# Lynch in effigy white Repub woman? A-OK in W Hollywood! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 27, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715 "2008-10-27T02:37:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/41 "2008-10-28T03:03:37Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I would however be just as denunciatory if it were a black male mannikin resembling Obama. [Denunciate](http://www.local12.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=39c3f3ee-24f8-4126-9ea8-f8b18ef1c2d1) away! Unlike the incident in the OP (which I think crossed the line, even for a Halloween prop), the person who put that up isn’t claiming that it would be out of bounds any other time of the year. In fact, they openly admit it’s racist. Also, there are plenty of people outraged (“gasps of outrage” according to one source) by the effigy in West Hollywood, but you probably knew that. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/42 "2008-10-28T03:11:01Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > Would it simply be a tasteless decoration to have Obama getting raped in effigy as a lawn ornament? He’s not a woman. Yeah, actually. A cartoon that showed Obama getting bent over a chair by special interests, for example, would be a lot less obnoxious in my eyes than one that showed Palin getting bent over same chair. Both would be tasteless, but the one showing Palin being fucked would have carry a cultural baggage of misogyny that the other one wouldn’t have. That may not be fair, but hey. When the game is stacked by centuries of lynchings or rape, sometimes it ain’t a fair game. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/43 "2008-10-28T03:13:21Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > So, it’s ok to lynch Palin in effigy because she’s not a black man? Yeah, when I called something tactless and distasteful and say it was done by nitwits, that means I’m okay with it. You saw right through my blatant hypocrisy there, **Scylla**. Good catch. The decoration is stupid but not necessarily hateful, that’s what I’m saying. An effigy of Obama wouldn’t necessarily be hateful either, but damned if anybody looking at it from the street would be able to tell. That’s why a smart person wouldn’t hang an Obama dummy (or a Palin dummy) in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/44 "2008-10-28T03:26:30Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Yeah, when I called something tactless and distasteful and say it was done by nitwits, that means I’m okay with it. You saw right through my blatant hypocrisy there, **Scylla**. Good catch. No need to thank me. > [@](#): > > The decoration is stupid but not necessarily hateful, that’s what I’m saying. An effigy of Obama wouldn’t necessarily be hateful either, but damned if anybody looking at it from the street would be able to tell. That’s why a smart person wouldn’t hang an Obama dummy (or a Palin dummy) in the first place. Is it necessarily hateful if the person hanged in effigy is black? Or might that also be just “stupid” as well? I’m interested in the mechanism by which the color of the effigy imputes intent upon the one making it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/45 "2008-10-28T03:29:57Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > Is it necessarily hateful if the person hanged in effigy is black? Or might that also be just “stupid” as well? Didn’t I just say it wasn’t? > [@](#): > > I’m interested in the mechanism by which the color of the effigy imputes intent upon the one making it. This cannot possibly be that complicated. It’s possible to make an effigy of anybody with no hateful intent, with only the intent of making a tactless political statement on Halloween. If you do hang an effigy of a black person, whatever your intent, some people are going to be reminded of the history of lynching and conclude you are a racist, which is why it’s a stupid thing to do. Even if you make an effigy of a white woman, it’s not that clear. It lacks a little of the same historical subtext, though. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/46 "2008-10-28T03:54:34Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > This cannot possibly be that complicated. It’s possible to make an effigy of anybody with no hateful intent, with only the intent of making a tactless political statement on Halloween. If you do hang an effigy of a black person, whatever your intent, some people are going to be reminded of the history of lynching and conclude you are a racist, which is why it’s a stupid thing to do. Even if you make an effigy of a white woman, it’s not that clear. It lacks a little of the same historical subtext, though. Yeah, but if I bake a giant cake in the shape of Joe Lieberman, will that remind you of the holocaust? Sorry. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/47 "2008-10-28T04:07:31Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > Yeah, but if I bake a giant cake in the shape of Joe Lieberman, will that remind you of the holocaust? > Sorry. 😉 You should be sorry. Now I have to go to hell for laughing at that! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/48 "2008-10-28T04:56:14Z")
They may not let you in, you know. Gated community. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/49 "2008-10-28T05:20:54Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > [http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/ynews?ch=4226713&cl=10392332&lang=en](http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/ynews?ch=4226713&cl=10392332&lang=en) > > “It’s art!” > > I guess we’re just lucky it wasn’t funded by an NEA grant. Look, **FriarTed,** there’s been plenty of times the last 8 years I would have hanged Bush and Cheney in Effigy\* if I had the energy, and hung them out on the porch and not just on Halloween, so I don’t get the RO here. \*A small town in western Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/50 "2008-10-28T13:19:34Z")
