Apparently there were some Walmart employees in McDonough, Georgia who allegedly refused to make a retirement cake for a police officer. The Blue Lives Matter cake was supposed to be for a peace officer’s retirement party, but they couldn’t bring themselves to do it because they felt it was “racist.”
Local officer Taylor Wilkies wrote a Facebook post about it and it soon went viral. “My buddy’s sister went to the McDonough, GA Walmart,” he wrote. “She was trying to have a cake made for the retirement party of their father.”
“She wanted Walmart to make a ‘thin blue line’ cake that would commemorate his honorable and extensive service as a diligent and dedicated police officer. However, Walmart would not honor my buddy’s sister’s request because they felt it would be ‘racist.’ Simply put, I think this is appalling. EVERYTHING is made into race these days. People CHOOSE to do it that way. I’m so fed up with it. It’s just so draining and exhausting to think about now.”
Conservative host Todd Starnes got wind of the incident and featured the daughter of the soon-to-be retired police officer on his show. After the interview, he fully revealed her thought processes on his website.
“I was very shocked,” she said to Starnes. “I didn’t know what I could do, I wasn’t sure what to say, nothing. I was there, and I was doing my best not to lose my temper or make a scene.
The first way she wanted the cake to be decorated was with a version of the police officer’s flag with the thin blue line. That was rejected. She then tried asking for simply just a chocolate frosted cake with a blue line, but that too was turned down simply because those making the cake felt it would be racist.
“It was disappointing,” she said. “It’s not like I’m NOT a regular there. I go to this local Walmart at least once a week and will spend hundreds of dollars. I just thought it would be nice to make my dad a cake to show how much I appreciate his service.”
A Walmart spokesperson told Starnes that they not only apologized to the family, but they also offered to make the cake exactly the way she wanted it completely free and they gave the family a gift card.
“We are always trying to take care of customers. That is always our goal,” the spokesperson said. “At times, though, we might make a mistake or misstep. We are certainly glad that we were able to connect with this family to make this right and apologize.”
The incident garnered some intense reactions to say the least. While many blasted the store for their reaction to this situation, one social media user actually claimed that he called and asked someone about the incident and that one of the employees denied that it took place.
“She was very polite, but she denied that this story was true. She said she was close to the situation,” the man wrote.
“I asked the employee if they would ever be willing to decorate a cake with a thin blue line, and she not only said that they would be more than happy to do it, but she thinks this claim was ridiculous and she doesn’t understand where this story came from. I think I should try to give them the benefit of the doubt.”
I don’t know, perhaps it was some type of rouge employee? Either way, I’m glad it ultimately turned out well for this public servant’s retirement party.