My mother used to say, "Some folks would cut off their nose to spite their face." Top Republicans supported President-elect Obama because he was our best hope. They'd rather see a Democrat in the White House than see America destroyed.

A PEW research poll showed 80% support for President-elect Obama overseas. Other nations would rather see a strong America retake a leadership role than see the world go down the drain.

It seems even Nazis should be able to work up enough patriotism to allow Obama to save their butts.

I'd rather see a republican in office because I don't want to see taxes go up. And communism start.

Huh a democrap won't destroy America? -Pass that over here so I can take a puff. The sorry mess Maine is a direct result of their leadership and handiwork over too many years. Who cares what euroweemies think? In case you forgot America was founded by folks who were sick of Europe and left to start over-now they want to all come here because it is better than what they have. Why are there so many air-headed folks who think we need to be more like them? There are planes and boats leaving every day, if you like their way of life so much that why not move there-you won't be missed

I wanted desperatly to leave this blog alone but i don't have it in me...Here goes...How ironic it is that we are hanging black effigies and the moon bats are calling it a hate crime. Three weeks ago when Sarah Palin was hanging on a hallowenn display it was freedom of speech and " art". You people are unreal. I have to say that I now live not only in the highest taxed state in the free world but also the most hyporcritical one to boot. Remember..50% of the people didn't want Obama and still don't. I look forward to the next four years as a republican. The dems have the house, senate and the white house. There won't be a republican any where to be found to place blame on for any far left wet dream that Pelosi and Reed can conjure up. I'm holding a 6 figure job that i think i'm going to give up to go on welfare. My wife and I have picked out a nice one bedroom condo over on the Griffith road....you seen em...the new ones. The governor will get on his knees and eat huge amounts of Obama love chowdah to get his Dirigo health plan paid for so i'll have free healthcare also. I'll just stop paying my mortgage..and Its ok cause the dems will redistribute it. This is gonna be great. My mouth is watering over the thought of WIC cheese sandwiches and gov peanut butter. The funniest thing about this article is" The Maine State Police are investigating the incident in Tremont"...How can we afford this? The State general fund cannot afford to have state police doing real police work. Its imperative we keep the nazi road blocks and speed traps on I95 alive and well to bring in revenue for the pasta boiler to Re-giveout. I woke up this morning with a renewed sense of wealth....this is gonna be a great day

I love RussHermon!!! You and I have allot of the same ideas. What a great world it would be if we had no dignity!!! Work harder Russ there are millions on welfare who need your support!! I am signing up when you do. I am single and have 1 child that I part with everyday to feed her and take care of her and show her to take care of her self. If I wanted I could sign up for welfare. I feel I am better than that. I am responsible for myself and the child that I have created. To bad the rest of America didn’t get tired of carrying all of the dead weight. I say feed your self or you don’t eat.

RussHermon, thank you.. Its sad that so many people are holding there hands out waiting for "the big government" to help them because they are to lazy to help themselfs... What most people dont realize is "the big Government" is funded by You and I. I worked hard to get through college, and get a good paying job, just like any other american can do. Why do we have to work harder to pay for people who wont help themselves??

RussHermon: I wouldn't quit my job if I where you true socialist societies, don't reward those who don't work and are able..besides somebodies got to pay for this mess the goverments in...A goverment can't just keep borrowing and not pay it's bills...just like you or I can't....would you see people starve to death?

As far as I know there's a big differance between affordable healthcare, and free..The last time I went to the doctor I was charged 100.00 for a 15 min. visit.

and the doctor never touched me, now what's fair about that? You speak about Nazi road blocks. Hitler was much more in line with the right wing in his believes, I would not call him a liberal in any sence of the word. Perhaps we should do as Scooge suggested in A Christmas Carol and bring back the Poor and Work houses...so society will not have to see the poor and imfirmed...and you and your kind can put them out of your minds. Don't get me wrong people that are able to work should be working. Tho not all of us can have 6 figure jobs..I have a story for you about people relying on charity in times of need..My 48 year old brother has just under gone radical surgery for bladder cancer. Losing his bladder and a kiddney both...he and his wife when to a food pantry because they couldn't get food stamps even tho he was sick...the wife has a good job..but they still were having it hard...one person at the food pantry questioned there need to the point of making my sister-in-law cry...now is that right should anyone have to humiliated like that..We need good goverment...not right or left goverment...and remember this country is run on majority rules the people have spoken....

