Gingerbread Nazis rally again--gay snowman in the other window

The Chronicle ^ | 12-15-06

[SJackson]

Gingerbread Nazis rally again

Chuck Humel / Chronicle
Local artist Keith McGuckin moved his piece “The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men” to an empty storefront at 115 W. Herrick St. in Wellington. “(My art) is like a one-act play.”

Stephen Szucs
The Chronicle-Telegram
WELLINGTON — A controversial display featuring swastika-bearing gingerbread men that was yanked from an Oberlin business found a new home in Wellington.
Local artist Keith McGuckin set up the display in an empty storefront at 115 W. Herrick St. on Thursday night. Titled “The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men,” the display depicts a small gathering of gingerbread men at a Nazi rally.
It had been set up at an Oberlin hardware store, but the owner ordered it out after deeming the subject matter offensive.
McGuckin, 50, already had established a controversial holiday repertoire using his window display medium before this year’s choice. He said he relies on “edgy” material to grab people’s attention.
Last year’s display of a “caroler bashing” snowman and a little boy excited to use his unwrapped chemistry set to produce crystal meth came after a 2004 display of a suicide in the front window of a video store.
“I remember thinking to myself, ‘What’s the worst thing a gingerbread man can do?’ ” he said. “They’re just copying things that people have done. There are no hidden messages here.”
A more predictable and festive exhibit sits cozily inside Granny’s Curiosity Shop across the street from where the display was set up Thursday. But McGuckin said he doesn’t see how his “mischievous” gingerbread men are any more offensive.
“I understand how people can misinterpret the swastikas,” he said. “But I just think they’re so darn cute. It’s not supposed to be representative of any real event.”
The owner who allowed McGuckin to borrow his empty storefront for the display said he gave McGuckin the OK without knowing what would McGuckin would set up. The owner declined to provide his name.
When he was told what the display would contain, the owner said McGuckin is entitled to freedom of speech and artistic expression protection.
McGuckin hoped the display, which took more than a month to create, would remain up longer than a week.
He said he was unaware that the reopening of it comes on the eve of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, and that his motivation in setting it up when he did was based on getting it back out into public before Christmas.
“This one does seem to rub people the wrong way,” he said. “But I hope it’ll stay up for a little while. I still have to put the gay snowman in the other window.”

[SJackson]

I understand how people can misinterpret the swastikas, But I just think they’re so darn cute

[gate2wire]

"I still have to put the gay snowman in the other window.”


What do you get when you cross a gay snowman and a welfare recipient?

A snow blower that won't work.

[trisham]

Sick.

[Teacher317]

*applause*

[Fierce Allegiance]

I guarantee at some point this weekend, I will have used that joke.

[KC_Conspirator]

Oh yes, another artist proclaiming Christians and others celebrating the Christmas season as nazi's and gays.

[xowboy]

Wonder does he get art endowment $$$$ for this trash

[Texas Federalist]

I can see the humor here. The gingerbread piece isn't meant to promote Nazism, but is based on the premise that it is the worst possible thing a person could do. Portraying these cute little things in an evil act is the whole point of the humor. It reminds me of a joke you'd see on Family Guy.

[SteveMcKing]

"Sick."

Can you expand your analysis?

[quark]

Sick, sick, sick.

[CDHart]

"Sick, sick, sick."

LOL!

Carolyn

[untenured]

Last year’s display of a “caroler bashing” snowman and a little boy excited to use his unwrapped chemistry set to produce crystal meth came after a 2004 display of a suicide in the front window of a video store.

I suppose the obvious question to ask is why he keeps getting work.

[dfwgator]

Sick, sick, sick.

The boys are marching!

[SteveMcKing]

"Sick, sick, sick."

Is there any new information that would better describe her opinion than some dismissive, emotional response?

[California Patriot]

There is a way to deal with this kind of punk. Treat him like dirt and make him socially unacceptable to the point where he cannot live even a semblance of a normal life. Make him leave town.

[trisham]

Sick, sick, sick.

************

Exactly. I couldn't have said it better.

[ViLaLuz]

If he really wants to stir up controversy, he should try displaying a gingerbread nativity scene.