Leaving aside the questions of how bad a taste it expresses or how stupid it makes the perpetrators appear, where is the evidence that the action was “A-OK in W Hollywood”? The news clip shows one person saying the image was OK and one person saying the image is beyond tacky. There is nothing in the news clip and no supporting information indicating that the community of West Hollywood actually approves it–or even accepts it beyond simply recognizing that the idiots live on private property and should not have their property destroyed to remove the image. (For that matter, you have to get onto the property to see that the glasses look like those the governor wears. I have never seen a photo of the governor in a long coat or dress and I suspect that the only way that anyone knows “who” is being hanged is to walk onto the property or to be told by the perps.) Recreational Outrage at its finest. ---
**Author:** ![CaerieD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@CaerieD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaerieD)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/51 "2008-10-28T14:12:44Z")
Man, I need to get my glasses on before reading the Dope in the morning. I thought this was **_Lunch_ in effigy _with_ Repub woman** , and I wondered exactly who was pretending to dine with Palin. I suppose it could be like the living Alice in Wonderland cake like in that Tom Petty video, though. …which ends up being far creepier than pretending to lynch her. Neugh. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/52 "2008-10-28T15:00:17Z")
I’m against lynching anyone in effigy or actuality. However, this… > [@tomndebb](#): > > So Governor Palin **is** a mannequin? …is totally ludicrous. Mannequins have clear positions. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/53 "2008-10-29T06:48:58Z")
Remember the “Obama dollar” depicting fried chicken and watermelon? Now _that’s_ racist. [rant] If the Democrats descended to that level they could portray McCain as Ole Big Shot and use a War-Is-Good-Business-Invest-Your-Son theme on a mock bill. [/rant] I think the effigy shtick is sick and so is the McCain figure in the “flaming” chimney. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/54 "2008-10-29T12:16:46Z")
> **[Ire over hanged Palin doll](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-oct-28-me-palineffigy28-story.html)** > > West Hollywood Halloween display is not a hate crime, but is in bad taste, officials say. I am glad to say that it is NOT “A-OK in West Hollywood”. And yeah, this was indeed R.O. on my part. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/55 "2008-10-29T14:44:19Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > [http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/ynews?ch=4226713&cl=10392332&lang=en](http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/ynews?ch=4226713&cl=10392332&lang=en) > > “It’s art!” > > I guess we’re just lucky it wasn’t funded by an NEA grant. Hanging and burning effigies has long been a standard form of protest not only in the United States but throughout the world. Get over it. ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/56 "2008-10-29T14:54:59Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > All I see here are a couple of idiots who managed to get their 15 minutes. If Palin knocked on their door they’d probably ask for her autograph. No, they’d ask her where she got that _fabulous_ blouse… ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/57 "2008-10-29T16:38:48Z")
[Obama effigy found on UK’s campus](http://polwatchers.typepad.com/pol_watchers/2008/10/obama-effigy-found-on-uks-campus.html) > [@](#): > > University of Kentucky police are investigating who hung an effigy believed to be Democrat Sen. Barack Obama from a tree on the Lexington campus Wednesday morning. Both sides ought to just stop. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/58 "2008-10-29T19:20:39Z")
> [@Junior\_Spaceman](#): > > Is this universal hatred and ugliness, on all sides of the political spectrum, a feature of American life all the time, or only leading up to elections? Mostly around the elections, and those of us who don’t enjoy this sort of thread, don’t usually post. Anyway, what country are you in, and are you saying that people on opposite ends of the political spectrum there _don’t_ have strong feelings of animosity towards each other? I’ve talked politics with people from Germany and the UK, and they feel pretty strongly about their issues, too. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/59 "2008-10-29T19:28:31Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > I honestly can’t muster any outrage about this, at all. Burn/hang/nuke any effigy you damn well feel like. For fuck’s sake, that’s why it’s called an effigy and not a person. Might it show bad taste and a huge level of hatred? Sure. But then again, with the way that American politics have gotten, I really can’t bring myself to get all hot and bothered that people are expressing their views, legally, and without actual violence. I agree. It’s like flag-burning–an act of free speech. This is especially true since it’s political speech. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715/60 "2008-10-29T19:28:31Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Both sides ought to just stop. Agreed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lynch-in-effigy-white-repub-woman-a-ok-in-w-hollywood/469715.md?page=4)