Obama effigy found hanging at Christian university
Senator Barack Obama (AP photo)
I was on the website for Sojourners magazine when I saw this article about an effigy of Barack Obama having been found hanging from a tree at George Fox University. The story has also been covered by The Oregonian and other news outlets.
Maybe it doesn’t matter that it happened at a Christian university, since we don’t know and might never know who did it. Maybe it was students there, maybe it was outsiders trying to stir up a ruckus. (*See note below.)
But surely the choice of an avowedly Christian campus as the setting for this despicable stunt was intentional, if only to add to the shock value.
I’ve already seen some comments that suggest this is no big deal, that people really need to chill out and recognize that there’s a big difference between hanging a cardboard cutout from a tree and harming a real live human being. But doesn’t that miss the point that this is an intentionally threatening act, meant not only to denigrate a public figure but also to intimidate an entire segment of our population?
In a country with such a crushing history of racism and oppression, such an relentless record of violence against people of color–much of it either tacitly or explicitly approved of by Christians–can we really afford not to take this seriously? Does it really seem trivial that the specter of lynching is raised only weeks before an election that could see us voting in the first African-American president of the United States?
It will probably come as no surprise to anyone that I’m an admirer of Barack Obama. I think he is smart, principled, and caring, and I believe he has demonstrated both wisdom and judgment in this long election season. And, in an aside that people from St. Louis will surely forgive, I think it’s cool that we went to the same high school.
And I want to say that I understand–I really do–that most people who will choose to vote for someone else aren’t dangerous crazies who would do something like hang Obama in effigy.
I think Christians can disagree on what candidate to vote for in this election and still be good Christians and good citizens. But when it comes to people who do things like this, and those who silently approve, and those who downplay it as a bit of silly nonsense, and those whose hate speech and smear campaigns and, yes, sinister tactics are aimed at convincing people that he’s “just not like us”–well, those people I’m not so sure about. I don’t get it. What is it about this man that is so threatening to them?
Even if I could tell you who to vote for (and let’s remember that in a free country nobody can tell you who to vote for), I wouldn’t. But I would urge anyone reading this to rise above fear, hatred, and intolerance before you make any decisions, and then to get informed, to get involved…and to bring all your values with you into the voting booth.
*After posting this, I found a more recent AP report that 4 students had admitted their responsibility for this incident. The university has punished them with “long-term suspensions and community service.” Read the Seattle Times article here.
Pamela Dolan is on staff at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Webster Groves and is a Candidate for Holy Orders. After high school in Hawaii and college in California, she earned a master's degree in theology from Harvard before spending several years in New York studying medieval religion and literature. Pamela is married with two children. 
Tim -
One last historical point:
In November of 1963, prior to President Kennedy’s arrival in Dallas, there appeared “handbills” essentially enocuraging his assassination.
Cf.:
http://www.jfk-assassination.de/warren/wcr/page298.php
http://www.john-f-kennedy.net/wantedfortreason.htm
Prior to his assassiantion, these would have remained in the category of virulent hate filled, but constitutionally protected, speech. However, the fact of his assassination put these in a different light.
To think that we as Christians are not to support social issues that are in line with God, His Word, the principals of morality that HE gave us is absolutely ABSURD. No discussion necessary on this.
D. What age do you think the age of accountability is? If we can pinpoint it, let’s allow infantacide to that age. That is what your viewpoint would have us do. You probably don’t even realize that you MUST support this thinking to be consistant with your nonsensical ranting.
I’d ask for your feedback, but you won’t answer. You’ll try to say “I’m preaching the Word” or “Don’t try to build the Kingdom on this earth.” That’s not what this is and you know it. I’m done trying to speak logic to the illogical. You’ve made up your mind to suppor those that support the unthinkable, and you won’t let facts get in your way.
Abolition wasn’t about freeing slave owners of their sin of slavery. It was about freeing the slaves, not winning their souls.
Prolife is not about saving those that would murder from their sin. It’s about saving babies, not their souls.
Both are just causes Christians SHOULD stand up for. We’re doing what is obviously right. Slavery is wrong, we would be against it. Murder is wrong, we are against it. Trying to create doctrine against this is just futile.
Your right R, we could argue this forever. Nice finds on the cases by the way. It’s refreshing to see someone back up their argument around here.
I would remind you that Virginia verses Black was specifically about cross burning, and Brandenberg was more of a free assembly issue.
There was no immediate or immenent threat against Obama, and it was not a call to do so, and therefore it falls under free speech. And while it is fair to call in question the courage of the people that did this, courage is not a requirement of free speech. Effigies cannot be considered purely racial attacks either, like cross-burning. Again, legally this is free speech.
By chasing the legal rabbit on this, the larger point that I see is being lost. This incident took place on the campus of a University that puts their religious views front and center. Further it is an institution named for one of the more interesting figures of Religious history, George Fox.
The larger point is this: For hundreds of years, the Church has stood solidly as an agent of social change for all, and George Fox, in particular, spent time in prison for his belief that all humans were equal in the eyes of God, and if he believed that, then he had to treat all his fellow humans as equals. (which led, famously, to calling the Judge hearing his case by his first name) He also renounced violence of any kind, based on the understanding that to do violence to another person was to do violence to “That of God” within that other person….and THAT is sacrilege of the highest order.
To say, as some have, that this is a harmless prank, that no harm was done, seems to miss the point as well. What Christian Ideal allows a person to treat another with contempt because of a political policy disagreement? An effigy, after all, IS an expression of contempt.
You assume that you know what was in the person’s heart of course. Maybe they stuck their sign opposing that “Rule” on an Obama effigy because it would get more press for their cause. It was probably done solely for that reason.
Like most Christians who “know” the word of God and “know” what is in men’s hearts, you don’t really know anything at all. That is a pretty lousy place to build your opinion off of…
It is amazing to me how quickly people are ready to jump on the racist bandwagon. The effigy of Obama, was a political joke, not an ugly racist act. I actually thought it was pretty clever. To make a statement about the lack of ability in leadership that one of the presidential candidates has….was very creative. Tying a cardboard cutout of Obama with a sign that he would have been an “Act Six Reject” was genius. If you actually THINK about it….but then I don’t expect many journalists to do that these days. It is more fun to wave the racist banner than it is to get to the bottom of the story. Act Six Scholarships are given out to students who demonstrate leadership potential…not just minorities, but all students (some perhaps, because of financial struggles). But the Act Six Reject referenced the fact that whoever was wearing the sign, did NOT have the leadership potential to LEAD…therefore, they were a reject for the scholarship program. DUH! IT had nothing to do with race. It was a political statement about the lack of leadership potential in OBAMA. HELLO!! And fishing line was PURPOSELY used and NOT rope (they had rope) so people would not confuse the issue of race…this was NOT a racial attack, but a political JOKE! And all of the media (LIBERALS) jumped at the chance to turn this into a racial attack to bring more attention to Obama. What a sad state of affairs. Those Journalist make me sick.
I suppose I should be glad I am not a journalist, but I have to say that I don’t believe this act was a “joke” and, if it was, I don’t see how anyone could find it funny. And as for the idea that the perpetrators could have used rope but didn’t because they wanted to be clear that this was not a lynching reference? Well, if you believe that then I think the joke is on you. This whole “come on, we were just being funny” post facto, self-serving rationalization demeans all of us. And the kind of hatred against Obama that was exhibited last week by a few individuals at public events just shows that we all have to be more precise and pointed when we choose to make political critiques, so as not to turn them into personal attacks.