‘Shoot the president’: School cancels assassination party game for kids after public outcry
A school running a community arts center in Ohio was forced to stop advertising a party game where kids are instructed to ‘eliminate’ the president with toy guns, after it sparked national outrage.
The game entitled ‘President’ had been advertised as a part of Nerf gun-themed party organized by the Olmsted Performing Arts community center in Berea, a suburb of Cleveland.
“There is one president with body guards. Everyone else tries to eliminate or shoot the president,” read the description of the game on the center’s website, since deleted.
OHIO COMMUNITY CENTER Offers “SHOOT THE PRESIDENT” Birthday Party Package On Website [VIDEO] https://t.co/D4x6YTsbrWpic.twitter.com/W7umxrkaiv
— Earl Pearl (@EarlPdxPearl) February 17, 2019
The brief description doesn’t include any specific reference to President Donald Trump, but the tense environment around his presidency, complete with high-profile threats, helped create concern and outright anger among the community, believes Ohio resident Julie Berghaus.
“I think it’s unfortunate that they chose that kind of theme only because of the atmosphere we are living in now,” she told WJKW-TV, a local Fox affiliate. “For kids, it’s just fun, but they don’t realize what they are being taught subconsciously,” she added.
Her concerns have been matched by people outside of the Cleveland area who saw the message of the game as anything but harmless fun. Some took to Twitter to voice their concerns.
And people are focused on inconsequential things like video games. Focus on the people who interact and influence children in the real world. The game of cops and robbers that I played as a kid is harmless compared to this game.Only way to affect change is to not give them your $
— Trevor Carlson (@TrevorCarlson8) February 15, 2019
Completely inappropriate. We no longer show respect for authority in this country. What message are we teaching our kids!!!!
— Kathy O'Brien (@Obrien2Kathy) February 15, 2019
While there is no direct evidence to suggest that those who came up with the game were Democrats or aiming to indoctrinate children against the current POTUS, many critiqued those whose heightened sensitivities during Obama’s presidency seemingly disappeared when Trump took office.
How can this be ok? Can anyone imagine the outrage had this gone on during Obama presidency? Ohio Community Center Offers Kids “Shoot The President” Nerf Party: https://t.co/zEVREQIMBW
— Chris Bridges (@ChrisBridges213) February 18, 2019
Others pointed to the hypocrisy of those who claim to be vehemently opposed to firearm ownership being suspiciously silent on gun violence when the target is a political opponent.
So all of a sudden guns are good now, with the DNC?
— 2☆☆Blue Star Mom 🇺🇸 (@2_bluestarmom) February 16, 2019
The only time the Left won’t be angry at the parents for allowing children to play with toy guns. https://t.co/PX16YLYmDs
— Less Government (@LessGovtC3) February 18, 2019
The director of the Baldwin Wallace Community Arts School (the organization that owns the community center), Adam Sheldon, responded to the outrage on Twitter by offering an apology. The game has since been scrubbed from the website along with the entire section advertising Nerf-gun themed parties.
As soon as it was brought to our attention BW CAS removed the party theme from the OPA site. We apologize to anyone who was offended by the presence of this theme; it does not reflect BW’s values in any way.
— Baldwin Wallace (@BaldwinWallace) February 17, 2019
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