Walmart has issued an apology for making a cake that depicts the ISIS flag. According to USA Today, Walmart customer Chuck Netzhammer ordered the cake after he was told by Walmart that they would not make a Confederate flag cake for him. He published a video slamming Walmart and accusing the company of “alienating Southern Americans.” The video has since been removed from YouTube, but Netzhammer is quoted as saying “That’s an ISIS battle flag cake that anybody can go buy at Walmart … but you can’t buy a Confederate flag toy, with, like, say, a Dukes of Hazzard car.”
Walmart has published a statement accusing Netzhammer of “taking advantage” of a newer company employee who was unaware of the meaning and significance of the ISIS flag. Walmart says that the cake depicting the flag was a mistake. “We apologize,” said Walmart representative John Forrest Ales.
The Confederate flag has generated a great deal of controversy in recent weeks as there have been calls from politicians to remove the flag from the grounds of the South Carolina state Capitol Building. Nikki Haley, the governor of the state, said that the flag should be removed. Almost immediately following her suggestion, many large retailers including Amazon pulled all Confederate flag merchandise from their websites. Over the weekend, activist Bree Newsome climbed up the flagpole at the South Carolina state house and removed the flag herself.
The controversy over the Confederate flag has led to actions such as the one taken by Netzhammer to prove a point. It has also led to much chagrin from the those on the right, who feel that their way of life is being destroyed by the media.
Since Walmart has issued an apology for the ISIS cake, it seems clear that the company will not be making any such cakes in the future, but they also will not be making any Confederate flag cakes either. In addition, Walmart joins the growing list of companies that have banned the selling of all Confederate flag merchandise at their establishments.
While some view the Confederate flag issue as one of free speech, others say that the symbol deserves to be withdrawn from the marketplace due to its “hurtful” and “hateful” message.