I think we all probably saw this story covered at some point in the last two weeks, and at the time I didn't think much of it. But considering our discussion of race this week, my thoughts came back to this West Hollywood Halloween display. The residents, Chad Michael Morrisette and his partner, who are fashion designers and use mannequins every year in their Halloween decorations, claimed that the display was "twisted"--the way Halloween decor should be. But most residents, even liberals, thought it went a little too far, and many people raised the question of hate crimes. If it had been Barack Obama's mannequin, they argued, it would be a greater outrage and the city would demand it taken down. But as an effigy of Palin, the act was regarded as free speech and Morrisette was allowed to keep it up through Halloween weekend (as well as get his 15 minutes of fame).
In an election in which race is such a forefront issue, how does this kind of racism factor in? Is it even racism? How would this have been construed if Obama were not the democratic nominee, if the race were among three white men and one white woman? Just how conditional IS the discussion of race in politics?
1 comment:
Nooses never leave a good taste in my mouth
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