OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — A holiday billboard is turning heads after displaying an image of Santa Claus holding a rifle.
It’s the type of thing that has some upset and others unbothered, but according to H&H Shooting Sports, it wasn’t meant to be controversial.
“If you see a Santa holding a gun, that’s just part of advertisement,” said Cherelle Walker, who lives nearby.
“It’s just it misses the mark in so many different places,” said Joshua Harris-Till, with Moms Demand Action, a gun violence prevention program in Oklahoma City.
A NewsNation affiliate KFOR viewer agreed with Harris-Till, sending us an email stating, “in light of the fear that children in schools face every day because of multiple mass shootings in this country, I question the wisdom of associating what should be a carefree time in a child’s life with a gun-toting image of someone they are told will be entering their home.”
“I’m here to tell you that’s a horrible advertisement because guns are not for children and Santa Claus isn’t for adults,” said Harris-Till.
He said he’s worried by the message a gun-toting Santa might send.
“Are we advertising to children here to say, hey, Santa likes guns, you kids, you like guns?” he asks.
While some think the billboard is in poor taste, others said they aren’t bothered.
“Me seeing that billboard up there, it’s not a problem,” said Walker.
Walker said she doesn’t believe there were negative intentions.
“It’s Christmas, so they are trying to promote and advertise selling their guns,” she said.
And H&H agreed, insisting the ad isn’t meant to be offensive.
“We love Santa Claus as much as the next person, and we thought this billboard would be a fun way to share our holiday spirit with our customers. We chose an image of Santa with a firearm because that is what we sell. We know that a large number of people give guns as Christmas presents, and we want those people to know that Santa shops at H&H.”
Tim Shoopman, Director of Brand Communications for H&H
The decision has left people in the community with mixed opinions.
“Gun violence is on the rise, but it’s the responsibility of the parents to make sure that the kids are not exposed to toxic things,” added Walker.
“This could have been an opportunity for them to take a break away from guns,” added Harris-Till.
