Casey County Man Defends Controversial Obama Display
Posted: Dec 24, 2012 10:28 PM
Updated: Dec 24, 2012 11:39 PM
A Casey County man says the life-sized mannequin in his front yard of President Obama holding a slice of watermelon was meant as a joke and not a racist display.
"The way I look at it, it's freedom of speech," said Danny Hafley. "I don't know how other people will take it."
Hafley bought the Obama mask on sale after Halloween and put up the display around the time of November's presidential election.
The mannequin, dressed in a grey suit, clip-on tie and blue-collared shirt, was originally standing in Hafley's yard but the homeowner decided it would look better near the road.
"That's my buddy," Hafley said. "He don't talk. Don't make no smart comments. If I had a dollar for everyone who stopped and took a picture of it I'd be a millionaire."
When asked the reason behind the watermelon, Hafley responded that he thought the figure "might get hungry standing out here."
While several neighbors didn't find anything wrong with the life-sized doll and said Hafley had the right to display it, one anonymous neighbor felt others would find it racist.
"If he wants to place it someplace else that would be fine," said the neighbor. "We don't have black people in this community but I'm sure they travel this road like everybody else does. They could be offended. I don't agree with it."
The neighbor added that the figure originally had a sign asking people to pray that Obama won't destroy America.
This isn't the first time Hafley has made such a display. He pulled off the mask and unbuttoned the suit coat to show a white mannequin with a drawn-on moustache wearing a blue-collared shirt with "Stupidville Police Department' written on the right side. Hafley said he designed it after Hustonville Police Chief Fred McCoy.
"Freddy is what I named him," Hafley said.
Hafley says he doesn't plan on taking down the display until the springtime or whenever it gets him in trouble.
"He's pretty popular," Hafley said. "If he's as popular in Washington as he is here then he's a popular man."
http://www.lex18.com/news/casey-county- ... a-display/
...Meanwhile in Casey county
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E_
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...Meanwhile in Casey county
http://www.lex18.com/news/casey-county- ... a-display/
Buy American, the job you save just might be your own.
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Islander_212
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Re: ...Meanwhile in Casey county
I predict it won't be long now until the figure meets its demise...
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DMS
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Re: ...Meanwhile in Casey county
My question is where did he get that nice suit...in Crazy County?
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Re: ...Meanwhile in Casey county
127 Yard Sale? lol
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Re: ...Meanwhile in Casey county
By Victoria Stephens
Kentucky Commission on Human Rights executive director responds to Casey County man's yard display of the United States president.
LIBERTY in CASEY COUNTY, KY, USA (January 2, 2013) - During the holidays, it came to light through the media, that Casey County, Kentucky, resident Danny Hafley had in his front yard near a well-traveled road a life-size mannequin that depicted U.S. President Barack Obama holding a piece of watermelon. News photos show the standing figure wearing a suit, a wide smile, and holding up a slice of melon from which a bite has been taken. The figure's arms hold up the object as if poised to eat. (The photograph was published by Television News Channel Lexington [Ky.] 18 on Dec. 24, 2012)
According to news reports, Mr. Hafley said the display was meant as a joke and not as a racist symbol.
Today, Kentucky Commission on Human Rights Executive Director John J. Johnson said about the matter that, "Regardless of the racial composition of the many towns and counties across the state, most Kentucky communities know how to welcome diversity and demonstrate common courtesy to other people no matter their differing physical or other attributes. Perhaps Mr. Hafley would also like to be treated with decency and respect by members of his community."
Executive Director Johnson continued, "The so-called yard display sends a message of hatred and blatant disregard of one's fellows. I can imagine that the larger citizenry of the town of Liberty and Casey County is embarrassed by this piece of news, and I am confident this is not the attitude of the majority of citizens in Casey County."
Mr. Johnson said, "The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights believes in the people of Casey County and that the local officials and community at large will discourage any such pitiful display and the backwardness that such an antic communicates to the entire world."
Today, Executive Director Johnson, on behalf of the commission, sent letters to Casey County Judge-Executive Ronald Wright and the City of Liberty Mayor Steve Sweeney urging them and other officials in the area to discourage this type of activity. The letters said the effigy in a yard of one of their constituents is a throw-back to eras when such symbols were used to demean and stereotype as inferior African American people who were enslaved, segregated and abused.
The most recent census statistics show that the African American population of Casey County is .7 percent, with a majority of 97.9 percent of the population being white.
Kentucky Commission on Human Rights executive director responds to Casey County man's yard display of the United States president.
LIBERTY in CASEY COUNTY, KY, USA (January 2, 2013) - During the holidays, it came to light through the media, that Casey County, Kentucky, resident Danny Hafley had in his front yard near a well-traveled road a life-size mannequin that depicted U.S. President Barack Obama holding a piece of watermelon. News photos show the standing figure wearing a suit, a wide smile, and holding up a slice of melon from which a bite has been taken. The figure's arms hold up the object as if poised to eat. (The photograph was published by Television News Channel Lexington [Ky.] 18 on Dec. 24, 2012)
According to news reports, Mr. Hafley said the display was meant as a joke and not as a racist symbol.
Today, Kentucky Commission on Human Rights Executive Director John J. Johnson said about the matter that, "Regardless of the racial composition of the many towns and counties across the state, most Kentucky communities know how to welcome diversity and demonstrate common courtesy to other people no matter their differing physical or other attributes. Perhaps Mr. Hafley would also like to be treated with decency and respect by members of his community."
Executive Director Johnson continued, "The so-called yard display sends a message of hatred and blatant disregard of one's fellows. I can imagine that the larger citizenry of the town of Liberty and Casey County is embarrassed by this piece of news, and I am confident this is not the attitude of the majority of citizens in Casey County."
Mr. Johnson said, "The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights believes in the people of Casey County and that the local officials and community at large will discourage any such pitiful display and the backwardness that such an antic communicates to the entire world."
Today, Executive Director Johnson, on behalf of the commission, sent letters to Casey County Judge-Executive Ronald Wright and the City of Liberty Mayor Steve Sweeney urging them and other officials in the area to discourage this type of activity. The letters said the effigy in a yard of one of their constituents is a throw-back to eras when such symbols were used to demean and stereotype as inferior African American people who were enslaved, segregated and abused.
The most recent census statistics show that the African American population of Casey County is .7 percent, with a majority of 97.9 percent of the population being white.