It promotes violence against women and it's simply disgusting (and NOT funny).

I wonder how people would react if it was Obama and Biden hanging from the rafters...

[I wonder how people would react if it was Obama and Biden hanging from the rafters...]

There's no need to wonder -- because it has happened already (twice that I know of) -- and people were pissed (just as one would expect).

Umm it's extremely offensive to have a faux women or man of any color "hanging" from your home as well as the McCain on flame on your lawn offensive as well. I'm not sure if it falls into the category specified by a hate crime because I'm not sure he has her hanging because of her sex, race, sexual orientation, age etc, but probably because he is an idiot...it's a dumb crime to say the least. This is the type of stuff that fuels ignorance. Just like some "nut jobs" from the right throw "flames on the fire" the same can be said by the "wackos" on the left!

oh right... how silly of me...

Very distasteful, offensive, and bad.

-- I sense something snarky there.

I think this was hashed out pretty well in other blogs on this site, but my opinion is one, I think the idea of hate crimes is kind of bogus in the first place.

Two, there doesn't seem to be much about this display that specifically targets Palin's race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. People think of displaying nooses or black people hung in effigy as a reference to when it was a common practice for black people to be lynched and hung.

Now, if it were depicting some sort of historical mistreatment of women, if she were being raped in effigy, burned at the stake in effigy, traded for chattel in effigy, or denied the right to vote in effigy, then I can see where someone might say it was a hate crime because she's a woman.

They could have easily turned them in to vampires or zombies for Halloween.

It's extremely offensive and nonsensical.

Here's how LA's District Attorney defines hate crimes:

Hate crimes are criminal acts or attempted criminal acts against an individual or group of individuals because of their actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability...

The following acts are examples of hate crimes under California law when they are motivated by the victim’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability:

Using force or threatening to use force to injure, intimidate, or interfere with another person who is exercising his or her constitutional rights
Defacing or damaging ANOTHER person’s property to intimidate or interfere with that person’s free exercise of his or her constitutional rights
Desecrating a religious symbol or displaying a swastika on another person’s property with the intent to terrorize another person
Vandalizing, burning, or bombing a church, synagogue, mosque, or other house of worship to terrorize other persons

(But besides the fact that it's not a hate crime, it's still awful. STFD, crazies. Hate her that much? Go volunteer for Obama. Your being disgusting is making the rest of us look bad.)

Agreed it was silly because some insanely liberal TV shows called this guy out yesterday, and I'm not sure if Fox news did or not but I'm sure they will too. To do the tit for tat thing/assume anyone who supports Obama/Biden will not be "offended" by this or wouldn't have an adverse reaction to these type of visuals is pretty short sighted

So, based on the law, it can't possibly be a hate crime since it's not a crime.

So, is the more appropriate question, then, is it hate speech?

If I hadn't read the headline, I would have thought it was a Nancy Reagan Effigy, not that she's done anything in recent years to kick up that kind of ire.

On Olberman he got the worse person in American award -- I quite agree.

[To do the tit for tat thing/assume anyone who supports Obama/Biden will not be "offended" by this or wouldn't have an adverse reaction to these type of visuals is pretty short sighted]

Agreed. Of course people would be peeved.

TS, I think since the display includes both McCain and Palin, and it's Halloween and just before the election, the homeowner could argue that it's political protest - distasteful political protest, but political nonetheless. I think if he hung one or the other in effigy in the middle of summer, the Secret Service would be knocking on his door.
I think this campaign season has raised a lot of questions about what constitutes acceptable political discussion.

This is where public shaming really needs to be utilized. The police may not be able to do anything about it, but the neighbors should be making it perfectly clear that this sort of behavior is not welcome.

"So, based on the law, it can't possibly be a hate crime since it's not a crime.

So, is the more appropriate question, then, is it hate speech?"

TS, that's an interesting question. Honestly, I don't think so, but just because we don't typically define hateful, but politically motivated, speech as "hate speech". I really do not believe that this display had anything to do with Palin's gender, just her political persuasion.

Mich,
He's in West Hollywood, and I can only speak from my visit there and a couple people I know who live in the are I'm betting that these areas are largely anti McCain, which doesn't excuse the fact that they aren't offended by this what so ever. If anything part of the population in West Hollywood should know how it feels to have "hateful" words/displays used against them.

Halloween 2000... Dr. Laura hanging in the same manner from the 2nd floor of a bar on Santa Monica Boulevard also in West Hollywood. This is not original.

