A Wisconsin Halloween store is in the hot seat after a controversial display involving Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
It is unknown whether it was an employee or a customer, but someone took a mask of Walker and put a bloody knife through the mask’s head. The owner says the incident is being overblown and he is a fan of Walker’s.
According to Newstalk 1130:
“A Scott Walker mask (which sells for $9.99) was hung up right behind the checkout counter, with a bloody knife headpiece sticking through it. I did a double-take, not quite believing that one of the region’s biggest Halloween retailers could possibly think that such a provocative, violent political statement would be appropriate to display so prominently in its store.
“It was completely inappropriate,” said store owner Jon Majdoch, who added that the display was taken down as soon as it was brought to his attention. “I can pretty much tell you what happened. This is my speculation, but [I think] a customer came to the counter with one of the knives, didn’t want to purchase it, and an employee thought it would be funny to put it on the head.”
“I’m a very conservative person,” Majdoch added. “I’m somebody that has taken 31 employees and made them into owners of businesses. I’m not going to fire somebody over this.”
“I also don’t think it’s as big a deal as it’s being made out to be,” he said. “I mean, we carry masks in the store that are probably equally offensive to just about everybody if they want to be.”
This mask, however, was one of if not the most prominently displayed in the store and, given the many death threats Governor Walker has received after proposing collective bargaining reforms in early 2011, I asked Majdoch whether he believed that his store’s display was especially provocative, no matter the reason it was put up.
“I acknowledge that it was in poor taste,” he said. “I agree, it’s in poor taste. I’m the guy that came up with the mask. I was excited because my guy was running for office. I’m a Scott Walker fan.”