Correction, all of us can have 6 figure jobs. But dont look to the government to hand them out to you.. You actually have to work for them..

Corporate welfare costs us more than traditional welfare for poor folk. think about that.

I don't look to the goverment to hand me anything and never have ! I work at a job I loved for over 25 years..not everyone is smart enough or physically able to get 6 figure jobs...somebody helped you get where you are somebody showed you the way...and the sooner you realizes that lifes not just about me but about us we'll all be stonger for it...the way to get people off welfare is to stop bitching about it and do sometime about...give a little of yourself to help someone.

Give me a break, the democrats are going to fix this mess that your current President has created in the 8 years he has been in office. George Bush and his buddies have made millions off the backs of others. His cronies have lied, cheated and stole for 8 years and you don't want someone who will bring change to this country. Anything is better than what we have now, and don't tell me you are better off now than you were 8 years ago. This mess was not created in 1 year and it will take serveral years to clean it up. We are paying more now for food, clothing, fuel and housing than we ever did before. Our salaries if you are lucky enough to still have a job are not keeping up with inflation. Maine has always been out of touch with the rest of the United States anyway, it's the same mentality, either your wealthy or poor. The upper class don't want the poor and the poor want a handout instead of working for a living. John McCain really didn't have a snow ball chance in _____ when he chose Palin as his running mate. She is not like any other soccer mom, she doesn't have what it takes to be a president. Suck it up and give Obama a chance, as he can't make it any worse than it already is.

Cherry in there minds that alright because it's the rich stealing from the poor....the more they have the more they want..the more I have the more I give just a different way of thinking...I bet I'm happier for it...

RussHermon I agree with you!! Depends on what shoe the foot is on. But this prank does anger me, it was just plain ignorant.

I am sorry for the ignorant people who made your sister in law cry, it definitely is a 1 sided operation. I guess your sister in law didn't look lazy or old enough to be in there. and they say us conservatives are the ones who stereotype people!! I hope your brother gets well!

Tikitorch : thank-you and you saw my point to that there are bigots on both sides...My brother is a big strapping man ... that even at his sickest still was big and strapping....he's well enough now to have gone back to work...and we pary every day that the cancer won't come back

the republican party , headed up by dick cheney and carl rove , have nearly destroyed America as we knew it .Having an illitarate good old boy "president " and a congressional group of greedy hate mongers is obviously their solution to all problems .Democracy is not only for the rich and paranoid . Its for all. We hard core democrats have always known this . Its time you learned this as well or you can catch that boat bubby. Flap and Yack all you want , BUT ,Hate crimes are illegal and morrally unaceptable in a civilizied society . We have dwelled in a land of manipulated fear , stupid religious ideology and rampant money grubbing for too long . . Time to snap out of it . Grow up.This is not all about you .This is about the whole earth and those who inhabit it , including polar bears .

. as far as communism ,to quote our famous Senator M.C.Smith from Maine , a real republican, "sir, have you no shame ".

We will not return to the witchhunt era of the 50s.. democrats are not communists any more than republicans are racists ,homophobics and holy rollers .

In condoning these acts of hate you are actually supporting them . I personally , hope they find those responsible , spank their little asses. , and send them to bed with no supper .

In regards to Obama support , its global , around the whole world .. Of the Human population living on earth at this time , 80% feel that Obama is a hopefull and heroic figure .He came from nothing , against all odds ,and through his own inteligence and hard work ,attained the job of bailing your sorry asses out of the mess YOU created by electing [annointing ] the wrong cowboy for all the WRONG reasons eight long years ago. . Now you can tell me the whole world is stupid . Go ahead. That will really help your case ..

mallett the only one flapping is you. I am a strict conservative and I agree this cannot be tolerated...

To Ladydiodes.. Like it or not the current President is YOUR President too.. Unless you are NOT an American Citizen, which I am assuming you are....

They are all OUR Presidents whether you agree with the politics or not.

It is people like you that try to tear this country apart.

I am not an Obama fan, BUT HE WILL BE MINE/OUR PRESIDENT AS OF 1/20/09 and I will support him and our Country to the death whether or not I agree with his politics. I AM AN AMERICAN.. WE ALL NEED TO STICK TOGETHER NOT TEAR AMERICA APART!!!

