After 58 years, Ehler retiring
Funeral for Miami student manager
Winter weather photos
Fairfield man condemned for Obama 'ghost' effigy
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Mike Lunsford of Fairfield originally had this 'ghost' of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama hanging from a tree. He later spraypainted 'Hussain' on the lawn decoration. Obama's middle name is 'Hussein.' Contributed photo FAIRFIELD — City and school district leaders have "condemned" the actions of a Fairfield resident who last week displayed a ghost with Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama's name on it — hanging from a tree by a noose.
Mike Lunsford said he hung the ghost in his front yard as a Halloween decoration and later wrote "Hussain" in on it. Obama's middle name is Hussein.
Lunsford also attached part of a campaign yard sign with Obama's last name to his decoration.
Fairfield police received calls from neighbors and passersby, but decided Lunsford had not committed any crime.
Fairfield Police Chief Mike Dickey said — after a Secret Service investigation — it was determined there was no threat to the candidate.
The display also is protected under the First Amendment's right to freedom of speech, he said.
However, the city's mayor, city council and Fairfield school district leaders decided to speak out against the display.
In an e-mail on Monday, Oct. 20, school district Superintendent Cathy Milligan and Fairfield school board President Mark Morris wrote: "Standing up against racism makes Fairfield a better place for our employees to work and for our students to learn and grow."
Mayor Ron D'Epifanio, along with city council members, also wanted to condemn the display. In a statement issued Monday, the mayor and city council members said: "This individual's isolated opinion, as depicted in a yard display, does not represent the values of our community."
Lunsford said he was inspired by a news story he saw on Oct. 14, about a display in Odessa, N.Y., that depicted Republican nominee Sen. John McCain dressed in Ku Klux Klan sheets chasing Obama.
"I just disagree with his views," Lunsford said of Obama.
The story about Lunsford's display first appeared on a Cincinnati TV station on Oct. 16, and national media stories quickly followed.
Because of that attention, Lunsford said, he moved the ghost and its noose from the tree to a chair next to his porch on Friday. Someone stole the "Obama" sign from his display since then, he said.
