Sarah Palin effigy hung in Halloween display

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Sarah Palin effigy hung in Halloween display

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An effigy of U.S. Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin hanging by a noose as part of a Halloween display drew complaints on Monday, but local officials said the homeowner was covered by free speech rights.

A mannequin dressed to resemble the Alaska governor, with her trademark beehive hairdo and glasses, was hung by the neck from the eaves of the home in famously liberal West Hollywood.

On the roof, a mannequin of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, protruded from the chimney surrounded in flames, holding his head as he was apparently burned alive.

"We have been getting some phone calls this morning complaining about it but if (the homeowner) isn't in violation of municipal code we have no reason to cite them," West Hollywood spokeswoman Helen Goss said.

"People have First Amendment rights (to free speech)," Goss said. "I would speculate that if it's part of a Halloween display then its political satire."

Homeowner Chad Michael Morisette told local KCAL-TV the display should be considered Halloween "art" and said his neighbors would probably be more offended by a similar scene invoking Democrat Barack Obama.

"I know if we had done Barack Obama, people would have probably thrown things through our windows," Morisette said. "The image of a hanged black man is a lot more intense than the image of a hanged white woman for our country, the history of our country."

http://www.reuters.com/article/sarahPalin/idUSTRE49Q79N20081027

[leftofcool]

1. Yep, as long as it is a woman, it is art or satire

Why am I not surprised

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. ...

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. George isn't a woman

[Higher Standard]

3. Sorry, hanging someone in effigy is hardly "art"

And I can detest Sarah Palin as much as anyone, but I'm still deeply, deeply disturbed that someone would hang her in effigy.

[Kukesa]

6. Agreed. n/t

[WCGreen]

10. Here Here...

No place for this...

Anywhere...

[Autonomy]

4. bad taste

there doesn't have to be some underlying socio-historical image to make this in bad taste

[Kolesar]

5. Because of her stand on the death penalty? eom

[ben_meyers]

7. When will Obama/Biden condemn this act? n/t

[SoonerPride]

8. Hang no one in effigy. But capture and try in a court of law war criminals

like Bush & Cheney et al.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. It's an American tradition