Halloween Display Seen As Symbol of Hate

St. Petersburg Times ^ | October 20, 2004 | Lauren Bayne Anderson and Leanora Minai

[Ptarmigan]

It had the face of Frankenstein and the hands of a werewolf.

Outfitted in jeans and flannel shirt, the creature - stuffed with crumpled newspaper - hung by the neck on a homemade gallows outside a home in the Allendale neighborhood.

To its owner, "Bob" was a Halloween decoration. But to Omali Yeshitela, it was a racially charged symbol of hate.

On Tuesday, as police officers on the scene scrambled to contact the homeowner at work, Yeshitela and others from the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement tore the dummy down.

"There is no history of hanging ghouls in this country but there is a history of hanging African people," said Yeshitela, leader of the St. Petersburg-based group.

Colleen Watson was surprised and upset when police called her at work to say the display her 15-year-old son had spent two days creating had been torn down. She said it had never occurred to her it would offend anyone.

"We are not those kind of people, we are not like that," Watson said. "This really opened my eyes, I just didn't see it this way."

Last year for Halloween, the family beheaded "Bob," replicating a guillotine. The year before, "Bob" lay in a casket. But on Tuesday, "Bob's" latest incarnation sparked anger.

[Ptarmigan]

Gees, first it was Christmas, now it is Halloween. Some people HAVE WAY too much time on their hands. They need to just get a life.

[KevinDavis]

To quote William Shatner from Saturday Night Live, these people needs to GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!!!

[Ptarmigan]

That's what they need, a life.

[goldfinch]

Any excuse to play the victim.

[RasterMaster]

Omali Yeshitela could always offer to take the dummy's place!

[An American In Dairyland]

Isn't tresspassing and destroying the property of others still a crime?

[Hodar]

But to Omali Yeshitela, it was a racially charged symbol of hate.

Too friggin' bad. This was personal property, displayed on personal property. Am I now entitled to drive through neighborhoods and tear down any display that I find offensive? Personally, I find Kawanza offensive on many, many levels. Am I now entitled to go through black neighborhoods and trash their 'holiday' display?

[Politically Correct]

On Tuesday, as police officers on the scene scrambled to contact the homeowner at work, Yeshitela and others from the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement tore the dummy down.

Trespassing and destruction of private property.
Sue the idiot Uhuru organization and the police that failed in their sworn duty to protect.

It's a first amendment issue, not just halloween.

[Constitution Day]

YES, it is.
Just let some of those Democratic Bowel Uhuru Movement idiots try that around here.

[Ignatz]

I'm not sure about the laws in St. Pete, but if it were me, I'd sit on my porch with a rifle.
Give them one verbal warning if they came onto my property and then start taking out kneecaps. It might not stop them, but it would sure slow them down some!

[Galena Nevada]

"We are not those kind of people, we are not like that," Watson said. "This really opened my eyes, I just didn't see it this way."

Liberal alert. This woman is an appeaser. She is not at all angry with the freaks who tore down their private property? She seems to be bending over for them: "Oh, I'm sorry, I offended you, please destroy more of my property."

[netmilsmom]

>>It had the face of Frankenstein and the hands of a werewolf.<<

>>Despite the Halloween decor - a synthetic spider web that spanned half the width of the gray house and an arrangement of plastic skulls and bones - Yeshitela said he saw something more sinister: a black man hanging from a noose<<

>>"My daughter told me this morning there was someone hanging out here and right away I said, I bet you it's black," Melnick said. "I think it's horrendous, it's a hate crime."<<

These people are comparing Frankenstein to a black man and the owner is a racist?

[Politicalmom]

Those people are wimps. I would have prosecuted.

[stainlessbanner]

It had the face of Frankenstein and the hands of a werewolf.

And it votes Democrat.

[Bombardier]

Frankenstein was black??? Wow....ya learn something new everyday. /sarcasm

The idiots who attacked this family's Halloween display should be dragged forceably into a men's room and swirlied until they can't see straight! What a bunch of PC IDIOTS!!

[TomB]

"There is no history of hanging ghouls in this country but there is a history of hanging African people," said Yeshitela, leader of the St. Petersburg-based group.

OK, everybody please take a minute and realize the sheer idiocy of that statement.

Perhaps, Mr. Yeshitela, there is no "history" of hanging ghouls in this country because there ARE NO SUCH THING AS GHOULS!!! YOU FREAKING IDIOT!

If he's the "leader" of the group, I'd hate to meet the followers.

[Godebert]

International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement

Don't they have anything better to do....Like attending a Star Trek convention or something?

[atomicpossum]

Sounds like one more poverty pimp and 'civil rights' exploiting media whore is out for publicity and fundraising.

[Bob]

To its owner, "Bob" was a Halloween decoration.

What an insult! I am not a Halloween decoration and I never have been.

[Tarpon]

"Yeshitela and others from the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement tore the dummy down."

Maybe they should take the dummy back to where they came from and live happily ever after.