Bets on Obama assassination
2008-11-21 09:34
Boston - Passions flared in a Maine town
on Thursday over a sign in a store asking customers to place
bets on an assassination of President-elect Barack Obama.
The Town Council in Standish condemned the sign on Thursday
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 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 southwest Maine
has remained closed since reports of the sign appeared in the
media on Sunday.
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," Chapman said
in a telephone interview. "People were passionate of their
opinion but very respectful of others."
Obama's historic election victory as the nation's first
black president has sparked racist incidents nationwide,
according to groups that monitor hate crimes.
Obama, an Illinois senator, won the November 4 presidential
contest in Maine over Republic Senator John McCain of Arizona.
- Reuters