The zombie has blood pouring from its mouth and bleeds when it is shot and is for sale at the booth in the convention center. The NRA did eventually ask the company to remove the figure, nicknamed “Rocky” and “Barry,” from its booth but it is still for $89.95, on their website.
When Buzzfeed spoke to a Zombie Industries booth worker at the convention in Houston, he admitted there was a striking resemblance to the President and that it appeared to be intentional, dismissively saying, ”Let’s just say I gave my republican father one for Christmas.”
Now, imagine the reaction a black man would get saying, “Yeah, I bought my pops a life-size image of President Reagan or Bush. He just loves to shoot him in the head.” The Secret Service would have paid that black man a visit. In fact, rap records in the late ’80s and early ’90s were banned in stores and from radio rotation when the images and lyrics were deemed threatening to President Bush.
Another reporter said of the NRA’s request to have the target removed from sight, according to Buzzfeed, “They are just scared some liberal reporter will come by and start b**ching. I’m not so much a reporter but even still here I am…reporting for duty. Feel free to pitch in after, y’all.”
Then again, as stupid and hateful as this vendor’s Obama zombie depiction is, they’re only taking cues from an organization that has long made its lack of respect for the President clear.
Take a look at the video report of the 2013 NRA convention in Houston below.