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Anti-Obama protesters 'hang' empty chairs

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Obama protesters 'hang' empty chairs

3News NZ

Chair hanging from a tree with the US flag (Photo: www.burntorangereport.com)

Chair hanging from a tree with the US flag (Photo: www.burntorangereport.com)

By 3 News online staff

US political protestors have a new, controversial, way to voice their displeasure with Barack Obama's administration - they have taken to "hanging" empty chairs in their yards, in a mock lynching of the US president.

The use of chairs references Clint Eastwood's infamous speech at the Republican National Convention last month where the veteran actor spoke to an "invisible" Obama, represented by an empty chair.

Bud Johnson, a 73-year-old from Austin, Texas, started the trend by hanging a chair from a tree in his front yard.

Gawker reports when a neighbour complained, Mr Johnson told her: "I don't really give a damn whether it disturbs you or not. You can take [your concerns] and go straight to hell and take Obama with you. I don't give a shit.

"If you don't like it, don't come down my street."

He later added a US flag to the decoration.

More hanging chairs have since been spotted. In Centreville, Virginia, a hanging chair with a sign saying "Nobama" was photographed in a park.

A campaign sign for Republican senator George Allen, who has courted controversy in the past with his use of the Confederate flag and alleged use of racial slurs, is seen nearby, but it is not known if he is involved with the chair display.

Thousands of African-Americans were lynched by racist mobs in the US in the 19th and 20th centuries. Obama is the first US president of African-American heritage.

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Comments

22/09/2012 8:09:37 a.m.

Doug wrote:

As a Canadian living in LA for the past 14 years I am quite sad about the changes I see over the past few years. The American culture is becoming so splintered along extremely divisive lines it is had to say where we will be in another few years. Time for folks to get along - a lot less effort and a LOT more fun!