A mall Santa’s crusade against toy guns backfired big time. The boy he drove to tears by refusing his request for a Nerf gun now has more Nerf guns that he knows what to do with — plus a lifetime membership to the National Rifle Association (NRA).
On December 6, four-year-old Michael DeCarlo stopped by to see Santa Claus at the Harlem Irving Plaza mall in Norridge, Illinois, an enclave in the city of Chicago. During his socially distanced chat with Santa, which his grandmother captured on video, Michael asked Kris Kringle for a toy gun for Christmas.
Santa refused. The boy’s mother, Sabella DeCarlo, pointed out that her son just wanted a “Nerf gun,” but that did nothing to sway the anti-gun Father Christmas.
“Nope, not even a Nerf gun,” he said.
“If your dad wants to get it for you that’s fine, but I can’t bring it to you,” he continued. “What else would you like? Lots of other toys. Legos. There’s bicycles. There’s cars and trucks. What do you think?”
At that point, Michael turned to his mom and started crying.
According to Fox News, after Sabella DeCarlo posted the video on Facebook,
the Twittersphere reaction was swift — and heavily against Santa.
“Leftists are monsters!” one user wrote.
Another added, “Havnt [sic] kids been through enough this year? I give the mom credit because I would have caused a scene”
Upon learning of the incident, Harlem Irving Plaza took swift action. In a December 7 Facebook post, mall management wrote that they and the company that supplies their Santas “are distraught and deeply apologetic about the unfortunate incident … as both parties strive for families and their children to have a happy holiday experience.”
“Santa is heartbroken and crushed that he has made this child so sad and upset, and turned in his resignation,” the post continued. “The Santa company will continue to remind all Santa’s [sic] how important it is to not impose personal opinions during visits with the children.”
The mall included video of “the ‘real’ Santa” arriving at the DeCarlo residence with a Nerf gun for Michael.
As if one visit from Santa weren’t enough, Michael received another one several days later, this time courtesy of the NRA. The boy’s father, as it happens, is an NRA instructor and a lifetime NRA member.
Video of the visit, which the NRA posted on Twitter, shows Santa delivering several presents to Michael at his house. Although most of them were Nerf guns, Michael also received an NRA hat and a vest proclaiming him a lifetime NRA member.
After opening his presents, Michael says, “Mean Santa won’t be happy I have this,” and then engages in a Nerf gun battle with NRA Santa. The boy, naturally, wins.
As Santa departs the DeCarlo house, he quips, “The North Pole doesn’t need any commies.”
In addition to the presents from the two Santas, “Hasbro, the company that owns the Nerf brand, also said it sent [Michael] ‘a care package of our latest Nerf blasters just in time for the holidays,’” reports Fox News
“Santa’s job is to make kids believe in the magic of Christmas, not lecture us on politics,” Sabella DeCarlo said in the NRA video. “I am so grateful for all of the people who reached out and sent Nerf guns to Michael. Americans of all backgrounds came together and rallied for my son.”
She added that they had “received hundreds of Nerf guns, and Michael will be distributing them to other little patriots in need.”
Michael DeCarlo III, the boy’s father, said, “NRA, thank you for making my family’s Christmas one we will never forget.”
Thus, thanks to an anti-gun zealot masquerading as Santa Claus, hundreds of children will receive toy guns this Christmas, and one of them will remain on the NRA’s membership roll the rest of his days. Not bad for a few minutes’ effort.
