Hanging, empty chair ignites controversy in Austin

Houston Chronicle ^ | September 20, 2012

[Cincinatus' Wife]

A folding chair with an American flag, tied with a rope and hanging from a tree has brought a lot of attention to a northwest Austin neighborhood.

Weeks after Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood's chair skit mocked President Obama at the Republican National Convention, an Austin homeowner is drawing criticism for his folding-chair display, which some call a racist attack against the nation's first black president, Austin's KVUE reports on Thursday.

....KVUE says cameras rolled as homeowner Bud Johnson removed the rope and placed the chair on the lawn. He told the TV station those complaining about the display have the wrong idea:

"... It's a misconception," Johnson said. "It has nothing to do with racism. Nothing."

But Austin NAACP leader Nelson Linder disagrees, telling KVUE:

"When you put up a chair in your lawn with a rope around it, you're sending a very powerful message," said Linder. "It's also very insensitive. Black folks know what that means. It happens in the workplace for example. Nooses in the workplaces are unacceptable. It's no different in your yard. Even though it's private property, it goes beyond individual expression."

[sergeantdave]

Let’s also talk about the various controversies ignited by the racist NAACP. Let us examine the controversies ignited by the racists Holder and Obuma. Finally, let’s take a peek at the racists at the Houston Chronicle and discover why they won’t investigate all these damn racists running around all over the place.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

Come on, someone with funds get a billboard put up with an image of an empty chair and the wording, “What exactly does this mean?” under it.

[Garden Mama]

I think an empty chair is OK, a hanging chair is offensive. However, I also think hanging Nixon or Bush in effigy is offensive.

[Paine in the Neck]

Clint got in his head big time with this.

[Eagle of Liberty]

Don't remember any libs getting all wee-weed up over this:



The Halloween display was shocking enough for the Secret Service to investigate. Now, the LAPD has declared it's not a hate crime -- just bad taste.

Anger over Halloween display of Palin with noose

Morissette does admit that if he had put up a display resembling Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama hanging from a noose, "people would've probably thrown things through our windows."

"The image of a hanged black man is a lot more intense than the image of a hanged white woman -- for our country, in the history of our country," he explained to KCAL.

[BilLies]

The bars on the windows indicate that this area is not like Mayberry, NC. Lots of diversity at this neighborhood I bet.

[BilLies]

Forgot. Do you think the manikin is a trophy from the LA Riots?

[Eagle of Liberty]

Google “chadmichael morissette” and see some of his other works. He is a window display artist. On second thought, you may not want to see some of his other works. You have been given fair warning.

[Erasmus]

The American Left would be perfectly happy with a dictatorship -- so long as it was one of their's.

Actually, they'd get tired of it damn fast.

And find a way to blame it on the people who tried to prevent it from happening.

[ForAmerica]

I wonder what they would have done if I did something like that? I would open the door and they see that I’m black and they would say WTH, never mind?! No story here, let’s go.

[Responsibility2nd]

Video here...

Austin Man Hangs Empty Chair From Tree Symbolizing President Obama

A Northwest Austin homeowner, who hung a chair from a tree meant to symbolize President Obama, has taken it down.

The political blog burntorangereport.com first talked about the display in the Spicewood Estates area Wednesday night.

The fold-up chair, with an American flag attached to it, was hung from a tree in front of Bud Johnson’s home and some neighbors complained that it was racist.

KEYE TV News wanted to find out from Johnson about the chair and why he put it up. KEYE TV reporter Lydia Pantazes and photojournalist Mario Pena went to his house Thursday morning. As they arrived, Johnson was taking down the chair and he advised Pantazes and Pena “to get the hell away.”

When Pantazes asked him why he hung the chair from the tree, he responded “Haven’t you heard of the Clint Eastwood thing with the empty chair?”

Johnson also said he’s not a racist and that he doesn’t dislike any race. In addition, he said the chair was not being “lynched”, and when Pantazes asked why he had it hanging from the tree, he said the tree was "the only place I had to put the damn thing.” Johnson then placed the chair on his lawn a few feet away from the tree.

Pantazes talked to a neighbor who told her that Johnson is an overall “good neighbor and a nice guy. He’s just a really conservative Republican.” The neighbor, who did not want to be identified, thought the issue was taken out of context.

Robert Stephenson, who also lives in the area, said there’s “no way you can take that the wrong way." He called the display was "pretty racist."

“I’m glad he took it down. I just hope he don’t put it back up,” Stephenson said.

To watch video of the entire incident, go to http://weareaustin.com/news/features/raw-news/stories/vid_46.shtml?wap=0.

To watch the entire Clint Eastwood RNC speech, go to http://www.weareaustin.com/news/features/raw-news/stories/vid_35.shtml?wap=0&.
 

 

 

[Responsibility2nd]

 Black folks know what that means. It happens in the workplace for example. Nooses in the workplaces are unacceptable. It's no different in your yard. Even though it's private property, it goes beyond individual expression."
 

 

This gives me an idea. I'm going to tie a noose around a noose and hang that noose by a noose my front yard. Just to watch the liberal heads explode.

[FourtySeven]

LOL