Fairfield City and school district leaders have "condemned" the actions of a Fairfield resident who last week displayed a ghost with Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama's name on it — hanging from a tree by a noose.
Local 12 Reporter Shawn Ley was the first to speak with Mike Lunsford last week about his display, which Lunsford says was first intended to be a Halloween decoration. Lunsford later decided to write "Hussain" in green marker on it, misspelling Obama's middle name. He also attached part of a campaign yard sign with Obama's last name to his ghost decoration.
Lunsford refused to speak to Local 12 on camera, saying he was worried his views could hurt his employers business ... but he says make no mistake: He doesn't want an African American running the country. Lunsford says he believes Barack Obama is not a "full blooded American." And he says the United States is a white, Christian nation - and only with white Christians should be in power. Lunsford also says he's motivated by the national media which he says is pro-Obama.
Fairfield police received calls from neighbors and passersby but decided Lunsford had not committed any crime. Our partners at the Journal News spoke with Fairfield Police Chief Mike Dickey, who says a Secret Service investigation determined there was no threat to the presidential candidate and is protected under the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
However, the city's mayor, city council and Fairfield school district leaders decided to speak out against Lunsford's display. In an e-mail on Monday, Oct. 20, school district Superintendent Cathy Milligan and Fairfield school board President Mark Morris wrote, "Standing up against racism makes Fairfield a better place for our employees to work and for our students to learn and grow."
Mayor Ron D'Epifanio, along with city council members, wanted people to know they do not agree with Lunsford's display. In a statement issued on Monday, the mayor and city council members said: "This individual's isolated opinion, as depicted in a yard display, does not represent the values of our community."
The story about Lunsford's display first appeared on Local 12 on Thursday, Oct. 16, and national media stories quickly followed. Because of that attention, Lunsford said he moved the ghost and its noose from the tree to a chair next to his porch on Friday. Someone stole the "Obama" sign from his display since then, Lunsford said.
Local 12's story on the ghost has been picked up over the last 24 hours by major TV stations and newspapers across the country and nearly a dozen political blogs, including USA Today and Democratic Underground. Readers of those sites have been weighing in with comments, as have Local12.com users.
You can discuss the display by clicking on "Add a comment."
