Idaho Halloween Display Includes Decapitated Obama Head
Richard Piersol is proud of his Halloween display, which includes a rubber mask of President Obama on the end of a “spear” to show he has been “beheaded.” (Photo by KIMIHIRO HOSHINO/AFP/Getty Images)
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BOISE, Idaho (CBS Seattle) – An Idaho homeowner declares he welcomes criticism of the Halloween display he set up in his front yard near Boise.
“I’ve got the Grim Reaper on the ATV, and Obama’s head is on the spear and he has been decapitated,” Richard Piersol proudly tells KBOI-TV.
A rubber Obama mask is indeed perched on a wooden pole in front of an effigy of the Grim Reaper.
Peirsol revealed that he was inspired this year by his opposition to President Obama and the videos of ISIS beheadings.
“It’s like free speech. I am pretty much saying I don’t like his politics, and I don’t like him. That’s it,” he explained.
He added that his display has nothing to do with race. “I’ve got a couple of African American friends of mine that have given me more ideas to put out there to make it look gorier. And it’s like ‘no, I don’t want to do that,” he stated. “That might offend somebody.'”
So far Piersol’s neighbors have not complained. “My son asked me if it was a little bit prejudice towards certain individuals, say maybe the president because it has a head over there with a machete, I said no I don’t think it’s directed towards anybody,” explained Wally Lester, who lives nearby. think it just happens to be that situation the way they put it together.”
The Canyon County Sheriff’s office tells the station the display is not breaking any laws. In fact, says Piersol, he’s gotten tacit approval from deputies. “I’ve had three police officers stop and take pictures and give me the thumbs up,” Piersol boasted.
But he adds that he’s still open to changing his mind about the display. “If I have way too many people that don’t like it, I will take it down.”
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