The Palin effigy

The LAT and its reporters are twisting words and shading meanings so as to come out against the Palin effigy without offending liberals and gays, especially the gays who hung the effigy. It's not a hate crime, the LAT argues, because Palin is white. If she were black it would be different. Suppose she were a lesbian. Would that make a difference? A LAT editorial argues that the effigy is in bad taste, nothing more.