Police: Pair of black effigies found on MDI
11/8/08 | 18 comments

Police: Pair of black effigies found on MDI


By Bill Trotter
BDN Staff
BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY BILL TROTTER
Lt. James Pinkham of the Bar Harbor Police Department holds up one of the two effigies that were found hanging by nooses from trees on Mount Desert Island Wednesday morning, the day after Barack Obama was elected president. Pinkham said whoever hung up the figures could face misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges and possibly be charged with a hate crime.

BAR HARBOR, Maine — Police are investigating two incidents in which black figures were left hanging by nooses from trees on Mount Desert Island the day after Barack Obama won the presidential election.

The figures, one of which was found in Bar Harbor and the other in Tremont, each were about 2 feet tall and resembled gingerbread men. The figure in Bar Harbor had a horseshoe tied to the end of the rope so it could be thrown up over tree branches. Aside from their color and the timing of their appearances, there was nothing distinct about the figures that made specific references to Obama.

Lt. James Pinkham of the Bar Harbor Police Department said Friday that the Bar Harbor Fire Department removed one from trees hanging over Route 102 and Old County Road after it was reported to police by an unidentified woman. He said it and the other figure, found in the Tremont village of Seal Cove, were reported to police around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The incident in Tremont is being investigated by Maine State Police, he said.

Police are considering the possibility that the incidents may be connected with Obama’s election victory, according to Pinkham. Obama is the first president with distinct black ancestry.

Pinkham said that whoever hung the figures up could be charged with a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge or possibly with a more serious hate crime. He said the local Police Department would forward whatever recommendations it may have to the Attorney General’s Office if it is able to determine who hung the effigies.

Bar Harbor resident Dan Lourie said Friday he is trying to organize a local rally on Sunday in response to the incidents. He said Friday evening that he has sent out e-mails to people who might participate but had not yet been able to see how many had responded.

“We want to make a statement that we’re an inclusive community,” Lourie said. “This despicable act should not go unacknowledged.”

The tentative time for the rally is noon Sunday on the Village Green in downtown Bar Harbor, he said.

If the effigies were hung because of Obama’s win, it would be the second known incident in Maine in which officials are investigating a possible racist act connected with the election.

In Gray, a student at Gray-New Gloucester High School was suspended after standing up in class Wednesday and making a racist comment and saying Obama should not be president. After a confrontation later that day in the hall between that student and one of the school’s black students, the black student found graffiti saying the same thing about the president-elect on the wall of the boys restroom.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Comments
18 comments on this item
On 11/8/08 at 7:27 AM, Richard37 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Gingerbread.....the holidays are right around the corner.

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On 11/8/08 at 7:54 AM, DouglasWatts wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Keeping it classy !!!

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On 11/8/08 at 8:33 AM, Tikitorch wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

This is just plain ignorant. Probably some "funny" prank by a bores trustfund baby over there.... things like this are what keeps seperating the races!

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On 11/8/08 at 9:20 AM, musician wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

As the article so plainly states, "there was nothing distinct about the figures that made specific references to Obama." So what's all the fuss about?

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On 11/8/08 at 9:36 AM, pcme2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

As I believe doing something like this is wrong. People also have to make it clear ""there was nothing distinct about the figures that made specific references to Obama." " But on the other hand it is totally wrong for people to start jumping up and down saying it is a more "serious hate crime". If the ginger bread men were ANY other color that would have not been brought up. It is just someone being stupid. The more attention you give them the more they are likely to do it.

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On 11/8/08 at 9:38 AM, SLM414 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Gingerbread man haters are everywhere!

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On 11/8/08 at 1:22 PM, IHNMN13 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

If Dan Lourie wants to organize a rally to acknowledge a despicable act, how about one for shoeless horses?

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On 11/8/08 at 1:25 PM, BlueCollarBob wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

OK, I'll bite. What is despicable about shoeless horses?

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On 11/8/08 at 2:01 PM, bidoux wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

musician and pcme2000 Who do you think they meant, when they were just put up after the win by obamha Wake up guys

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On 11/8/08 at 4:55 PM, treeking55 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

If GOD had wanted horses to have shoes, they would have been born with them already installed.

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On 11/8/08 at 8:01 PM, leumas wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

What the heck?? If the thing was hung on Obama's front lawn you may have a case , tresspassing and a possible hate crime. Hung up in MAINE , He'll never be back to that low life, insignificant, state, ever. Even if the thing had Obama's name on it it is just freedom of speech just as was Sarah Palin hanging in California. I'll hang with the freedom of speech. Put me up there on a noose "figureatively" and I'm good with that.

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On 11/8/08 at 8:10 PM, Lobstarok wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Dan's a Dingbat and this crap is only beginning...methinks he is a trust fund baby

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On 11/9/08 at 9:11 AM, kylie00 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

sad day when a kid get`s suspended for voicing his opinion. People should be entitled to an opinion. you can agree or disagree. I believe in 4 years will will be in worse shape then we are now, that`s my opinion and hopefully I`m wrong. But if we are I can say told you so

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On 11/9/08 at 11:21 AM, Rogue_Wave wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

An opinion yes, but writing that opinion in a school bathroom is the wrong forum. Having racist thoughts isnt so much an opinion as it is a disease.

Why are we talking about shoeless horses? I missed that one. I wasnt born with shoes but Im wearing them now.

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On 11/9/08 at 12:27 PM, BlueCollarBob wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Dan isn't a trust fund baby. He's a good guy who stands up for what he believes. As Winston Churchill said, "You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." If some cowardly, ignorant racist moron gets his jollies hanging up these pathetic little dolls, then he should do it in his own yard. The fact that they have been hung in other people's yards proves that they know that what they were doing is wrong. I agree with bidoux. If you think it wasn't a hate crime you need to take those mind-blinders off. Hopefully the courts will get an opportunity to decide.

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On 11/9/08 at 12:28 PM, BlueCollarBob wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

P.S. What is despicable about shoeless horses? We're still waiting...

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On 11/10/08 at 8:14 AM, SaraScott wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

MUSICIAN~Are you retarded? Nothing showing its Obama isn't the problem. Its BLACK!!! Its a hanging black man/woman... thats the problem. I know we're all from Maine here, but lets try to not be quite so hillbillie. Racism is not and should not be acceptable...even in Maine.

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On 11/14/08 at 1:57 PM, leatherglove wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I think I'll stick with somebody getting a head start on the xmas decorations...though they could have used a little bit more effort...

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