'Bandit' Obama billboard sparks storm in US city

[Guest FroggyOne2]

AFP/Grand Junction Sentinel – Handout photo shows a colorful billboard in Grand Junction, Colorado depicting US President Barack Obama …

– Wed Oct 13, 11:04 pm ET

GRAND JUNCTION, (AFP) – A billboard depicting Barack Obama as an Islamist suicide bomber, a gay and a Mexican bandit has triggered a storm of criticism in a western US city weeks ahead of crucial polls.

The colourful poster of the US president -- under the ironic slogan "Vote DemocRAT" -- is attracting attention from media worldwide and from people clogging a local parking lot for a closer look.

"It?s beyond distasteful, and it?s disrespectful of the commander-in-chief," said Martelle Daniels, chairwoman of the local Mesa County Democrats, calling it "clearly racist and homophobic."

"Certainly (it) is not designed for intelligent discourse at all," she added in Grand Junction, in the western US state of Colorado.

Beneath the cartoonish figures of Obama -- also depicted as a cigar-chomping gangster -- are rats, labeled as trial lawyers, the Inland Revenue Service (IRS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Reserve bank.

Chuck Pabst, the local chairman, told the local paper the Grand Junction Sentinel that the billboard is in bad taste.

"It?s reprehensible and disrespectful, and that?s not what any honorable person would put forth," Pabst said. "To ridicule somebody in this manner is juvenile."

Politically, Mesa County is Republican-dominated and increasingly conservative, with several active organizations -- which are making waves ahead of mid-term elections next month.

After two years in the White House, Obama is struggling to avoid a drubbing for his Democratic party in the November 2 ballots, and the race is getting increasingly hard-fought as the polls get nearer.

The provocative picture is the work of artist Paul Snover, who frequently posts on constitutionalist and Tea Party websites.

Snover couldn't be reached by AFP for comment, but he told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel in an e-mail that he is "not allowed to say" who paid for the billboard.

Dennis Lucas, a Grand Junction businessman who owns the billboard, said, "I cannot tell you who it?s rented to," and hung up.

Doris Downey, the owner of a company whose parking lot is being invaded by people taking a closer look, is angry that her business is being disrupted.

"I have no problem with freedom of speech, but I do have a problem with causing problems for others, and this is causing problems for us on top of all this," she said.

"I don?t know who commissioned that thing, which I think is despicable, but they should own up to it," Downey said. "Anonymous opinion gets no respect from me."

'Bandit' Obama billboard sparks storm in US city - Yahoo! News

[enfield]

Must have struck a nerve.

Whiners.

[Guest guardlobo]

Interesting!

[JeffsSig]

To Funny!!!

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I hope it struck a nerve and pisses them off so bad they really do something stupid. They

are the pro's with that art. Some on our side are only adopting their tactics. Of course,

we don't have the National Endowment for the Arts to fund our side. we have to use our

own money.

[trblmkr13]

I think its pretty funny

[Guest strelcevina]

I hope it struck a nerve and pisses them off so bad they really do something stupid..

That is typical republican statement .

It doesn't work anymore . Hence. Obama is president .

If you don't won't Hillary to be next president ,stop suporting this kind of art.

One farmer who lives on 100 acres by him self may like this kind of art .

A million city folks who live on 100 acres don't like it .

[gnmwilliams]

That is typical republican statement .

It doesn't work anymore . Hence. Obama is president .

If you don't won't Hillary to be next president ,stop suporting this kind of art.

One farmer who lives on 100 acres by him self may like this kind of art .

A million city folks who live on 100 acres don't like it .

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

[LagerHead]

That is typical republican statement .

It doesn't work anymore . Hence. Obama is president .

If you don't won't Hillary to be next president ,stop suporting this kind of art.

One farmer who lives on 100 acres by him self may like this kind of art .

A million city folks who live on 100 acres don't like it .

What do you have against farmers?

[VERO1]

Works for me and I don't even have a farm.

