For a country that celebrates its colors and independence in every facet of life, the amount of blatant racism displayed on the regular in the United States never ceases to amaze and wow. Especially in the rural areas.
The city of Norfolk, Nebraska held an eyebrow-raising 4th of July parade which featured a float depicting a President Obama outhouse. The outhouse was also labeled with “President Obama’s library” on the side.
Reports Huffington Post:
According to the Omaha World Herald and the Lincoln Journal Star, many Norfolk residents were upset by the float, with some decrying the display as a racist attack on the president.
“I’m angry and I’m scared,” Glory Kathurima, a Norfolk resident who is originally from Kenya, told the Journal Star. “This float was not just political; this was absolutely a racial statement.”
Kathurima says she wrote to the town’s mayor as well as the Chamber of Commerce expressing her concerns with the float.
“We have seen many times when Nebraskans disapproved of the President, but this clearly crosses the line.” Nebraska Democratic Party executive director Dan Marvin said in a Saturday statement. “There is a level of respect for the office of the Presidency which should not be crossed. It’s beyond disappointing the City of Norfolk, it’s officials, and citizens would allow such a thing.”
Rick Konopasek, a member of the Norfolk parade committee, defended the float, comparing it to a political cartoon and noting that multiple parade judges awarded it an “honorable mention.”
Dale Remmich, a military veteran who created the float, says he did to voice his disdain toward’s the Obama administration’s Veterans Affairs issues and denies any racist involvement in its presentation to Omaha.com.
“The float was political satire and an expression of political disgust,” he said. “There was no racism involved, no hate for anyone.”
Plenty of other pundits around the net defended its presence as well. Is it alarming that all of them seem to identify with the same race and culture?
Take a look at some of the favorable comments towards the Obama outhouse and let us know if you think it’s racist or not.
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Photos: Twitter
