Hundreds of students and several Democratic officials expressed outrage and embarrassment Wednesday after an effigy of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was found hanging from a tree early Wednesday on the University of Kentucky campus.
The racist act was emphatically rejected by hundreds of students and community leaders attending a quickly-called campus forum to discuss racial issues Wednesday evening.
"Our time at this university is too short to sit idly by and allow these things to continue," said Tyler Montell, president of UK's student government association. "This is not a concern of any single race. Today, every student is a victim. Every member of our student body must now become part of a greater change."
Meanwhile, UK police and the Secret Service are asking for the public's help in finding who hung the effigy — which wore an Obama mask and had a noose around its neck — in a tree near the Rose Street parking garage...
Thursday, October 30, 2008
UK students, leaders decry effigy of Obama
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Does Halloween Excuse Symbolic Hate Speech?
University of Kentucky police are investigating who hung an effigy of Democrat Sen. Barack Obama from a tree on the Lexington campus Wednesday morning.
UK President Lee Todd said that UK police have notified federal authorities of the incident. Todd said a professor saw the effigy on the tree near the Rose Street parking garage across from the Mining and Mineral Resources building this morning and called police. The professor then sent Todd an email notifying him of the incident.
UK police took down the effigy and have it as evidence, Todd said. He called the act "deplorable" and says that type of behavior is not tolerated on UK's campus.
The effigy apparently had a mask of Obama on it and there was reportedly a noose around the effigy's neck, Todd said...
Governor Steve Beshear said,
“I strongly agree with President Todd’s statement this morning about this embarrassing and unfortunate incident. This was not political speech. It was simply hate. It was profoundly wrong and deeply offensive. This incident does not reflect who we are as a flagship institution of higher learning or a Commonwealth. I appreciate the university’s resolve to investigate this matter and ensure that such actions will not be tolerated.”
Meanwhile in Hollywood...
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....