According to one California billboard, Santa Claus is coming to town…and he is heavily armed!
Chico residents are upset with a gun range for putting up a billboard just outside of town proclaiming: “We build ARs for Santa” and showing Saint Nick carrying an automatic rifle . (A scary thought for someone who sees you when you’re sleeping and knows when you’re awake!)
The owner of the gun range told KTVU why he put up the ridiculous image:
“Well, you know, some people get toys and stuff like that for Christmas,” said Steve Dyke, the co-owner of the Down Range Indoor Training Center. “When I was growing up, I got guns from Santa Claus.”
Dyke said the response to the billboard has been mostly positive (when you are heavily armed, people tend to say nothing but nice things to you), but one mother told KHSL TV she does not like the image of Santa packing heat:
“I just don’t think I would like my son to see Santa holding a gun and having to explain to him that’s usually not what’s Santa’s holding…it’s presents,” Brenna Main noted.
And while the controversy plays out, the gun range gets tons of free publicity, because this is now how marketing works in America (ugh!).
Happy Holidays – and be sure to leave milk and cookies out for Santa kids…or else…
