Some of you may recall me mentioning that MN has the largest Somali Muslim community in the US. As with most people in MN who like fireworks, they drive to WI to buy them for the 4th...
Story and newscast video
http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1011199.shtml?cat=1
Racist Fireworks Found Being Sold in Wis.
<table width="100" align="left" bgcolor="#f2f2f2" border="0" bordercolor="black" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td> </td></tr></tbody></table>You may be used to seeing fireworks with names like 'Seaside Garden,' 'Burst and Bloom,' or 'Red, White, and Boom.'
But the product names of fireworks at one Wisconsin fireworks stand are nowhere near as benign. Some say they're more than inappropriate--they're racist.
Some of the novelties sold at Fireworks City in Baldwin, Wis. are sparking controversy in the Arab and Muslim communities.
On one side of the packaging for 'Run Hadji Run' fireworks, men of Middle Eastern decent are riding on camels with a bomber plane flying above them. On the other side is an angry-looking Uncle Same yanking the beard of what looks like a Muslim man.
"This is just outrageous," said Kenya McKnight. What comes in my mind, is that people will get idea to pop fireworks at Muslims."
The fireworks were being sold for $30. While the owner didn't want to comment on camera, customers had a lot to say.
"To me it sends a clear message that Muslims are terrorists. ‘Run Hadji Run’—I’m going to throw some fireworks and I want to see you run," McKnight said.
The Council of American-Islamic Relations of Minnesota issued issued a statement about the fireworks, explaining "Hadji is an honorific term for those who have completed the pilgrimage to Mecca, but has been often used as a derogatory term by U.S. Soldiers during the Iraq War."
After 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS visited the store and brought attention to the offensive fireworks Friday, they were pulled off the shelves.
The manufacturer, Missouri-based Red Rhino Fireworks, says they haven’t sold the product in several years. CAIR-MN also wrote a letter to the company's president, asking for him to offer an apology to the Muslim and Arab community.
The fireworks with the questionable names are illegal in Minnesota.
Story and newscast video
http://kstp.com/news/stories/S1011199.shtml?cat=1
Racist Fireworks Found Being Sold in Wis.
<table width="100" align="left" bgcolor="#f2f2f2" border="0" bordercolor="black" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td> </td></tr></tbody></table>You may be used to seeing fireworks with names like 'Seaside Garden,' 'Burst and Bloom,' or 'Red, White, and Boom.'
But the product names of fireworks at one Wisconsin fireworks stand are nowhere near as benign. Some say they're more than inappropriate--they're racist.
Some of the novelties sold at Fireworks City in Baldwin, Wis. are sparking controversy in the Arab and Muslim communities.
On one side of the packaging for 'Run Hadji Run' fireworks, men of Middle Eastern decent are riding on camels with a bomber plane flying above them. On the other side is an angry-looking Uncle Same yanking the beard of what looks like a Muslim man.
"This is just outrageous," said Kenya McKnight. What comes in my mind, is that people will get idea to pop fireworks at Muslims."
The fireworks were being sold for $30. While the owner didn't want to comment on camera, customers had a lot to say.
"To me it sends a clear message that Muslims are terrorists. ‘Run Hadji Run’—I’m going to throw some fireworks and I want to see you run," McKnight said.
The Council of American-Islamic Relations of Minnesota issued issued a statement about the fireworks, explaining "Hadji is an honorific term for those who have completed the pilgrimage to Mecca, but has been often used as a derogatory term by U.S. Soldiers during the Iraq War."
After 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS visited the store and brought attention to the offensive fireworks Friday, they were pulled off the shelves.
The manufacturer, Missouri-based Red Rhino Fireworks, says they haven’t sold the product in several years. CAIR-MN also wrote a letter to the company's president, asking for him to offer an apology to the Muslim and Arab community.
The fireworks with the questionable names are illegal in Minnesota.