I agree, Mich. I think it's gross and I'm embarrassed for this guy, but I don't think it's hate speech. If he had her making cookies with a sign like, this is where she belongs! or something, maybe. I think if it were Obama hanging from a noose it would seem more like hate speech, but not if Obama were being harmed/shamed in some other way that's not typically tied to race. Say, if they had him making cookies, then it wouldn't be hate speech.

BAStyle, I bet some of his neighbors like it just fine, but somebody must be upset, because they got quite a few calls to the cops. It's just sad to me that such hateful political discussion is acceptable.

TS, I agree. Although, as you probably already know, I'm not sure 'hate speech' should be a crime, nor do I think penalties should be increased solely because a crime was inspired by 'hate'.

they just found on the university of kentucky today or yesterday, im not sure which. it was an obama effigy and like it was said before its been done one other time. either way its disgusting and this guy should be put out in the public to be humilated.

at the university of kentucky*

Mich I don't disagree with that I was just saying that West Hollywood is pretty liberal, but even the most die hard Obama support should feel that what he did is below the belt. It's also odd that in an area with a high Homosexual Male population that any type of hate would be tolerated.

I agree, Mich. Not a big fan of legislating thoughts.

BAstyle, I knew what you meant, and I agree with you. It's just a shame.

My parents have neighbors that are gay, and they put up a truly vulgar political sign that suggests McCain is going to anally rape the nation. You would think homosexual men would steer clear of that, but apparently these men don't know what good taste is.

It's a sad but in some odd way a "natural" reaction. I think groups of people including some gay men who have been marginalized by the majority , or in some way have been treated differently because of race, gender, sexual orientation feel like they have to defend themselves ( sometimes proactively) of start taking on the role of "the oppressor" thinking that that is the best way to get "results" for their cause. It's almost like the though that some people who are abused sometimes become the abuser.

It's not so simple as "people who are marginalized aren't bigots"--just because members of one group are marginalized doesn't mean they don't have their same issues of turning around and being bigoted against other groups. It's sort of like thinking that minorities aren't racist against other minorities. A nice thought, and it would make sense, but it isn't necessarily true, unfortunately.

BAstyle, that makes sense. I don't think that excuses it, of course. They live in a neighborhood with lots of children. If I had to explain what anal rape was(and why some people think its okay to joke about it) to my child because of these tacky men, I would be furious.

I find it highly distasteful and strongly disagree to this act, as much as I disagree strongly to Obama/Biden dolls being hung. It's just not funny. It may not be based on her gender and more of her political persuasion, but it's interesting when it's Obama's doll, it's automatically assumed it's based on race and a hate speech.

If you want to think and say these negative thoughs amoung your friends, family i.e. people who listen to your crap by all means, but when it infringes on your neighbors I believe it's their right maybe even duty to ask you to take down the offensive materials.
Jude I didn't intend my statement as and excuse for the behavior and I'm aware that anyone can be racist or prejudice. when an abused person abuses they should still be punished/treated the same.

Oh totally, BA--I didn't think you were trying to excuse the behavior at all I'm sorry if I sounded like that.

hope it's automactically assumed because of this countries history. I could show you postcards with pictures of blacks who were lynched. People sent them through the mail. There are pictures with crowds of people watching a lynching.

I think it's pretty disgusting and poor taste to put up an effigy of any kind...man, woman, celebrity, presidential hopeful, you name it.

Definitely in bad taste, but not a hate crime.

Hate crime: An offense committed against another person, with the specific intent to cause harm to that person due to their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or culture, etc.
Source - the State of Alaska (ooh, imagine that!): https://www.hss.state.ak.us/djj/jomis/glossary.htm

She's not being targeted because she's a woman (is she? I mean I don't think so, but I could be wrong), but because of her political stances.

And the owner of the house hasn't made any other statements [literal or figurative] that might indicate that he intends to physically harm Palin or McCain, right? Because *then* you might have a criminal offense [conspiracy, still NOT a hate crime, though].

This was a very stupid and disgusting thing to do but I suppose it isn't technically a hate crime. I do think it supports violence against women. How come McCain gets to be nice and toasty in his fiery pulpit but Palin is lynched?

"If I hadn't read the headline, I would have thought it was a Nancy Reagan Effigy, not that she's done anything in recent years to kick up that kind of ire."

ROFL. I don't know why but that cracked me up.

Bad taste, not a hate crime, imo.

Freedom of Speech has taken a new form. It is not a hate crime it is insanity and our children are watching. As TrueSong suggested: Go and volunteer for the canditate of your choice and don't forget to take your meds.

