KY man defends controversial Obama display - KTRE.com | Lufkin and Nacogdoches, Texas

KY man defends controversial Obama display

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The life-size mannequin of President Obama holding a slice of watermelon is in a Casey County man's front yard. The life-size mannequin of President Obama holding a slice of watermelon is in a Casey County man's front yard.
He bought the Obama mask on sale after Halloween. He bought the Obama mask on sale after Halloween.
Danny Hafley said the watermelon isn't meant to be racist. He said he thought the mannequin "might get hungry." Danny Hafley said the watermelon isn't meant to be racist. He said he thought the mannequin "might get hungry."
Hefley talks to a WLEX reporter about his controversial display. Hefley talks to a WLEX reporter about his controversial display.

CASEY COUNTY, KY (WAVE) - A Casey County man vows to leave the life-size mannequin of President Obama holding a slice of watermelon in his front yard until spring or until it gets him into trouble.

Danny Hafley says the display is meant as a joke and that he has no racist intentions.

When asked by WLEX-TV in Lexington about the watermelon, Hafley said he thought the mannequin "might get hungry standing out here."

Hafley bought the Obama mask on sale after Halloween and put up the display just before November's presidential election.

"That's my buddy," Hafley told WLEX. "He don't talk. Don't make no smart comments. If I had a dollar for everyone who stopped and took a picture of it I'd be a millionaire."

Several of Hafley's neighbors said they don't see anything wrong with Hafley's display, but one neighbor felt others would find it racist.

"If he wants to place it someplace else that would be fine," said the neighbor. "We don't have black people in this community but I'm sure they travel this road like everybody else does. They could be offended. I don't agree with it."

The neighbor said the figure originally had a sign attached, asking people to pray that Obama won't destroy America.

Copyright 2012 WAVE News. All rights reserved.

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