PS We don't HAVE to share the wealth, but it would be nice for each of us to PAY IT FORWARD!!

Did anyone see the news story from Hollywood CA where they hung Sarah Palin in effigy? I don't see how this is much different.

How off track everyone became here....did I miss part of the article? I thought this had to do with the hanging of black effigies.

teach a man to fish you have fed him for life, feed a man fish, and you have fed him for the day. I beieve you reap what you sew and nothing more.

sickntired2: They all got a bit off track. The article demonstrates the hypocrisy of the liberals and how their standards for themselves are different than for the republicans. When it was pointed out that there wasn't the same sense of rage for hanging Sarah Palin, that it was considered a prank not a hate crime, the conversation turned politcal and the the typical finger pointing and blaming ensued.

beresponsible very well said...we must give of ourself more....teaching just one can be teaching the the whole world...pay it forward...MainerInCA there is no differance it's wrong no matter who has done it.

Mallett: You think the current president is ILLITARATE ?, and you think that Obama made the grade because of his INTELIGENCE ?, you can't even spell holy roler. .........clean your own closet

milliken : Mr. Malletts spelling of Holy Roller is correct maybe you should look things up before you shoot your mouth off....is president Bush Illitarate? No he's just a pone in a Republican game of chess in which the country lost...

Acts like what are described above are what will lead this once great country into turmoil. People need not judge, especially because of another persons color of skin!!! Didn't your parents teach you that growing up!!!

The Gingerbread Man is an effigy for Obama? Please people! Maybe one can make the association, however the appearance of the manakin as being Palin in CA was certainly not denied by the person who created the scene. This on the other hand is a tad reaching, and to insinuate there was a crime being committed is another. Why is it people get carnked up on symbolism and labels. Just take the stuff down and chaulk it up to ignorant people.

This country is getting worse and worse with their hatred and racism. I'm white and I didn't vote for Obama but it had absolutely nothing to do with his color. God made him as well as he made me . These people need to do what President Kennedy told us to do, " Ask not what your Country can do for you but ask what you can do for your Country ". Trust me racism will do nothing for our Country but make our Country worse than it is now. These people probably need to get a job.

RussHermon you need to re-read the terms you agreed to when you registered with BDN to post comments. You comment about the govenor is lude and obscene. BDN should ban you from posting comments. You certainly could have made your point with out such a disgusting comment.

"As a user, you are responsible for your own communications and are responsible for the consequences of their posting. You must not, and by using any BDN Site you agree not to, do the following things: post material that is obscene, defamatory, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, or embarrassing to another user or any other person or entity; post a sexually-explicit image or statement;"

Easy Basil don't get your politicaly correct panties in a bunch

Everyone is getting off track because it's too hard for people to admit that either 1. there really are KKK type racists in our state or/and 2. they are okay with black effigies being hung in our state. So, instead of admitting those two things, which is hard and not p/c, people deflect the issue by talking about Sarah Palin and politics. This has to do with ignorant racism. This has to do with the notion that the people that hung those would probably hurt, harm or even kill a black person for no other reason than the color of their skin. Not unlike Charlie Howard who was killed because his killers believed him to be gay and didn't like gays. No friggin different and until you all realize how horrible the reality of racism is, you will be forever waxing political about bs and never do a damn thing to stop it. sickening.

Actually, there is a connection to Sarah Palin in another way:

"The Secret Service is blaming Sarah Palin's hateful campaign speeches for a dramatic increase in the number of death threats against now President Elect Barack Obama.

The attacks provoked a near lynch mob atmosphere at her rallies, with supporters yelling "terrorist" and "kill him" until the McCain campaign ordered her to tone down the rhetoric.

But it has now emerged that her demagogic tone may have unintentionally encouraged white supremacists to go even further.

The Secret Service warned the Obama family in mid October that they had seen a dramatic increase in the number of threats against the Democratic candidate, coinciding with Mrs Palin's attacks."

Racism is a crime against oneself (to degrade oneself in ignorance and hate), however hate crimes (acting on ones racist views) are what's at issue here.

