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Obama in Noose: Despicable and out of bounds!
I said the same thing a little while ago about the Palin effigy hanging incident.
So naturally, I feel obliged to post the same thing about this sad incident.
As was noted in the discussion on my last post, I don't deny for one second the obvious difference of historical implications raised when the effigy is a black man rather than a white woman. However, as I also noted the larger point about what should be out of bounds and beyond the realm of acceptable political discourse remains.
For those who disagreed with me, do you feel different about an Obama effigy being hung in a noose?
So naturally, I feel obliged to post the same thing about this sad incident.
As was noted in the discussion on my last post, I don't deny for one second the obvious difference of historical implications raised when the effigy is a black man rather than a white woman. However, as I also noted the larger point about what should be out of bounds and beyond the realm of acceptable political discourse remains.
For those who disagreed with me, do you feel different about an Obama effigy being hung in a noose?
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I believe context is important and defines whether most things are appropriate. one Halloween, we floated a blowup sex doll face in our pool with a tie used as a garrot and a blood trail. My wife dressed as a dead Nazi with bullet holes in her. All our Jewish and feminist guests laughed out loud.
would the Nazi outfit been appropriate in an Jewish Florida retirement home? No.
A mock dead sex doll at a battered woman's shelter? No.
Halloween, where there is the expectation of parody and sarcasm? Yes
Location also matters:
Liberal LA on a Halloween display - in poor taste but no doubt taken by any reasonable person aswithout actual intent of harm.
vs
on a University campus in a KKK state that still has CROSS-BURNINGS
Somehow not the same impression.
October 30, 2008 8:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Amusing rationalizations. May I suggest you get a life?
October 30, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think the issue of the context this occurs in is certainly very pertinent to how one views it. I just think that the setting of a separate standard for mock violence against public figures in a country with a recent history of actual violence against such public figures based on the race of that public figure is a slippery slope. It allows cover to some to suggest that since we don't denounce it for person X it shouldn't be denounced for person Y when it reality it should be out of bounds no matter which person it is.
Maybe I could deal with and accept the Halloween argument better in another year but during the height of a contentious election with clear racist and sexist overtones I think the hanging of effigies of the African-American candidate or the female candidate are not appropriate. In the current context these are the types of things that could set off already unstable and potentially violent people. I don't think I'd really ever find it appropriate but considering the timing, I find it particularly inappropriate.
I love free speech as much as anyone but I must admit when that speech is hate speech my support is severely tested.
October 30, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink