Hate Crime

(Pictured) The Halloween display in question.

ב' בחשון תשס"ח

Jason of The Wild Hunt Blog asks the question about a case in Massachusetts, home to the infamous Salem witch trials:

Hate Crime?

Is displaying a gallows-hung witch in Massachusetts a religious hate crime? That is the accusation by Kelly Lynch towards a home-owner in Chicopee. According to Lynch, the display is a personal offense to religious Witchcraft and not an innocent Halloween display.

The Chicopee witch explains:

To many, it's an innocent Halloween decoration, but for Kelly Lynch it's offensive.

That's why when she saw the life-like witch hanging in someones front yard she went straight to the home owner's door.

"He told me to lighten up, it was a Halloween decoration, I know it's his constitutional right, but I want it down. To make that your only decoration...it's kind of odd, " stresses Lynch.

But the owner will do no such thing. His neighbor says he has every intention of keeping it up.

It's offensive to me as well. More importantly, the homeowner is engaging in a hate crime.

Leaving the witch hanging, now that it has been directly and unequivocably brought to the homeowner's attention that it is hateful and intimidating to witches, brings to light the maliciousness hidden in the original intent.

I think the homeowner would like to string you up Kelly, in the place of his Halloween decoration.