Barbershop owner apologizes, says he had 'no idea' it was offensive to hang Colin Kaepernick doll from noose
The owner of Bowtie Barbershop in Placerville, Calif., says that he had “no idea” hanging a Colin Kaepernick doll by a noose was offensive until a photo of the doll, displayed in his shop, started to circulate on social media.
The owner, who is sometimes referred to only as “Bowtie” or “Bowtie Barber,” told Fox 40, the Fox affiliate in Sacramento, that the doll has been on display since 2016, when Kaepernick, then the 49ers quarterback, and teammate Eric Reid first took a knee during the national anthem.
“I literally had no idea that I was offending people. We have a hangman out here called George and so, you know, with the theme of Hangtown I hung him. And it was wrong, it was absolutely wrong,” the Bowtie Barber told the station.
Placerville, where the barbershop is located, has a California historical marker for its role as a mining hub in the area. But it was also known for vigilante justice and was nicknamed “Hangtown,” allegedly after three men were convicted for robbery, murder, and attempted murder. The men were hung from an oak tree that was located on Main Street, which is now an ice cream saloon, and the site is still marked, with a sign and even a hanging mannequin, who may be the “hangman…called George” that the Bowtie Barber referred to.
Apparently the Bowtie Barber wasn’t pleased by Kaepernick’s kneeling. He told Fox 40, “I am a diehard 49ers fan and when that action happened there was a lot portrayed on the 49ers and I took it personally.”
However, the man who initially shared the photo sees it differently. The man, who goes by Joe Beezy on Facebook, wrote in a comment, “How can we move [forward] and we have business owners promoting this type of bull? It’s sad, its [immature], and it’s a hate crime. No matter how its looked at.”
Images of a comment section were also shared in the Facebook post that shows user Bowtie Barbershop writing, “My opinion is way different than yours,” and “Isn’t that what Colin did in the first place? Gave an opinion at [a business]?”
The doll has been taken down, and the Bowtie Barber told Fox 40: “I’m publicly announcing that I apologize. It was the wrong thing for me to do. Absolutely will never happen again. I absolutely see the other side of it. I’m sorry.”
The Bowtie Barber and Joe Beezy did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
‘Code for no black people’: New York bar’s ‘racist’ dress code sparks online debate
Florida man bothers neighbors by tending to his own personal Garden of Eden while buck nαked
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.