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You’d Have Done Better With a Scarecrow

Posted by JAZZ SHAW, Assistant Editor in Politics.
Oct 27th, 2008 | Comments

For nothing can seem foul to those that win.

King Henry
Henry IV, Part One, Act Five

Straight from the department of Going Too Far, we find this story coming out of West Hollywood. (Via Hot Air)

Halloween Palin Prop Sparks Controversy In WeHo

A Halloween decoration showing a mannequin dressed as vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin hanging by a noose from the roof of a West Hollywood home is drawing giggles from some passers-by and gasps of outrage from others.

The mannequin is dressed in brunet wig, glasses and a red business suit. Another mannequin dressed as John McCain emerges from a flaming chimney.

Chad Michael Morisette, who lives in the house, told CBS 2 News that drivers and bus passengers have been stopping to snap pictures of the macabre scene.

Morisette says the effigy would be out of bounds at any other time of year, but it’s within the spirit of Halloween.

It’s absolutely correct to point out that if this had been a figure of Barack Obama, the outrage would have had mobs in the street, given the incendiary nature of lynch mob imagery. But even if the public figure happens to be white, it’s no more acceptable. Halloween is a time for scarecrows and pumpkins, costumes and candy. Hanging our political candidates in effigy doesn’t fall under that umbrella.

Update: Elyas points out in comments that we’ve already had this sad story played out on Obama as well, and it wasn’t even Halloween.

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Elyas

I think you're over-stating the "outrage" had it been a figure of Obama rather than Palin, considering that has already happened and there were no mobs in the street.

mikkel

It also happened in Ohio with Obama without mobs coming out. Although I imagine that things might be different after the election.

It's really sick and makes everything worse and people need to stop, now. I can't believe anyone would do that sort of thing, as it's just going to make things more dangerous no matter who is elected. A large group of people on both sides are literally fearing for their lives(styles) and to add a physical threat to it is just going to make people go even more crazy.

PattonGuy

That is going too far. I think Gov. Palin is the wrong person to have only a heartbeat away from the Oval Office, but I don't want her strung up. That's just beyond tasteless.

slag

"It’s absolutely correct to point out that if this had been a figure of Barack Obama, the outrage would have had mobs in the street, given the incendiary nature of lynch mob imagery."

I think what you meant to say is that "it's not at all correct to point out that if this had been a figure of Barack Obama..."

Nonetheless, I'm just tired of the stupidity coming out of this election. Time to retire the noose. Permanently.

pacatrue

I am not a fan of either display, but I DO think history matters. As you well know, lynching was a major method of terrorizing the black population of this country for a century. And it never was for the white population. History does make a difference on this. The same way that drawing a Jewish man as a big-nosed money grabber is anti-Semitic meant to belittle a people, but drawing me that way (who's pretty much a WASP), is just an insult.

That said, no, not a fan of the display. Political violence and hatred is too real for the joke.

AustinRoth

paca - it is true that lynching of whites does not have a strong history in the US. However, lynching in effigy of public officials does.

Jim_Satterfield

What jackasses. In spite of what AR correctly points out I still think it's in bad taste.

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