Racist people are ignorant hicks who have been BROUGHT UP BY ignorant racist hicks with low paying jobs and a lack of critical thinking skills to understand why they're poor. So they blame the folks who look different than them, rather than the underfunded public education system.

ANY act of aggression (especially based on race) toward minorities or the President-elect of the United States runs counter to Maine values and we should not tolerate it from our neighbors.

I'm sure the folks who did this in Bar Harbor did it because they disagree with Obama's tax policy. Additionally, when they start burning crosses on someone's lawn, it's because they disagree with his stance on the seperation of religion and state. It is pathetic that cowards do things like this without identifing themselves. It is equally pathetic that not all of these comments denounce such an act. Maine is a great state but I see why people call it the deep south of the north.

I have to tell you I have never laughed so hard at a story as I have this one....OK people.....I'll type this wicked slow...IT....WAS...A...GINGERBREAD... MAN !!! OMG we will have to change the way we decorate our Kwansa tree this year...We cannot have Tyrone the gingerbread man dangling from a rope off a Kwansa branch!!! Holy cow..call the christmas police and make sure they bring their tactical unit and hate crime response team. This is a matter of national security...Call Cleetis and Dewayne in Tremont and ask them if they are free to help the state police investigate this one. WOW

Rumsfield just briefed President Bush.....that 3 Brazillian soldiers were killed yesterday, with that news the president hung his head and was visabilly shaken almost to tears.....after composing himself he asked......can someone tell me just how many a brazillion is? LOL lighten up people

sacurtis, that was hilarious! THANK YOU!

Thanks thought you'd like it!!!!

negro

This is such a sad sad story. Not shocking by any means because it seems like everywhere I have gone since the election, someone, somewhere has some stupid racist comment to make. It really bothers me, because I thought we lived in a pretty non-judgemental state for the most part. For all you IDIOTS that still havent woken up to realize that the ONLY difference between whites, blacks, chinese or whatever is pigmintation of the freakin skin I feel bad for you, that your lives have been so sheltered that you have nothing better to do, than stupid crap like that. I grew up in Maine, and when I turned 18, moved to Kansas City, MO. Talk about being introduced to a different world...BUT my parents raised me to love the world around me, be grateful for being alive, and to enjoy others, no matter what they look like or how rich/poor they are. So, yes I did have some not so great experiences with some outside my race, but it definately didnt make me hate them because I looked at them and their skin color. My goodness, white folks around here are ignorant every day but I dont hate them cause of it...RUSSHERMON, honestly get a freakin clue!! Oh and funny you mention the name Tyrone..is that suppose to be a "black" name? Cause my cousin, who is white, and 31...is named Tyrone, but I guess thats what I got from your comment. Who would imagine that I was in Walmart the other day and there was a "mixed race" gentleman getting his "hunting supplies" we ended up having a conversation about hunting, fishing, and wait...listen to this....the election...he had voted for McCain!! Wow! Amazing right? HAHA. Geez I wish I lived in a "perfect world' where I could wake up and be as happy as the ones hanging effigies from trees because I am so confident and secure with myself that I have to down others just to make myself "look better" or get a good "kick" out of what a good job I did...then look in the mirror and say to myself...gosh doesnt my one tooth look nice then walk around in my beautiful run down trailor in the middle of east bum f**k Maine!!! ARGGG

AM I missing something.... People keep mentioning OBAMA, were there nametags on these dolls? DIDN"T THINK SO!

Glad that the ones making racist comments or jokes, are doing it from the comfort of your own home. I bet you a million dollars half of you saying that kind of crap on here wouldnt say any of that crap if you were the only "white person" in a room of mixed races!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I dont understand people like u I really dont!

Amanda, you're right that most racist people wouldn't say that in front of non-white people. Their racism stems from a weakness of character rather than a boldness.

By the way, the joke wasn't racist...it was a Bush joke. Pretty funny, and clean too if you ask me. Read it, remember it, use it.... :)

Okay, I find this act pretty childish, but I wouldn't go so far as calling it a hate crime. Don't get me wrong, I wanted Obama to win, but this is just people being dumb. Noone was hurt by the hanging figures, physically anyways. I don't really know why they are investigating this, I'm sure it was just some teenagers trying to make a point because they can't vote. I don't see how it can be disorderly conduct as well. When people rally in protest they are allowed to make signs stating pretty much anything they want, this is kind of the same thing. But the individuals who did this are definitley cowards and to voice their opinion in such a way is idiotic as it helps noone on either side.

