The ugly anti-Obama display

What a shame that Blake Lebeck stooped to such a grossly offensive level to make his case against President Obama.
Regardless of one’s politics, the noose, the watermelon, the “Back to Kenya” sign, are so offensive, patently racist and devoid of any redeeming qualities that it’s likely going to have the opposite effect that Mr. Lebeck intended. If you’re an on-the-fence voter, it’s that kind of offensive display that just might convince you to vote for Obama. Do the majority of supporters for the candidate running against Obama have just as little class and consideration? Mr. Lebeck has undoubtedly caused some to ask that question.
Sure, he has the right to put whatever kind of political sign he wants in his front yard, and we have the right to condemn it, urge him to “get a clue” and take it down and wonder what goes on in the mind of a man who would put up such a display.
The images are those that only a Ku Klux Klan supporter could love – African-Americans being hanged without cause and lazy blacks chomping on watermelons.
Mr. Lebeck had his 15 minutes of fame. Unfortunately, he lives in our backyard and the view from afar could paint Morgan Hill as a backwater area filled with red necks who “just don’t git it.”
More worrisome is that there are people like Mr. Lebeck who will go to such great lengths to make a tasteless political statement filled with hate and bitterness.
Ironically, Americans decry negative campaigning, and yet many like Mr. Lebeck turn to exactly that just to get attention. It’s a shameful tactic that has inspired exactly what it deserves – denunciation.
Mr. Lebeck should take the display down. It’s ugly, it’s an affront to compassionate and decent Americans and it’s a divisive lightning rod that weakens our democracy.
Perhaps Mr. Lebeck will have an epiphany and do the right thing. One can always hope, even in the face of such a revolting political display.