why is it ok to hang Palin in effigy but not Obama?

people do it to the opposite person to keep it politically correct. However, they still harbor the same hate for blacks.

It's a form of 'Freudian Projectionist humor'.

It was a rather tacky thing to do ..

. but given that many african americans were lynched in years gone by I think that is why had an Obama effigy been displayed it would have been seen as more of a racial act.. rather than just a plan stupid thing to do ..

Perhaps the person should have hung effigies of both ....*shrug*

Well, actually, everyone already knows the answer to this. However, here's my view:

Hanging in effigy is a symbolic action. Symbols are significant based on--and only on--the meanings our culture attaches to them. Traditionally, hanging in effigy is/was for centuries a way citizens protested public figures they were angry at for whatever reason.

In our culture, hanging a black person in effigy carries an etirely different meaning. It was sued in the South for a century following the Civil War by white racists to threaten and terrorize African-Americans into submission.

The first is okay--if crude. The latter--hanging a black person in effigy--is an openly racist appeal intended to spead hate and fear. As I said, everyone knows this. The only people who pretend they don't know the difference are bigots who are trying to intimidate African-Americans and who are too cowardly to admit what they are doing.

It's probably legal to hang effigies of either candidate as long as it's on private property -- and don't forget poor McCain, burning in the chimney -- that's probably legal free speech too.

Because hanging Obama in effigy could be construed as racist, God freaking forbid. I'm personally not racist, but I believe in a person being what they want to be. If what they want to be is racist, it's sad, but it's their choice.

Remember who they used to lynch in the early part of the century?

I know a very simple explanation that would get reported to Y!A answers if I actually said it.

Reverse racism!

Neither should either be hung. Neither should be elected either but that is another question. Bush never should have been born.

Its in CA...republicans could be shot in the street in most areas and it would be ok.