Palin Hanging, This is not a hate crime?

Preppy Raver · Post by **Preppy Raver** » Oct 29 2008 01:25 pm

Effigy of Palin Hanging by Noose Is Distasteful, but Not a Hate Crime, Feds Say
Los Angeles sheriffs say they don't believe a mannequin Sarah Palin look-alike rises to the level of a hate crime because it was part of a Halloween display -- but furious residents disagree.
By Catherine Donaldson-Evans

FOXNews.com

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

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A mannequin dressed as Sarah Palin hangs from a noose as part of a Halloween display in West Hollywood, Calif. (MyFOXla.com)

Despite cries from some community residents for a hate-crime probe, the FBI and local police say they will not investigate an effigy of Sarah Palin hanging from a noose in West Hollywood, Calif., because it's part of a Halloween display.

"It's clearly distasteful, but it doesn't appear to be a violation of federal civil rights statutes," Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman with the FBI in Los Angeles, told FOXNews.com in an e-mail. "Currently, we do not have an investigation open."

The U.S. Secret Service didn't immediately return a call for comment about whether it is looking into the matter. Los Angeles sheriffs said they are not treating the exhibit as an act of discrimination.

"I'm not defending this; I'm not criticizing it. It doesn't rise to the level of hate crime," Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore told The Los Angeles Times. "Now, if there was a crime against bad taste ..."

Whitmore said he visited the house where the effigy is displayed on Tuesday morning to get a look at it -- a mannequin wearing "Palin-style" glasses, a brown beehive wig and a red coat, dangling by a thick white rope coiled around its neck.

Sheriffs have gotten between five and 10 angry phone calls from residents who say they're offended by the Halloween lawn exhibit, Sgt. Kristin Aloma of the L.A. Sheriff's Department's West Hollywood unit told the Times.

Authorities are keeping an eye on the neighborhood and the house, she added.

The mayor of West Hollywood, meanwhile, wants the mannequin taken down.

"While these residents have the legal right to display Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin in effigy, I strongly oppose political speech that references violence -- real or perceived," Mayor Jeffrey Prang said in a prepared statement.

"I urge these residents to take down their display and find more constructive ways to express their opinion."

In addition to including more typical Halloween paraphernalia like skeletons and spider webs, the display also has a John McCain figure in a chimney with fake flames around him, according to the Times.

Chad Michael Morrisette, who lives in the house, said the exhibit has become something of a tourist attraction, with visitors stopping frequently to take photos.

Morrisette acknowledged that if the display were of Barack Obama, instead of Palin, there might have been more of an uproar.

"The image of a hanged black man is a lot more intense than the image of a hanged white woman, for our country and the history of our country," Morisette told KCBS-TV.

Boyd Westerman · Post by **Boyd Westerman** » Oct 29 2008 01:53 pm

Looks like Tina Fey to me.

Marta · Post by **Marta** » Oct 29 2008 02:03 pm

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I think thats funny.... But so wrong. What happend to just drawing on their face with sharpies??

Preppy Raver · Post by **Preppy Raver** » Oct 29 2008 02:13 pm

I bet no one will answer the poll.....lol!

8 Ohm · Post by **8 Ohm** » Oct 29 2008 02:18 pm

I think it's fugged up.. Would it be considered a hate crime if it were an Obama Manequin? I think the african americans would wig the fugg out if it was..

Quite disrespectful & unamerican if you ask me. If this were a Harry Reid or Ted Kennedy Manequin I would still say disrespectful & unamerican.

It's pathetic & quite sad the lack of patriotism & the amount of hate America has..

Our Country is F*cked...

Marta · Post by **Marta** » Oct 29 2008 02:26 pm

8 Ohm wrote:I think it's fugged up.. Would it be considered a hate crime if it were an Obama Manequin? I think the african americans would wig the fugg out if it was..

Quite disrespectful & unamerican if you ask me. If this were a Harry Reid or Ted Kennedy Manequin I would still say disrespectful & unamerican.

It's pathetic & quite sad the lack of patriotism & the amount of hate America has..

Our Country is F*cked...

youre absolutely right.....still chuckled tho but yea its totally wrong- there are other ways to express your opinions

Preppy Raver · Post by **Preppy Raver** » Oct 29 2008 02:37 pm

Its all a double standard.

8 Ohm · Post by **8 Ohm** » Oct 29 2008 02:41 pm

I didn't laugh at all. In all honesty It pisses me off..

Alot of Obama supporters are disrespectful though.. Get this..

I actually had a keg party 2 weeks ago, Free cups & all for everybody out of my pocket.. Some stupidass started talking politics with me & I pulled a Howard Stern on him.. He got frustrated when I let him know he didn't know his candidate & what he stood for & flung my Mccain Sign acrossed the street in front of me!!.. He said" I don't care, you wanna know what I think of Mccain" & Flung it.. Pissed me off & there was nearly a fight.. Instead he opted to go pick it up & put it back up in my yard & leave..

Obama supporters can be some of the most ignorant & disrespectful people. I really hope he gets elected & all these dumbf*cks can eat it when our country falls further down the drain..

Did you know the Military is preparing for Riots if Obama loses!!

Rÿan · Post by **Rÿan** » Oct 29 2008 02:42 pm

It has to be a crime before we can discuss whether or not it was (air quotes) "hate crime".

8 Ohm · Post by **8 Ohm** » Oct 29 2008 02:47 pm

Rÿan wrote:It has to be a crime before we can discuss whether or not it was (air quotes) "hate crime".

So lets see somebody put up an Obama Manequin with a noose around its neck & see how fast it's called a hate crime...

Preppy Raver · Post by **Preppy Raver** » Oct 29 2008 02:47 pm

I think its a crime to hang a liking to any human in a noose. Its the idea that makes it a crime if you ask me, and these things should not be a double standard.

Boyd Westerman · Post by **Boyd Westerman** » Oct 29 2008 02:59 pm

Its Halloween, you get a free pass.

You know, if we're talking about ignorant supporters of either party, I know a guy who posted this chain email about... oh never mind

8 Ohm · Post by **8 Ohm** » Oct 29 2008 03:07 pm

Boyd Westerman wrote:Its Halloween, you get a free pass.

You know, if we're talking about ignorant supporters of either party, I know a guy who posted this chain email about... oh never mind

No.. Go on Boyd.. Point it out.. Maybe even drop a quote with the Chain email...

Preppy Raver · Post by **Preppy Raver** » Oct 29 2008 03:10 pm

8 Ohm wrote:
Boyd Westerman wrote:Its Halloween, you get a free pass.

You know, if we're talking about ignorant supporters of either party, I know a guy who posted this chain email about... oh never mind
No.. Go on Boyd.. Point it out.. Maybe even drop a quote with the Chain email...

What is this chain mail you speak of?

Boyd Westerman · Post by **Boyd Westerman** » Oct 29 2008 03:23 pm

8 Ohm wrote:
Boyd Westerman wrote:Its Halloween, you get a free pass.

You know, if we're talking about ignorant supporters of either party, I know a guy who posted this chain email about... oh never mind
No.. Go on Boyd.. Point it out.. Maybe even drop a quote with the Chain email...

Dig it up if you like.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe ... tnG=Search

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Palin Hanging, This is not a hate crime?

Do you believe it is a hate crime?

Palin Hanging, This is not a hate crime?