Comments on: Two arrested after effigy http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/ University of Kentucky's daily student newspaper. Wed, 23 May 2012 21:02:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andersen http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-661 Andersen Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:47:48 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-661 Pshaw, Palin is not hot. Pshaw, Palin is not hot.

]]> By: Lyman http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-657 Lyman Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:22:37 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-657 Andersen, when the effigy was first discovered the reactions of Lee Todd and Steve Beshear both focused around the racial motivations of hanging the effigy. Beshear, a graduate of our Law School, went so far as to classify the display as hate speech and claimed that it was not a first amendment issue. (He's wrong). The protest march later that evening focused on the content of the effigy and not the petty crime involved in hanging it. Diversity, tolerance, and racism were the buzz words; not breaking and entering or theft. This is about race. I don't think we'll ever hear the whole story about what happened. The official story doesn't add up. Two guys broke into a frat house to steal some clothes for a doll they made elsewhere. They also took an 8' ladder which they used to hang the doll 25' off the ground. It doesn't make sense. I'd say Farmhouse was involved and threw the two under the bus when the police came knocking. I'm not a neocon. Not even close. I am able to see the double standard though. While there is not a history of lynching hot, Alaskan women, there are thousands of women who fall victim to violence everyday in this country. Any display condoning or promoting violence against women should be at least as offensive to people as a symbol from a bygone era, right? I personally think that all speech should be protected and that people should try to be a little more tolerant of views that they don't agree with... Andersen, when the effigy was first discovered the reactions of Lee Todd and Steve Beshear both focused around the racial motivations of hanging the effigy. Beshear, a graduate of our Law School, went so far as to classify the display as hate speech and claimed that it was not a first amendment issue. (He’s wrong). The protest march later that evening focused on the content of the effigy and not the petty crime involved in hanging it. Diversity, tolerance, and racism were the buzz words; not breaking and entering or theft. This is about race.

I don’t think we’ll ever hear the whole story about what happened. The official story doesn’t add up. Two guys broke into a frat house to steal some clothes for a doll they made elsewhere. They also took an 8′ ladder which they used to hang the doll 25′ off the ground. It doesn’t make sense. I’d say Farmhouse was involved and threw the two under the bus when the police came knocking.

I’m not a neocon. Not even close. I am able to see the double standard though. While there is not a history of lynching hot, Alaskan women, there are thousands of women who fall victim to violence everyday in this country. Any display condoning or promoting violence against women should be at least as offensive to people as a symbol from a bygone era, right? I personally think that all speech should be protected and that people should try to be a little more tolerant of views that they don’t agree with…

]]> By: Andersen http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-647 Andersen Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:53:58 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-647 "...had the effigy been of any of the other 3 candidates in the race, it would have passed unremarkably..." Yeah, right. What are you basing this on? Enough with the baseless claims! “…had the effigy been of any of the other 3 candidates in the race, it would have passed unremarkably…” Yeah, right. What are you basing this on? Enough with the baseless claims!

]]> By: Scott http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-646 Scott Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:31:33 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-646 The university's official response to an effigy of Obama is disgusting. Occuring the day after an effigy of Palin made the connection obvious, yet UK and Lee Todd have turned it into a racial issue. Barack Obama may happen to be a minority, but he is still a public and political figure; his minority status does not excuse him from facing public opposition. And being a college student should not bar an individual from the expression of free speech - clearly political- on a campus that ostensibly claims to be open to political discussion. The fact that the materials were stolen notwithstanding, had the effigy been of any of the other 3 candidates in the race, it would have passed unremarkably. President Todd and UK making this a race issue is preposterous and reprehensible. I believe any apologies in this case should come from the university, and its illustrious leader, for their mishandling of the situation. The university’s official response to an effigy of Obama is
disgusting. Occuring the day after an effigy of Palin made the
connection obvious, yet UK and Lee Todd have turned it into a racial
issue. Barack Obama may happen to be a minority, but he is still a public and political figure; his minority status does not excuse him from facing public opposition. And being a college student should not bar an individual from the
expression of free speech – clearly political- on a campus that
ostensibly claims to be open to political discussion. The fact that
the materials were stolen notwithstanding, had the effigy been of any
of the other 3 candidates in the race, it would have passed
unremarkably. President Todd and UK making this a race issue is
preposterous and reprehensible. I believe any apologies in this case should come from the university, and its illustrious leader, for their mishandling of the situation.

]]> By: JR http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-642 JR Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:43:43 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-642 Its true, hanging palin may seem in bad taste, but the US has a nasty history with stringing up blacks for lies. Palin is a big liar, and isn't likely to get strung up. Just like Ashley Todd lying about being raped and attacked by the scary black man and making Texas A&M look bad, same goes for these yahoos and UK. Quick lessons for young white college students; talk to your parents about the 60's and get some perspective. Its true, hanging palin may seem in bad taste, but the US has a nasty history with stringing up blacks for lies. Palin is a big liar, and isn’t likely to get strung up.

Just like Ashley Todd lying about being raped and attacked by the scary black man and making Texas A&M look bad, same goes for these yahoos and UK. Quick lessons for young white college students; talk to your parents about the 60′s and get some perspective.

]]> By: Andersen http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-641 Andersen Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:15:25 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-641 LC -- people were pissed at the Palin effigy -- don't try to make it seem otherwise. And no one is calling this a hate crime. The administration isn't. The police aren't. Stop trying to say that they are. LC — people were pissed at the Palin effigy — don’t try to make it seem otherwise. And no one is calling this a hate crime. The administration isn’t. The police aren’t. Stop trying to say that they are.

