A North Carolina Gun Shop Put Up a Billboard Targeting the Freshman Democratic Congresswomen

Rose Minutaglio
Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

From ELLE

A gun shop in North Carolina is paying hundreds of dollars for a billboard that is more political attack than advertisement. The sign for Cherokee Guns shows photos of "the Squad," aka freshman congresswomen Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley. The tagline warns of the “4 Horsemen” of the apocalypse, with the disparaging message “The 4 Horsemen Cometh are Idiots." It is signed by “the Deplorables.”

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump launched his own attack against the women, telling them to “go back” to the “crime-infested places” that they came from. Omar is a Somali refugee who became a U.S. citizen. Since then, the congresswomen have been repeatedly harassed by opposition.

“Threats against members of Congress, particularly minority members are [rising] and it is driven by the president’s racial rhetoric,” nonprofit group Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) wrote on Facebook in response to the billboard. “This is dangerous!”

In a tweet, Pressley called out Rep. Mark Meadows, whose district houses the shop, to “finally do the right thing.” Meadows has yet to respond.

Tlaib tweeted: "How the hell is this not inciting violence?"

The gun store responded by defending the billboard, offering a free "four horsemen cometh" bumper sticker if you promise to vote for Trump in 2020.

"Alright my fellow Infidels for Trump...due to OVERWHELMING demand...you may come by the shop (next week) and get your very own FOUR HORSEMEN COMETH STICKER...simple...eat a piece of bacon...tell us you're voting for Trump in 2020...then get your limited edition bumper sticker!! (While supplies last!)," Cherokee Guns wrote on Facebook. "Snowflakes and Liberals are not eligible...sorry..."

According to The Washington Post, the shop has "a rich history of controversial billboards, especially ones that are overtly Islamophobic."

In 2017 the business put up a sign with Arabic script and a gun that read, "Another CG Billboard w a great message....unless your a Libtard or Muslim who want to kill us all!!"

The Asheville Citizen-Times spoke with its owner, a man named Doc Wacholz, who told the outlet he was not "inciting any violence or being racist."

"It's a statement," Wacholz reportedly said. "It's an opinion."

When asked why he selected the four congresswomen for the billboard, Wacholz said, "They're socialists, from my point of view. I also feel a couple of them, being Muslim, have ties to actual terrorists groups."

Wacholz is reportedly paying $250 a month to rent it.

In the face of intense backlash on social media, the advertising company behind the billboard announced it would be taken down.

“For all those who has concern over the Cherokee Guns Artwork. The board is coming down,” the company wrote on Facebook. However, as of now it's still unclear when this will actually take place.

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