Amanda1982, I am sorry if offended you with the joke I told.......life is too short to bitch and complain all the time! Thought you all could use a giggle or too. Hanging those dolls in the trees was a discusting act and those people should be held accountable.

JESUS is just alright with me. Jesus is just alright oh yeah. Jesus is just alright with me. Jesus is just alright oh yeah. Jesus is just alright with me.

the king of maine......get down......boogie-oogie-oogie.......

Traditional white liberalism run amoke....note the distinctions made when Sarah Palin is 'hung in effigy':

When news broke that a West Hollywood couple had hung a Sarah Palin effigy by a noose outside their home as part of a Halloween display, the blogosphere could hardly contain itself. Although many bloggers agreed that the effigy was not a crime, there was a general feeling that it was in bad taste.

Jordanian blogger Camel's Nose felt that Barack Obama himself should have stood up against the incident:

Whatever you think of Sarah Palin’s politics, there is no excuse for the hate speech that has been unleashed against her. The latest is some guy in West Hollywood, California, Chad Michael Morrisette, who thinks hanging Sarah Palin with a noose makes for good art. Is anyone else as dumbfounded by this as I am? Here is the link.

Listen to the video too. The guy who put it up, Chad Michael Morrisette, says:

'I know if we had done it with Barack Obama people probably would have thrown things through our windows…I mean, the image of a hanged black man is a LOT more intense than the image of a hanged white woman'…

I am thinking of one person who has the eloquence to talk about this disgraceful episode in the way it deserves to be talked about...OBAMA where are you.

Crimes against women who won't react violently are o.k., simply because you can 'get away with them' vs. an identical 'hate' crime against Obama. Liberal hypocrisy and latent sexism at work, as usual.

The BIG difference is that blacks have historically, and not too long ago, been hung in trees for real, not effigies, real people. White women do not have a history of being hung because they are white women, black people do. So, when an effigy of Sarah Palin is hung in a tree, the shock and trauma to all white women all over the world is not felt in the same way it feels to a black person whose ancestors, (parents, aunts, uncles, grampies, grammies, etc) have been hung for real by racist, mostly KKK, members. So, STOP trying to draw comparisons......it's apples and oranges.

Perhaps, an effigy of Sarah Palin being raped would be more appropriate.

It's not 'apples N oranges' since it's how the person being hung feels about it. Many women have said that effigies of Sarah Palin were grotesque and very offensive and equivilent to those of African-Americans.

or maybe you don't think RAPE is that big a deal?

I would argue both are political speech and protected under the first amendment.

Sacurtis, I love President Bush, but can still laugh at a funny joke. Thanks for the humor. We could all stand to lighten up and laugh at ourselves once and a while.... thank you.

On 11/10/08 at 08:29 AM, Cherry wrote:

Corporate welfare costs us more than traditional welfare for poor folk. think about that.

CHERRY, corporate welfare as you term it is still a very large net gain for the country in tax dollars. The rich you hate so much pay over 90% of the taxes in this country, soon to be more no doubt. Welfare on the other hand is a net loss, and in most of the cases is a complete waste of money because the person is looking for a hand out, not a hand up. To be clear again before you go on the attack... that is most of the welfare is a waste. Some good people do just need a boost and use it to better themselves and their family. My mother 30 years ago for example.

Oh whats the big deal? Its not like anyone was hurt? OMG Kate! Honestly...do you remember a man recently that kicked a pregnant black woman in Ellsworth after "saying" hateful things? Yeah he ended up dying in jail...hmm...God has his magic ways....so lets not just take it lightly!

OMG he died in jail? When was that reported?

you are so welcome duckwa.......have a great night....... :)

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It must so embarrass liberal Mainers their state isn't more diverse, that they believe themselves to be viewed as un-hip by their liberal brethren in more diverse states.

.

So given the least excuse, they jump at any chance to overreact to the slightest hint of racism.

.

If anything, they are drawing a great deal of attention to this stupid event, which otherwise would have hardly gotten any publicity at all.

.

"RussHermon you need to re-read the terms you agreed to when you registered with BDN to post comments."

