Okla. Family’s Obama Halloween Tombstone Offends Neighbor 

Halloween is known to bring up some pretty problematic (and sometimes very racist) themes in America, and one Oklahoma woman was particularly affronted when she noticed her neighbors’ Obama tombstone, KOCO reports. Suggested Reading Is The Color Purple’ a Black Film? Let’s Debate! White Professor Accuses HBCU President of Discrimination, but Then This Happened Why…

Halloween is known to bring up some pretty problematic (and sometimes very racist) themes in America, and one Oklahoma woman was particularly affronted when she noticed her neighbors’ Obama tombstone, KOCO reports.

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According to the report, Jamilla Phillips of Edmond was “absolutely offended” when she saw the fake tombstone across the street on her neighbors’ property. “He is the president of the United States and it actually is about respect,” she said. “It’s a total respect thing because this person is still alive.”

However, to the Dockens family it’s just a funny joke, one they’ve put up for the past three years and had never heard any complaints about until Phillips, who recently moved into the area, voiced her complaints, the news station noted.

“[My family and I] made them a few years ago back when it was a big deal, questions up about [Obama’s] birth certificate,” Dwayne Dockens said. “And we made all these ourselves, so just thought it was kind of humorous and, you know, went ahead and put him in there as well.”

He is sorry, the news station reports, that some people are offended, but he doesn’t plan on taking it down.

As for Phillips, she’s still concerned about what kind of message the tombstone gives, especially to children. 

Read more at KOCO.

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