Father Pfleger Outraged By Toy Guns In Easter Baskets

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Mar 15, 2012 9:30PM

Rev. Michael Pfleger wrote a letter to Kmart to express his outrage at the sale of Easter baskets that contain toy guns that shoot water or Nerf dart shooters. Pfleger, the pastor of St. Sabina Catholic Church in Auburn-Gresham, asks Kmart to remove the baskets from shelves, saying he's amazed the store would offer them in light of increasing gun violence.

Pfleger wrote in his letter, via The Sun-Times writes:

“As a Christian I’m insulted that Kmart or any store would use this celebration of life to have images of guns in Easter baskets, encouraging parents to buy them for their children. But equally important is that any psychiatrist will tell you a child who gets comfortable playing with toy guns and pointing them at people as a child becomes comfortable picking them up as an adult. In a nation that’s plagued with gun violence, neither Kmart nor any other store should be selling guns in Easter baskets to our kids.”

The Sun-Times spoke with Kmart, which is not the only retailer selling the baskets, and a spokesman said they believe the items "are clearly packaged as water toys and are almost identical to items sold by many other retailers.”