Basil if the BDN enforced those rules two thirds of the posts on here would be gone. This is not a friendly place.

Okay I don't get the joke what is a "RussHermon?

he died shortly after going to jail anne...if u google the incident u may find the article

Okay, a psychotic guy physically harming a woman, and some cowards hanging things in trees then running away because they obviously can't take actual confrontation are not the same thing. And I don't believe in god, so any comment you have to me that has him making his revenge on someone who died who did bad things means nothing to me. But thanks anyway Amanda.

kateindfcity! You don't believe in God? Of course that is your freedom, but I think it safer to believe and be wrong than to not believe and be wrong!

RussHermon, YOU GO GIRL! Man, I could listen to you speak all day! Ever thought about public office? Your sparks will be the fire for the future conservative movement. We all knew this had to happen! There is nobody left to blame I love it! Sit back; spit polish your guns and your Bible and watch the show! I give the Moon Bats a year at best! How many more NEGRO CARDBOARD MEN must Die?

Wow Saltoria, you think "it safer to believe and be wrong than to not believe and be wrong"? Does that mean you believe in global warming?

Well I'm not in to politics even though my family has been for years :) In belfast. But all I can say is I hope someone does help the elderly and the mentally disabled and physical. I worked for 28 years out of 40. Brought my 2 children up on my own for several years. Now i'm fully disabled there is no way in heck that I can work but thank god for a wonderful husband that some people dont' have. That's what makes me sad. Some people do need the help that dont' get it. So that is what I want to see getting help when needed not abusing it.

Good point Anne.There is one difference I would make between believing in global warming (or not) and believing in God, but I would submit they 're both religious in nature. Believing in God is a matter of faith not science. The theory of global warming is suppose to be based on science. There are many scientists who believe the earth is warming and that it is a result of man. They have yet to prove that theory. Other very renown and highly respected scientists (check out Richard Lindzen, MIT) disagree with the climate change models and with the idea that man controls the temperature of the planet by his activity. I choose to believe the Richard Lindzen scientists.

Hi Saltoria! I'm glad I chose to believe Noah when he said a great flood was coming, even though there were lots of people who said he was wrong.

Anne....Let's not forget, that flood was caused by God, not by man.

By the way (after thought)...Anne, are you suggesting that YOU were alive during the time Noah said a great flood was coming?

Oh my, you are revealing your age. I thought you to be much younger!

It's true. I am very, very, VERY old. Older than humanity itself. Speaking of which, did you see this story "A German archaeologist by the name of Klaus Schmidt has claimed discovery in Turkey of the world's oldest temple. Called Gobekli Tepe, it predates Stonehenge by six thousand years, and Smithsonian magazine writes that 'the find upends the conventional view of the rise of civilization:'

I say hang more of those things up. I think they look good.

The good news is you yahoos live way out in the middle of nowhere, so you can keep on @&*%&#ing your cousins and farm animals and complainin' about the coloreds. Who gives a crap what you do?

George Bush started two wars, killed and maimed thousands of our men and women, left the economy in shambles, stole the houses of tens of thousands of people, took away the happy retirements of millions, etc. Why the hell would we give you and your Republican haters another shot at destroying this country. Finally we'll have someone smart in the White House.

As a longtime visitor to MDI with deep roots on the island, I am heartened to see good people stand up to speak out against what happened. The timing of the events, the color of the figures, and the hanging from the trees, like lynchings of African-Americans years ago, show that this is indeed a hate crime. Hatred is most prevalent when people are afraid. I hope that the courage of strong Mount Desert Island residents will combat this hatred, so that incidents like these will not happen again.

The comments by RussHermon on 11/10/08 are sexual and vulgar. Does anyone actually monitor this site? This should be removed, and he should be banned, according the the BDN terms of posting comments. Some of the comments here are more hateful than the original incidents.

We live in a country in which each of us has a vote and that vote counts. Every four years we vote for President and Vice President. Of course, there will always be people who voted for the other candidates. As Americans, we have defended this right to vote. It also includes a responsibility to work with whomever is elected, for the good of our country.

Russ, tell me you didn't say that? Love chowder or chowda????? This was the first time I read your comment. You spoke pretty much the truth. I think Russ left his comments up for interpretation that’s all. Some people have thinner skin than others. One person may find something vulgar and another may find it not.