Sarah Palin...effigy taken down! Well-hung house-dressing by window-dresser 2 much for neighbors!

How would you liked to be labelled the "worst person in the world"?

When I reflect on all the scum walking around the face of the gritty terra firma, I'd say that was quite a tall order to fill.

But, a resident of West Hollywood managed to snare the coveted honor when he strung up an effigy of what appeared to be a dummy in a get-up crafted to discern the likeness of Sarah Palin.

Jeffrey Prang - the Mayor of West Hollywood - was quick to respond to the quirky piece of garden sculpture in-the-round.

With little ado, he politely insisted that the cheeky little man remove the controversial effigy.

"I respect that we all have the right to freedom of speech," Prang said.

"However, with that right comes responsibility. While these residents have the legal right to display Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin in effigy, I strongly oppose political speech that references violence - real or perceived."

In response, the resident (a natty window-dresser who resides in the incorporated city) was quick to note that - contrary to Prang's position on the matter - he felt he was within his rights to decorate his property in the manner in which he did.



Chad Michael Morrisette made no bones about the fact that his display might be unacceptable any other month, but stressed that his subjects (Palin, for instance) were fair game during the Halloween season.


"It should be seen as art and it should be seen within the month of October. It is Halloween. It's time to be scary. It's time to be spooky," Morrisette said.

Within about twenty-four hours after the dummy was hoisted to its prominent perch on the roof of the cozy little bungalow - gussied up with lipstick, beehive hairstyle, and red skirt - a furor erupted not only in the surrounding community but across the Nation.

In fact, in addition to the Sheriffs, the Secret Service were called in to address the issue and determine if a possible "hate crime" had been committed.

"I'm not defending this; I'm not criticizing it." said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, who said he went out to the house himself to look at the display this morning.

After accessing the handiwork of Mr. Morrisette, he noted for the record that he did not find that any "crime" had been committed, except the one that pertained to "bad taste", perhaps.

The Secret Service also concluded that the homeowner was within his rights to offer up his Halloween tribute on his own property and that his artistic expression did not violate any letter of the law.

That didn't stop neighbors, Palin supporters - and even members of the media - from verbally attacking the West Hollywood resident in the media or harassing him at his home on Orange Drive.

A rag-tag band of protestors hoisted blue sheets sky-high to block the image from lookie-loos who cruised by on the quiet residential street to get a gander, for instance.

And, one hostile man drove up in a pick-up with an image of man in effigy, to hammer home the point that were the noose on the other neck, Morrisette may be a little uncomfortable at the prospect.

Then, a top news anchor, jumped into the fray.

After a commentary on the issue, the well-heeled newsie proceeded to label Morrisette the "worst person in the world".

Ouch!

The long and short of it?

Mr. Morrisette removed the effigy and the neighborhood breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The moral of the story?

An individual has a right to freedom of speech.

However, offend the masses - and public opinion may not only rise up against you - but inspire a call to action to tar 'n feather 'ya in the streets!

It's called kow-towing to the demands of a "civilized society".

At this juncture - and in view of the way this fiasco played out - I have one thing to say:

No noose is good noose!