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The gun shop in North Carolina that was criticized for having a billboard calling four progressive congresswomen “the 4 Horsemen” has replaced the billboard with a sign that gives praise to the First Amendment.
The new sign says “First Amendment Enough Said Cherokee Guns 1 Mile On Right.”
The owners of the gun shop say they have received a ton of support after their billboard made national news.
Read before for more details about the original billboard.
ORIGINAL STORY (Posted August 1, 2019):
MURPHY, N.C. — Two North Carolina businesses are being criticized for a billboard that calls four progressive congresswomen “the 4 Horsemen.”
This comes on the heels of President Donald Trump saying Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib can return to the “crime infested places from which they came.”
Cherokee Guns in Murphy, North Carolina reportedly paid for the billboard. They reference the billboard in a post on their Facebook page saying “Share.” Currently, the post has over 1,300 shares.
As you can see below, the Facebook post has since been removed.
Allison Outdoor Advertising is the company that put the billboard up. Many people are posting negative reviews about the company saying they are inciting violence and condoning racism.
Cherokee Guns then posted on Facebook that the image on the billboard is now available as a bumper sticker that can be picked up at the gun shop if you say you are voting for Trump in 2020. However, that post has also been removed from their Facebook page as you can see below.
A statement was issued by the Muslim Advocates Public Advocacy Director Scott Simpson saying in part:
“People have been sounding the alarm about this billboard for days and it is still up. Allison Outdoor Advertising acknowledged the problem and stated on Facebook that the billboard would come down but failed to provide a clear timeframe. That post has since been deleted and all evidence indicates that the billboard is still up.
This billboard puts the lives of these congresswomen in immediate danger by labeling the four women as harbingers of the apocalypse and then invites people to purchase guns ‘1 mile [ahead] on right.’ It must come down immediately. But that’s just the first step. In order to ensure the company is not spreading anti-Muslim threats, Allison Outdoor Advertising needs to create a clear policy around calls to violence and bigotry on its 1,200 billboards.”
Allison Outdoor Advertising has not released a statement at this time. Rep. Rashida Tlaib posted a link about the billboard on Twitter and said, “How the hell is this not inciting violence?”
Rep. Ayanna Pressley also posted about the billboard on Twitter and said, “#Racist rhetoric from the occupant of the @WhiteHouse has made hate our new normal. We are still vulnerable.”
WCCB Digital will continue to follow the story. Check back for updates.