Clark College will host a discussion at noon today about the recent “chair lynching” in which a Camas couple hanged an empty chair symbolizing President Barack Obama from a tree in their yard. The forum will take place in the college’s diversity center, room 214 in Gaiser Hall.
Diversity advocates have called the display racially insensitive, given that the president is black and that the U.S. has a painful history of racially motivated lynchings. The couple hanged the chair following Clint Eastwood’s Republican National Convention speech, in which Eastwood spoke to an empty chair that was meant to represent Obama and his policies.
The forum will allow community members to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas about the incident through a moderated conversation. Those who need accommodations because of a disability should call 360-992-2314 prior to the event.
Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way in Vancouver.