Nope not a hate crime. It's part of a very elaborate Halloweenscape, one that represents the viewpoint of the homeowners vision of the election on one side and then on the other the lighthearted if not confused childhood aspect (Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas movie not Halloween - at least in my book).

There is a difference between an effigy of a political figure meant to display satisfaction with their political ideals (think Guy Fawkes Day) and an effigy meant to be a stand in for what the person would really like done to the person being effigied.

Example of the hate crime version, the man in VA who put up several effigies of a black men along the roadside along with signs stating things like "no N****R President EVER" "Give me liberty and give him death" and said that Mr. Obama should be lynched like the Good Ole Days and if he could get his hands on that n****r he would put him in his place. Or the effigy that Cindy Sheehan had or GWB that she beat to a pulp and said that she would harm GWB if she ever meet him.

I don't like Palin but still....this is not funny and it should not be tolerated.

it's not a hate crime under its current definition... but why isn't political ideology included as a basis for a hate crime? it's just as much a facet of people's character as the others listed. it seems similar to religion in the level of fervor it invokes, especially these days...

Girlgreen, hate crimes are generally crimes committed against someone based on a facet they cannot change or did not choose.

They were asked to take it down the last time I checked. If it was Obama hanging from their house it would have been a bigger ordeal. If it was just a random average looking person no one would have said anything because its Halloween. Freedom of Speech? Its still offending but I'm not completely with the group of people that HATE this... I think its just kind of trashy. Sorry guys.

Yeah a neighbor asked them to take it down and they said no. The Secret Service says it's no big deal and the LAPD says to each his own - it's a Halloween display. The Secret Service was at least earlier today staked out in front of the home watching for vandals or people making threats about the effigy or about the candidates themselves.

I saw that someone either the homeowners or a neighbor put up sheets at the sidewalk to block the view of the house from the street. That's about as much as those offended will get.

I personally wouldn't remove a part of my halloween display just because people don't like it. The scariest display I ever made was when my nephews asked me to building the giant tiger treasure cave from the Disney movie Aladdin. So I made a 10 foot high tiger head with its mouth open and children and adults had to walk through the darkened tunnel mouth. However, the little kids were all excited about walking into the cave of wonders from Aladdin because we had treasure and candy all over the lawn and my nephews were dressed as the Genie, Aladdin and Jafar.

Heck when I lived with my sister in SoCal the wingnut, overly religious couple who lived across the street from my family used to put up the most offensive display on halloween. This is not some ghetto neighborhood I lived in, it was a upper middle class all white except for us neighborhood where my sister lives - mini mansions is what people call them. They put up a bloody life size Jesus on the cross with screams coming from the dummy. They had signs all over their yard that said "He died for your sins." "CHILDREN REPENT OR YOU'RE GOING TO HELL!" Then they had a kiddie pool filled with red dye and body parts with flames around it. They said it was the Pits of Hell.

Little kids freaked out and the police were called and complaints were filed (not by my family - we thought it was hilarious- cross pumpkins and pumpkins emblazoned with the word Jesus). As I said before no one set out pumpkins because little kids and teens took great pleasure in kicking in the pumpkin or tossing it out in the street. Everyone knew the teens were just going to come along and go pumpkin smashing during the 8pm to 9pm candy cleanup run.

Eventually this couple stopped putting up their Jesus halloween display because the other "christians" in the neighborhood were vandalizing Jesus and pour hell all over their lawn. We actually used to videotape the people sneaking up into their yard to vandalize their display.

Offensiveness is in the mind of the beholder. End of story.

This isn't a hate crime, in the same way that hanging the effigy of a black man isn't a hate crime.

All crimes are hate crimes.

This is absolutely disgusting. I'm not really sure what action (if any) I think is an appropriate response to this, but it really is ridiculous.

The reason why a black man hanging in a noose is considered a hate crime, or at least hate speech is because in America we have an unfortunate history of actually hanging black men. I am no fan of "hate crime" laws, as I've mentioned before, but I think that in the very least any effigy of a black man hanging should be taken down immediately. I think there are a very few times when our speech should be limited, and that would be one of them. We don't have a history of hanging white female politicians.

We have a history of hanging women. Look back to Salem in the 1500's. Although, we didn't just hang them, we drowned, and burned them at the stake as well.

My point was that hanging anyone should be considered a crime of hate.

Hate crimes (also known as bias motivated crimes) occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation.[1]

Hate crime can take many forms. Incidents may involve physical assault, damage to property, bullying, harassment, verbal abuse or insults, or offensive graffiti or letters.[2]

To all popsugar community members, how is this not a hate crime? The majority of us are female and should be disgusted by such displays.