The Mary Sue
‘I bet they have it printed out’: Alabama dad took his kids to Spirit Halloween…
A dad took his kids to Spirit Halloween. What he saw disturbed him so much, he wrote his congressman—and now the internet can’t stop laughing.
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Father's "Grotesque" Halloween Store Complaint to State Representative Resurfaces
A father's unusual complaint to a state representative regarding the perceived inappropriate content at a Spirit Halloween store has recently garnered attention. Rob Alley, a concerned parent, expressed his dismay after visiting the seasonal retailer with his nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son. Alley stated that he found certain displays, particularly a prop depicting a woman breaking her neck, to be "grotesque" and excessively frightening for young children. "I took my nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son to Spirit Halloween so they could get like a Sonic the Hedgehog Halloween costume," Alley explained. "And it was so grotesque. There was literally a woman who goes like this and then she breaks her own neck." He further elaborated, "She screams and then breaks her own neck in front of my seven-year-old." Alley subsequently wrote to Representative Chuck Flyschman, suggesting that the store implement a "curtain section" to separate adult-themed Halloween items from those intended for children. He argued that all scary items should not be placed "right in the middle, right in the front of the store, where the kids have to literally pass it to go get their innocent costumes." While acknowledging the letter was sent approximately three years ago, Alley admitted, "I realize it's the dumbest thing I've ever done." This incident highlights ongoing discussions about age-appropriate content in retail environments, particularly concerning holiday-themed merchandise.
