Seems to me more like a way to get back at the Palin effigy. While both are wrong... You can't show more sympathy to this then you can the Palin one. If you do, your kidding yourself.

I personally think it was stupid and shouldn't have happened but what can be done to them? Did they break the law? Should the person who hung the Palin effigy out their window be charged with something?

 

I'm not sure if they can or will serve time, not do I really think they should serve time in jail for this. However, I hope everyone knows who did it. It would be quite embarrassing having your face all over the news for doing something as stupid as this IMO.

This is pathetic. How people can behave in this manner is beyond me. Hope these idiots get some time for this.

 

I agree. And I hope the authorities in LA do something to the two guys that have hung Palin in effigy. Of course they claim its just a part of their Halloween decorations and protected by the First Amendment free speech rights.

I'm not sure if they can or will serve time, not do I really think they should serve time in jail for this. However, I hope everyone knows who did it. It would be quite embarrassing having your face all over the news for doing something as stupid as this IMO.

 

You think these kids will be embarrased? I dont. They did it to be funny and gain attention, as long as they do not serve jail time or a fine, they won't care what people like you think of this.

First Sponge Bob, then Palin, now Obama. Where will the madness end I ask you?

 

 

 

Actually I suppose I am guilty of a hate crime when a few years ago we had a donkey pinata at my daughter's birthday party. Donkeys have eyed me suspiciously ever since that fateful day.

Wow, Girzzly told me about this earlier, I didn't realize it was breaking news though. I really don't see how they don't catch the kids that did it. They're dumb for doing it, which means they'll also be dumb and tell people, and then their dumb friends will tell others as well, and eventually it'll get into the wrong persons ear. They'll be punished eventually.

I remember when the effigy of Nixon was hung back in the Vietnam War day's of the sixties, and no one was imprisoned because of it! Heck you can burn the flag and nothing happens to you!

 

Just wondering (if you were alive back in those days) was that okay, that is to hang a effigy of The President of the United States, or was it a case of free speech then but not now?

I remember when the effigy of Nixon was hung back in the Vietnam War day's of the sixties, and no one was imprisoned because of it! Heck you can burn the flag and nothing happens to you!

 

Just wondering (if you were alive back in those days) was that okay, that is to hang a effigy of The President of the United States, or was it a case of free speech then but not now?

 

I believe it is the racial connotation that it carries.

We hung an effigy of our grade school principal (Ms Rhiney, aka Rhino) at a pep rally, back in the day. It was all in good fun we thought. Of course, that would be prison time now, and possibly a hate crime depending on what prosecutor steps into the courtroom.

We hung an effigy of our grade school principal (Ms Rhiney, aka Rhino) at a pep rally, back in the day. It was all in good fun we thought. Of course, that would be prison time now, and possibly a hate crime depending on what prosecutor steps into the courtroom.

 

In elementary school? Good grief.

And I consistantly find both to be outrageous and disgusting...

 

Maybe that's just my young naivety at play, but I don't understand how someone can hate a person so much for having different beliefs.

 

 

I'm 42 years old and I can't figure it out either. And that goes well beyond these particular instances.

In elementary school? Good grief.

 

 

It was like a pinata really. I don't think the noose carried the conotation it does now. I used to think of Western movies when I heard the term. I should have been a little more clear I guess.

 

In the 60's and 70's, EVERY political figure was hung in effigy. It was a hiipy thing.

It was like a pinata really. I don't think the noose carried the conotation it does now. I used to think of Western movies when I heard the term. I should have been a little more clear I guess.

 

In the 60's and 70's, EVERY political figure was hung in effigy. It was a hiipy thing.

 

 

When I was in grade school, our principal was Sister Victor. We were all FAR too afraid of her to even THINK of mocking her! :eek:

The hypocrisy rests in the fact that Palin can be hanged in effigy and no one finds it disturbing. However, when it happens to Obama, shockwaves are heard all around.

 

I am consistent. I actually find both acts to be lawful and protected expressions of our First Amendment rights.

:thumb: I agree. I look forward to the day that we have a Supreme Court that will toss out all hate crime laws so that all Americans will receive equal protection and fair punishment under the law. I think judges and juries should be able to consider the motives of the perpetrator during the sentencing phase of trials but "hate crimes" that are separate from the actual crime should not exist. I also am opposed to all laws that afford government officials, including policemen extra protection that ordinary citizens do not enjoy.

 

I also agree that hanging a politician in effigy is a stupid means of protest but one that should be protected by the First Amendment.

Edited October 29, 200817 yr by Hoot Gibson

I personally think it was stupid and shouldn't have happened but what can be done to them? Did they break the law? Should the person who hung the Palin effigy out their window be charged with something?

 

First, of all I want to thank mcpapa for finding this information regarding Hate Crimes. Second, very good questions woodsrider. I actually went to & read from the website that was given by mcpapa.

Some excerpts-

Traditional hate crime legislation protects persons because of "his race, color, religion or national origin," as in the case of the 1969 federal hate crimes law. (18 U.S.C. Section 245). Most state laws now include additional protected groups. Some laws are restrictive and only protect a member of a group if she/he is involved in specific activities. For example, the current (1969) federal law only applies if the crime happens when a person is attending a public school or is at work or participating in one of four other "federally protected activities."

Existing state and federal hate crime laws:

The ADL reports (as of 2001-SEP-21) that: Seven states have no hate crime law (Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Wyoming)

Twenty states have laws that do not include sexual orientation as a protected group (AL, AR, CO, GA, ID, MD, MI, MS, MO, MT, NC, ND, oh, ok, pa, SD, TX, UT, VA, WV)

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have laws that do protect people on the basis of their sexual orientation. (AZ, CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, IL, IA, KY, LA, ME, MA, MN, ne, nv, nh, nj, NY, OR, RI, TN, VT, WA, WI)

On 2000-JUL-4, Kentucky became the latest state to have hate crime bill signed into law which protects persons of all sexual orientations.

The 1969 federal hate crime law: Covers race, color, religion, ethnicity, and national origin only.

Does not include sexual orientation, gender or disability status.

Only applies if the victim of a crime is engaged in one of six federally protected activities.

 

By the way, I found both the Palin as well as the Obama incident repulsive, offensive, and totally unacceptable.