Washington Baker Takes Back Apology For ‘Build That Wall’ Valentine Cookie: ‘Lighten Up’ – By Paul Bois (Dailywire) / Feb 4 2019
Baker Ken Bellingham, owner of Edmonds Bakery in Edmonds, Washington, sparked outrage on social media for promoting an assortment of Valentine’s Day cookies, one of which had the words “Build That Wall” displayed in frosting.
https://powr.com/video/DR147n0hUh-10114947
Baker threatened over 'Build that Wall' cookiehttps://t.co/K2E27A3NRD
— FOX 5 NY (@fox5ny) January 28, 2019
After photos of his jocular confection were posted to Facebook, Bellingham told reporters he immediately received threats, with multiple people denouncing him as a horrible person.
“People were just going off [but] they don’t know anything about me,” Bellingham told KING-TV. “And yet, I was supposedly this horrible person.”
Ana Carrera, a woman of Mexican heritage, called for a boycott of the establishment, saying she took Bellingham’s cookies personally, according to local reports.
Another woman said in a Facebook post: “My northend friends, please don’t patronize or support this bakery Edmonds Bakery. This is AWFUL and the owner continues to defend this behavior. The owner actually made this cookie. Racism is real!”
https://www.facebook.com/darneshaw/posts/10108696371344018
Another customer told reporters that the phrase had no place being used as a joke, saying it is too often used by “white supremacists” and “the alt-right.” That assertion echoes the opinions of actress Alyssa Milano, who said during the Covington Catholic Schoolboys dilemma that MAGA hats are the new white hoods.
“The red MAGA hat is the new white hood,” wrote Milano. “Without white boys being able to empathize with other people, humanity will continue to destroy itself.”
Bellingham wrote the phrase on one cookie along with other common Valentine’s Day phrases like “Addicted to Love” and “Sweet Heart.”
“I try to be funny,” he told KING-TV.
After enough backlash, Bellingham apologized and even indicated that building a border wall is “not anything” he believes in.
“I don’t think building a wall is going to solve our problems,” he said.
According to Fox News, Bellingham has now taken back his apology, asserting that “people should lighten up” about the whole thing.
“Am I supposed to be quiet because I can’t write what I want, or I can only write what they want or makes them happy?” Bellingham said in a statement to KOMO. “No. That’s not how it is. They can write whatever they want on their own cookie and I can do that on mine.”
Aside from the calls for boycotts, Bellingham says his business has actually been booming since his “Build That Wall” cookie went viral.
“I have so many new customers,” he told My Edmonds News.
Following the massive requests, Edmonds Bakery had to clarify on Facebook that they were unable to ship cookies, thanking people for their “overwhelming support.”
“I just want to thank everyone for their overwhelming support,” said the post. “I’m blessed beyond measure. Unfortunately I’m unable to ship any cookies. I will try to make them available in the shop, again blessed beyond measure.”
Bellingham has since been producing a “Build That Wall” cookie as a product for sale, though more as a protest aginst his critics than a show of support to President Trump. His bakery also now offers a variation on that controversial cookie: “Build the Love.”
https://www.dailywire.com/news/43039/washington-baker-takes-back-apology-build-wall-paul-bois
