Racist Or Just Racy: ‘Obama Presidential Library’ Outhouse Float At Parade Draws Criticism
A Nebraska town is under fire after a parade float depicting President Obama outside of an outhouse was featured in its parade. The float shows a zombie-like figure wearing overalls holding on to a walker outside of a outhouse with the words “Obama” and “Presidential Library” pasted with boards to the sides.
According to the Washington Post, the float drew both cheers and criticism as it was pulled behind a blue pickup truck. Some felt the float was just a display of public political satire, while others feel it is outright racist.
One Norfolk mother, where the parade took place, told KMTV that she is outraged. Glory Kathurima, who is from Kenya and was at the parade with her nine-year-old daughter, called the image “cruel, disrespectful and uncalled for.”
“You see people laughing, pointing at it, smiling, looking positive about it. I immediately felt sick to my stomach. I knew what that meant and I knew there was no sort of political statement being made by an image like that.”
Kathurima is not alone in her feelings, The Nebraska Democratic Party also issued a statement, calling it one of the “worst shows of racism and disrespect for the office of the presidency that Nebraska has ever seen.” Twitter was also set ablaze with people calling the float racist and inappropriate:
total blatant disrespect. July 4 Parade Features ‘Obama Presidential Library’ Outhouse Float http://t.co/EajcvR0lyI via @HuffPostPol
— annette farmer (@farmer_alf) July 6, 2014
@NorfolkNE wow the float of the outhouse as Obama’s POTUS Library in UR 4th July parade shows the racist state you are how UnAmerican & Ugly — Hauns (@Haunsie) July 5, 2014
Float in Norfolk, NE parade dipicts Obama next to outhouse & fake poo. Rarely am I ashamed to be a Nebraskan. pic.twitter.com/NfXrTvkeEr
— mymanifesto (@anniefannie70) July 5, 2014
But not everyone feels it was racist, but rather a political statement. Rick Konopasek, a member of the parade committee that approved the float, told the Lincoln Journal Star that the float amounted to political satire.
“We don’t feel it’s right to tell someone what they can and can’t express. This was political satire. If we start saying no to certain floats we might as well not have a parade at all.”
Other tweeters agreed:
It’s not racist drama queen…@alsoglorificus RT @DailyCaller: Obama Outhouse Parade Float Infuriates Nebraska Woman http://t.co/fBwSbzkte0 — BorderLine Guy (@SarcasmAndBeer) July 7, 2014
1st Amend. Plain & Simple-Not racism when Bush or BHO “@DailyCaller Obama Outhouse Parade Float Infuriates NE Woman http://t.co/wfVi0cyQAV
— Colorado REDTraci (@goptraci) July 7, 2014
Still, some see the float as inappropriate, but pointed out the obvious: President Obama is not the only president to be shamed in a public format.
Saw the Obama outhouse float pic. Wouldn’t want to see that in a 4th of July parade but not as bad as the Bush effigy. #FreedomOfExpression — tayfan2 (@tayfan2) July 7, 2014
What do you think of the Obama outhouse float? Is it racist or just racy?
[Image Credit: The Gateway Pundit]
