Offensive sign at store creates social media storm

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (WOWT) — A picture is worth a thousand words and this one posted on the Facebook page of Gulliver’s World Goods is sparking controversy.

”I couldn’t believe that somebody in our community would publicly post a sign saying ‘don’t feed the wildlife, don’t feed the homeless.’ They’re our brothers and sisters,” said Lisa Clark who saw the post.

The sign is nowhere to be found. Gone as quickly as it came. But the image is being shared over and over again online.

“It was very upsetting for me because having been a single mom over 16 years, said Lisa. I was very close to becoming homeless so many times.”

Gulliver’s World Goods Manager, Matt, claims he was even homeless for a time and says he has no idea who would have put the sign outside of the store.

“That’s not me, that’s not the ownership here,” said Matt. We’re compassionate people. Like I said, we’ve housed, clothed, fed, I employed one here when we first got into the spot. Doing odd jobs, painting, stuff like that. That’s clearly not how we feel about their plight.”

But in a post on the Gulliver’s Facebook page, the store says it was an “extremely poor judgment choice that an employee made” and that the employee was terminated.

However, one of the co-owners of Gulliver’s, Chaz Kline, contradicts that. In a phone call, Kline says no one has been fired, they’re investigating and taking full responsibility for what was put on their property. Clark hopes people use this as a moment to reflect and to help those in need.

“Nothing about homelessness is funny,” said Lisa. And I really want to put a call out to everybody that during this pandemic and just during this time in our society. We need to be kind to one another.”

According to other social media posts, the business next door also had the same sign placed in their window. Several calls and a message to management have not been returned.

Here is a new sign that was put up at Gulliver’s.

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