[Guest 85rx-7gsl-se]

That is typical republican statement .

It doesn't work anymore . Hence. Obama is president .

If you don't won't Hillary to be next president ,stop suporting this kind of art.

One farmer who lives on 100 acres by him self may like this kind of art .

A million city folks who live on 100 acres don't like it .

What makes you so sure a Democrat will win the 2012 Presidential election???

[dralarms]

That is typical republican statement .

It doesn't work anymore . Hence. Obama is president .

If you don't won't Hillary to be next president ,stop suporting this kind of art.

One farmer who lives on 100 acres by him self may like this kind of art .

A million city folks who live on 100 acres don't like it .

Welcome back. Don't know who was impersonating you but glad to know you are still kicking.

[Guest strelcevina]

What do you have against farmers?

I have nothing against farmers.

I was just looking for nicer word for redneck ,that's all

[dralarms]

I have nothing against farmers.

I was just looking for nicer word for redneck ,that's all

So all farmers are rednecks? You sir are an ASS.

[Guest strelcevina]

So all farmers are rednecks? You sir are an ASS.

No. I didn't say all.

I said only one who like art like that .

Do you see the difference .

[dralarms]

Nope. Just because someone likes something that puts your hero in a bad light you want to call them a redneck.

[Garufa]

That billboard is not only hilarious but it is a great example of what the first amendment to the Constitution guarantees us all in this county...even the ingrate immigrants.

[Guest strelcevina]

That billboard is not only hilarious but it is a great example of what the first amendment to the Constitution guarantees us all in this county...even the ingrate immigrants.

I don't believe u would say that if you saw soft porn billboard . Or gay kissing , or other nasty things like that

[Garufa]

Strel, there is a fine line between freedom of speech and distasteful expression of that right. The Obama billboard is nothing more than the latest example of this country's colorful history of lampooning elected officials.

Unfortunately, the rights granted us also protect ignorant, uncouthe, self-serving, baiting (of whatever kind you can imagine) *******s.

The examples you cited would either please me or sicken me. I'd love to drive down the road every morning and see some big boobies popping but find the image of two dudes kissing revolting. But you know what? All I have to do is turn on the TV any and every night to see all that. Neither is really appropriate in either setting but is available for those who need it. Welcome to America, the rudest country in the world.

[eapking]

The 1A is reserved only for the left. The right is just stupid or wrong, or both.

[Guest Jamie]

I have this mental picture of one caveman looking at the painting another caveman just painted on the cave wall and having a fit...

[Guest 6.8 AR]

That is typical republican statement .

It doesn't work anymore . Hence. Obama is president .

If you don't won't Hillary to be next president ,stop suporting this kind of art.

One farmer who lives on 100 acres by him self may like this kind of art .

A million city folks who live on 100 acres don't like it .

So, in your sphere of knowledge

are you saying one group can put up anything they want, while another

group can't? A little lopsided, strel.

You evidently didn't comprehend

what I was saying, but I understand.

Am I too mean spirited for ya?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Guest strelcevina]

The 1A is reserved only for the left. The right is just stupid or wrong, or both.

1A for a right ,means some hard core pushing it to the limit stuff. mostly stupid and disgusting at a same time.

it almost sounds like teenage daughter complaining to her parents for not letting her to go to night club so she can drink and smoke pot veil she has a unprotected sex in the bathroom

so if you ask her, she will tell you a same thing. i don't see nothing wrong doing that

hence yall dont see nothing wrong with this billboard

[Guest Jamie]

Strel, I don't think any of us are under-age teenage girls... 'Least I know I'm not.

So you're argument is invalid on several points.

[dralarms]

Strel, I don't think any of us are under-age teenage girls... 'Least I know I'm not.

So you're argument is invalid on several points.

Save your breath Jamie,

He reminds me of my FIL, talks and talks while no one is listening and not saying anything that makes any sense. Sometimes I think he does it to see if anyone is actually listening (my FIL) as far as stre. I know no one is listening.