]]> By: LC http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-639 LC Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:07:17 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-639 Breaking and entering and then stealing negates what I believe was the purpose of this stunt: the double standard that exists in political speech. These two were stupid for breaking the law. But had they pulled this stunt off without doing so, the only stupid thing about their actions would be that they didn't do it with anonymity. The point had to be made, and it has. It's "art" if you hang a white-woman-dummy. It's racism if you hang a black-man-dummy. The Palin "art" also has a burning McCain engulfed in fire but there is no outrage. Why isn't this a "hate crime?" Because Palin/McCain are white. I'd refer to this as "reverse-racism" but that bogus term implies only white people can be racist-- as though racism against white people is some kind of anomaly. That’s the point. People are fed up. Breaking and entering and then stealing negates what I believe was the purpose of this stunt: the double standard that exists in political speech.

These two were stupid for breaking the law. But had they pulled this stunt off without doing so, the only stupid thing about their actions would be that they didn’t do it with anonymity. The point had to be made, and it has. It’s “art” if you hang a white-woman-dummy. It’s racism if you hang a black-man-dummy.

The Palin “art” also has a burning McCain engulfed in fire but there is no outrage. Why isn’t this a “hate crime?” Because Palin/McCain are white. I’d refer to this as “reverse-racism” but that bogus term implies only white people can be racist– as though racism against white people is some kind of anomaly. That’s the point. People are fed up.

]]> By: sg http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-637 sg Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:46:32 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-637 Believe it or not, the image of a black person hanging from a tree has a different meaning than a white person. That's obviously going to be the first thing someone notices when they see that. Think before you do something like that, ffs. Besides that, because it was done on our campus it made our whole student body look bad. Kentucky has enough problems with its perceived image, and this didn't help. The WeHo guy who did the Palin thing got in trouble for it, but its just him. This incident reflects on all of us at UK. Believe it or not, the image of a black person hanging from a tree has a different meaning than a white person. That’s obviously going to be the first thing someone notices when they see that.

Think before you do something like that, ffs.

Besides that, because it was done on our campus it made our whole student body look bad. Kentucky has enough problems with its perceived image, and this didn’t help. The WeHo guy who did the Palin thing got in trouble for it, but its just him. This incident reflects on all of us at UK.

]]> By: Mark http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-636 Mark Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:09:53 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-636 Andersen, of course breaking and entering is against the law. But the article focuses more on Obama than the fact they broke the law. When I younger, my parents house was broken into while they worked and I was in school. What would have happend to them if they DIDN'T steal anything and still hung an effigy of Obama? Andersen, of course breaking and entering is against the law. But the article focuses more on Obama than the fact they broke the law.

When I younger, my parents house was broken into while they worked and I was in school.

What would have happend to them if they DIDN’T steal anything and still hung an effigy of Obama?

]]> By: Andersen http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-634 Andersen Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:00:21 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-634 Oh I forget, because it is protected, we have no right to be offended, right? Did Todd say "We should bring them down via H8 CRiMZ?" I don't think so. He was upset, and rightly so. Sure, he didn't send out an e-mail about the Palin effigy, but why should he have? This happened on OUR campus, so I think his response was needed. Oh I forget, because it is protected, we have no right to be offended, right? Did Todd say “We should bring them down via H8 CRiMZ?” I don’t think so. He was upset, and rightly so. Sure, he didn’t send out an e-mail about the Palin effigy, but why should he have? This happened on OUR campus, so I think his response was needed.

]]> By: Lyman http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-633 Lyman Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:50:36 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-633 Andersen, the reason people are mad isn't the breaking and entering or theft. It's because of the racial overtones of hanging the effigy. At least Lee Todd seemed to focus on that aspect in all of his emails and public addresses. We may not agree with the content of the speech, but it's protected by the constitution. So, the right answer is no, there would not have been the same reaction to any of the other three candidates being hung in effigy. Andersen, the reason people are mad isn’t the breaking and entering or theft. It’s because of the racial overtones of hanging the effigy. At least Lee Todd seemed to focus on that aspect in all of his emails and public addresses. We may not agree with the content of the speech, but it’s protected by the constitution. So, the right answer is no, there would not have been the same reaction to any of the other three candidates being hung in effigy.

]]> By: Andersen http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-631 Andersen Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:22:31 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-631 Yes Mark, I believe there would have been the same reaction. These kids broke into a fraternity house and stole several items. That is why they were arrested. Now if some kids had done that and made a Palin or McCain effigy, then yes, they would certainly be held to the law. You do realize that breaking and entering and theft are crimes, right Mark? Yes Mark, I believe there would have been the same reaction. These kids broke into a fraternity house and stole several items. That is why they were arrested.

Now if some kids had done that and made a Palin or McCain effigy, then yes, they would certainly be held to the law.

You do realize that breaking and entering and theft are crimes, right Mark?

]]> By: Mark http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-629 Mark Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:40:20 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-629 Would there have been the same reaction of an efiggy of McCain or Palin like there have been effggy's of them around the country? Please UK, get a life. The two pranksters meant no harm so what's the problem. Would there have been the same reaction of an efiggy of McCain or Palin like there have been effggy’s of them around the country?

Please UK, get a life.

The two pranksters meant no harm so what’s the problem.

]]> By: Susie Ewing http://kykernel.com/2008/10/30/two-arrested-in-connection-with-obama-effigy/comment-page-1/#comment-620 Susie Ewing Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:48:22 +0000 http://kykernel.com/?p=7266#comment-620 What a couple of morons. Way to represent the University you twits. What a couple of morons. Way to represent the University you twits.

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