Chair in tree: 'It has nothing to do with hanging anybody'
CAMAS, Wash. - A local couple hung a chair with the word 'NO-BAMA' written on it from a tree in what is being viewed by some as a racially charged message.
George and Kathryn Maxwell told The Columbian they were inspired by Clint Eastwood's famous Republican National Convention speech, in which he spoke to an empty chair meant to symbolize the president.
But the message is coming across as something different, especially in light of 'chair lynching' that has been reported in other parts of the United States.
We talked to Kathryn Maxwell on Thursday about the display. She said it has nothing to do with 'lynching' and that her husband simply put the chair in the tree after the first one they put out was stolen.
"It has nothing to do with hanging anybody - it's hanging the chair so people don't steal it," Maxwell said, later adding "a Texas guy hung up a chair and it was really neat. It attracted a lot of attention. And I showed it to George and he went 'I gotta do that.' "
"I see nothing wrong with it," she also said. "It's a freedom of speech thing."
"I think that people have the right to do what they want to do, free speech and all of that, but I think at the same time they have to be aware of the consequences of that and be able to take on the responsibility of free speech in terms of how other people respond to it," said Sirius Bonner, a diversity adviser for Clark College.
The Clark County Chapter of the GOP told The Columbian that it does not condone hanging chairs from trees in protest.
I'm so sick of you people who always cry racism every time someone criticizes this treasonous president. Just because someone doesn't agree with your bad choice of a president and you don't have a valid argument to defend him YOU use the RACE card because it shuts people up. It has NOTHING to do with race, it about politics. And if you don't think that this president has committed TREASON then you need to read this and wake up. Â http://www.infowars.com/federal-judge-reinstates-unconstitutional-ndaa/
Just because you can does not always mean you should. Fits this situation. Volunteer to help out the GOP, do some calls for Ro-Money something constructive a pro ro-money sign in the yard would be a much more positive action to show support.
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This action is representative of hate and KKK weather these hillbillies realize it or not. Under educated and void of respect. That is what this action looks like to the majority of the world. Is that the way to show support? Not in my opinion but I am just one person. On a other note: if this is the type of persons that are pro ro-money...rude, uneducated, hateful and disrespectful. Nice job.
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Remember Ro-Money is Mormon which by faith allows him to lie for the lord, it is listed as "lying for the lord" look it up...it is true and should scare you into Obama 2012!
@colorowdy How do you know they are hillbillies? How do you know they are uneducated? How do you know she is not a teacher? Do you personally know these folks? Why would you call them names and bring up race? Why did you mention the KKK? Are you a hateful person yourself?
 @souptonuts I voice my opinion the way I see it just like you and others. If I use a term that you feel is not politically correct....good I hate that term as well.Â
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This is a passive aggressive act. Yes lynching is KKK associated in the US.
It did happen and should always be remember as a part of racial bias that violated human rights.
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She states the chair is tied up in the tree to keep it from being stolen...and untying a rope and stealing the generic white plastic chair is not possible by a person that wants the chair? I think not.
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Passive aggressive acts are one of the most common ways of making a statement with low level conflict, it has a reasonable explanation. My term hillbilly refers to those that take a passive aggressive act to show racial bias. Finally I truly hope this person is not teaching our children but you are correct I don't know that she is not.
 @colorowdy Just because one is a steaming pile of feces doesn't mean you should be "scared" into voting for another steaming pile of feces. :) And the joke is R-Money, thanks to his sign screw up, not Ro-Money.
 @PleaseBeSmart I termed ro-money myself in my eyes it fits the man.
I have no clue what you are referring to in the other grammar term. I personally feel ro-money is a joke anyway. I can have that opinion and voice it. You can tell me to shut up....it is the country we live in, we are allowed those freedoms..so far anyway. The GOP does use scare tactics on the public it has been their format for sometime now, you tell people what is wrong, who is to blame and make them afraid of it and who can cure it. With fear their is power. The GOP has practiced this psychology for a while in my observation it seems to be the right wing way.
 @colorowdy =/ I didn't say anything close to telling you to shut up. I just assumed you were going for R-Money, since that is the widespread joke based. You can go with Ro-Money if you want. I'm just telling you there is already a very well known R-Money joke. And I don't belong to the GOP. My entire comment was that just because one is a steaming pile of feces (R-money), doesn't mean you should be scared into voting for another steaming pile of feces (Obama.) That goes the other way too.
I think it's pretty clear that this represents a lynching of "The Chair" and who that person is. Now, I might have said something like "Send Clint Eastwood's chair to the next debate-it will do better," but this is just one step away from burning a cross on the White House lawn.
 @Raejean Imler French I agree with you about the representation. But OregonOrator is right, it's a little more than one step away. It's quite a leap from making a tasteless display on your own property, and burning a cross on the White House lawn.
@Raejean Imler French Really? Just ONE STEP AWAY? Did you really mean to say that?  A little hysterical, much?
Tea Baggers, you can bet, praying Lars Larson calls for an interview. They wear their ignorance and bigotry like a badge of honor.
Are you saying that people that hang chairs have oral sex?
 @umpqua rafter That term is really not appropriate. =/
Just because you have the right to do something, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.Â
@justausername And it seems that the so-called, "right thing" to do, changes every 10- or 20 years. Whoi decides what's right? I posit that only the constitution and laws of the land should make that determination, not a group who happens to have a louder voice than another.
@justausername Well said.
In ten years, this will be considered a hate crime...oh the slippery slope......
 @OregonOrator I'm a little surprised it's not already, being that it can easily be interpreted as a threat on the president. Of course, it shouldn't be. I'm just surprised someone hasn't made a fuss over it.
Ummm, white folks were lynched too, so were asian's and indian's. So for "some" people to say this is racist is a bunch of pooey.  I am sick and tired of people losing their right to free speech and losers claiming rascism.  I am also tired of actor's and athlete's apologizing for things they say. This is America the right to free speech and loser's with nothing better to do sit around eating bon bons complaining.
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 @kmat Oh come on now, you know that symbolism wouldn't be used if the president were white.Â
He is white.
 @slumlord420 He's mulatto.Â
What? Is everything racist now?
I don't buy their explanation, but I don't really care either. It's their land, and it is a freedom of speech issue.Â
She looks about how I pictured she would look.
 And you are so much on a higher moral ground by making that comment.@Dexter MorganÂ
 @Dexter Morgan Yep. Â
Well, at least she ain't no Obama mama!