A float in this year’s annual Fourth of July parade in Norfolk, Nebraska, is like no other parade float in the city of 24,000 or anywhere in America.
Hunter Woodall reports for World-Herald that float No. 29 depicted an outhouse on a flatbed trailer pulled by a blue pickup truck. Both the float and the truck were decorated with miniature American flags.
The outhouse is labeled the “Obama Presidential Library.”
Neither the float nor the pickup identified a sponsor. The only identifying sign was in the windshield saying the float was entry No. 29 in the parade contest.
The Obama outhouse float has provoked outraged cries of racism [Yawn], as well as praise.
Norfolk resident Glory Kathurima said she attended the parade with her 9-year-old daughter. As a black woman living in Norfolk, Kathurima said she found the float to be an offensive depiction of the president, and seemed to be calling the president stupid. She said the message of the float is clear: “I don’t like Obama.”
So Kathurima emailed Norfolk Mayor Sue Fuchtman, the Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce, the Norfolk Daily News, and the Norfolk Odd Fellows Lodge that coordinated the parade to voice her disapproval.
The World-Herald also received several emails from people expressing concern. One email, from a person who said she had grown up in northeast Nebraska, called it disrespectful that such a display would be allowed in a parade that celebrates America’s history. 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.”
Norfolk City Councilman Dick Pfeil also voiced his displeasure with the float: “The City of Norfolk doesn’t condone that.” But he noted, however, that it was up to the Odd Fellows to approve the floats.
Liz Guthrie of Pierce, Nebraska, took a photo of the float that has been widely circulated on social media. From where she watched the parade, Guthrie said she could hear the crowd laughing and clapping as the float passed by.
Parade committee member Rick Konopasek told the Lincoln Journal-Star that the float wasn’t meant to be any more offensive than a political cartoon. He also said the outhouse float was the most popular one in the parade, and the three judges awarded it an honorable mention.
“It’s obvious the majority of the community liked it,” Konopasek said. “So should we deny the 95% of those that liked it their rights, just for the 5% of people who are upset?”
Way to go, Norfolk!
H/t Clash Daily
~Eowyn
