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City of Orlando ‘Regrets’ Impact of Fireworks Promo Saying People ‘Probably Don’t Want to Celebrate’ USA and ‘Can’t Blame Them’

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Fireworks in Orlando, Florida

Image via screenshot.

The City of Orlando issued a statement Saturday after sending out a promotion for the city’s fireworks display which claimed that people “probably” don’t want to celebrate because America is full of “hate,” and adding “we can’t blame them.”

The municipality’s City News email on Friday opened with a downer premise, an appeal to come on out to see fireworks for their own sake, despite there being nothing good to like about the United States.

The official email’s entire pitch was focused on the idea of not wanting to celebrate the United States, which is what the backlash was focused on despite the Orlando Sentinel inexplicably downplaying it as merely being about “mentioning division.”

“A lot of people probably don’t want to celebrate our nation right now, and we can’t blame them. When there is so much division, hate and unrest, why on earth would you want to have a party celebrating any of it?” the email began.

The official release continued, saying “in all seriousness” that fireworks are great fun anyway. “Yes, America is in strife right now,” it reads. “But you know what…we already bought the fireworks.”

There was enough of a backlash that they sent out a “regrets” email to the same list on Saturday. Among those objecting publicly were the members of an Orlando police union, who wrote on Facebook that they “do not share the same views as the City of Orlando.”

“The members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 25 are proud Americans who will continue to serve with Courage, Pride and Commitment to uphold their oath to defend our community and this country. We do not share the same views as the City of Orlando and find their comments inflammatory and in poor taste,” the statement read.

Saturday’s clean-up email claimed the City of Orlando “sincerely regrets” the “negative impact” that the words had on “some” of the community, but did not say the words sorry or apologize.

After expressing “regret” that “some” were offended, “which was not our intent,” the email said “we value the freedoms we have in this country and are thankful to the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for those.”

Finally, after all that, they incongruously added they “take pride in celebrating the 4th of July,” framing it strictly around appreciation for veterans.

The post City of Orlando ‘Regrets’ Impact of Fireworks Promo Saying People ‘Probably Don’t Want to Celebrate’ USA and ‘Can’t Blame Them’ first appeared on Mediaite.

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