draped over the fence surrounding the school’s tennis courts,” according to an email from the principal, republished by MocoShow.

The Ashton-Sandy Spring [Maryland] high school quickly contacted police.

Over a piece of rope. Because it had a knot in it, which theoretically the KKK might have tied.

After making a federal case out of it, authorities predictably found there was no racist intent behind the innocent piece of rope that they had seized on as a pretext to indulge in weaponized hysteria. Yet Principal Timothy Britton writes:

“While our investigation determined that the individuals involved did not intend to communicate a racist or anti-Black message, the impact of such imagery is deeply harmful and cannot be understated. We recognize how disturbing and upsetting this symbol can be, particularly to our Black community members, and we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness.”

This is ominous:

“We are now in the process of determining appropriate consequences in accordance with the [Montgomery County Public Schools] Student Code of Conduct.”

Imagine how fast educrats would string up an actual anti-black racist, if they ever encountered one.

On a tip from Matt L.