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Like me, this man fought for this country in the Vietnam War and therefore we should respect him and his right to display this mannequin of Obama eating a watermelon in his front yard in Kentucky. From what I gather, the neighbors approve what he is doing and doesn't find anything wrong with it. I agree with them. As a soldier, he should be appreciated for practicing his freedom of expression. He earned it by wearing the uniform and taking a oath to defend his country and the Constitution.
"The way I look at it, it's freedom of speech," Hafley told LEX 18 in a recent interview, going on to state that he had included the watermelon not in attempt to play to any racist stereotypes, but because the statue "might get hungry standing out here."
Have to say it offends me. But, freedom of speech does not apply to only things that I find okay. Sigh. By the way, freedom of speech rights are not tied to the worthiness of the speaker, or in this case displayer.
I know a lot of people that fought in the Vietnam War that I do not respect. Not that I don't respect their role as a soldier in the war; but how they are today. Sorry, you just can't keep blaming the war for your addiction to painkillers and pot ~ at some point.
Not all ex-military are good people. They are just like the rest of the population - good and bad.
This ex-soldier strikes me as a total racist idiot. I respect nothing he stands for.
Oh, yes, it's free speech when someone is bashing Obama but let someone like Pierce Morgan talk and you people on the Right start petitions to deport him. Both this statue and Morgan might rub some people the wrong way and be in poor taste but both are protected under the constitution. (And, yes, I know Morgan isn't a U.S. citizen but we don't have laws gagging people here legally from talking.)
To YOU - there is nothing offensive about the display. Who are you to say what others should or should not find offensive?
No wonder my son refuses to even consider looking at any colleges in Kentucky - this is the impression he has of their state. Right or wrong ~ they seem a bit backward.
That word "respect" keeps coming between the belief and display of good moral character and the downward descent to gutter histrionics.
Respect his right to freedom of expression; most assuredly. Respect the man himself for the manner in which he chose to express his beliefs? Not so much!
There are many veteran's of wars past who are not embittered or endowed with a racist's narrowed optics of a world in a state of flux.
While you may not find it offensive, depictions of racial stereotypes are offensive to a large portion of the population. Also, respect for a soldiers service is one thing... respect for every backwoods thing he does in his life is another thing.
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