Saturday, December 20, 2008



'Osama Obama Shotgun' betting condemned

This happened a little while back but I think it is still interesting:
"Passions have flared in a US town over a sign in a store asking customers to place bets on an assassination of President-elect Barack Obama. The Town Council in Standish, Maine, condemned the sign in a 6-0 vote and declared it reprehensible at a meeting where some residents defended the store owner, saying he had a right to free speech even if in bad taste, local authorities said.

"The town of Standish condemns in the strongest terms any such alleged activity calling for violence against any individual no matter their position, race or ethnicity," said the resolution posted on the town's website.

The sign in the Oak Hill General Store asked customers to place a $1 bet on the date of Mr Obama's assassination, and said "Let's hope someone wins," the Portland Press Herald reported. It was called the "Osama Obama Shotgun Pool".

The store in the town of 9,285 people in south-west Maine has remained closed since reports of the sign appeared in the media on Sunday (local time). About 80 people attended the meeting, including some who defended the store owner, said town clerk Mary Chapman. "There were folks on both sides of the issue," Ms Chapman said in a telephone interview.

Source

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

What's reprehensible is the fact that the town is claiming that sign is "activity calling for violence" when it is absolutely not. It's stating a possibility, and stating a personal opinion. Please tell me how this calls for violence? This should sent straight to court.

Anonymous said...

"This should sent straight to court."

He would lose & possibly go to jail for conspiring to kill the president-elect. Those Secret Service guys frown on ths sort of thing.

Anonymous said...

But you just made the same mistake as the town. Did he say that he was conspiring to kill the president? No! Did he say that he wanted people to kill the president? No! He was simply promoting wagering on an whether an event would happen or not. And he expressed an opinion about that event. Yes, he could possibly get hit for running a gambling operation, but certainly not conspiracy to kill the president.

The media takes such great pleasure in twisting and misinterpreting what people actually say. Don't fall into the same trap.

Anonymous said...

A bit like making a joke at an airport security-check about having a bomb - very unwise - if not stupido!

Anonymous said...

" and said "Let's hope someone wins,"

Sorry, but the above statement could be, and I reiterate, could be construed as a conspiracy to kill the president-elect. And if anybody is good at making something out of nothing, it's the feds. Personally, I think he ought to be able to put up whatever he wants in his store. If others choose not to patronize his business because of it, then that is his problem.

Anonymous said...

"" and said "Let's hope someone wins," Sorry, but the above statement could be, and I reiterate, could be construed as a conspiracy to kill the president-elect"

Unfortunately, you're probably all too right.

Anonymous said...

lets not forget jody fosters involvment in the shooting of my good friend Ron , she is still walking around

superman the student architect

Anonymous said...

There is no crime here since there is no intent on the part of the store owner to commit a crime. Nor is he advocating anyone else commit a crime. It is simply a wager. Is he violating the local gambling laws? Perhaps.

As to whether the sign is in bad taste depends on your own viewpoint, but what you may consider bad taste, someone else may see as humor. The real problem here is, if the name Obama were replaced with the name Bush, those on the Left who are so upset over this nonsense would have a great laugh (and) protect that same store owner.