KSBY News San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles - Controversial Christmas display has neighbors calling law enforcement

Photos
Video

- Controversial Santa
- Controversial Santa

Posted: Dec 18, 2009 5:27 PM
Updated: Dec 18, 2009 9:17 PM

A controversial Christmas display in Nipomo has some neighbors asking law enforcement to bring it down.
The display that is now getting national attention, features Jesus with a shotgun hovering over a dead Santa Claus.
The contorversial display has been up for a few days, and it's getting mixed reactions.
Some say freedom of speech, others say Scrooge.
"What it means is that Christmas is not about Santa Claus, it's about Jesus," Ron Lake who created the display said.
Lake says his holiday display is an expression of his repressed creativity.
His repressed creativity has Rudolph lying dead on his truck, and Santa shot down thanks to Jesus and his double barrel shotgun.
Lake who takes the display down when he leaves, says he has heard all kinds of reactions.
"A lot of people say its great, you know it's hilarious, it's pretty good. Like I said, I've had people say please take it down, you know it's sick, what about the kids," Lake added.
Neighbor Jon Slayton says the display doesn't make any difference to him.
"It kind of gets you to think about what the real meaning of Christmas is, the way it's so commercialized and everything now," Slayton said.
Some parents who drive by the busy Nipomo street are so concerned that they called the sheriff's department to see if it could be taken down.
"We looked at it, and of course it's constitutionally protected and our deputies left the scene," Rob Bryn of the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department said.
Beside the shocking display, some neighbors may be shocked by this.
"Actually, I live in Fresno but I'm house sitting here taking care of somebody who is out of state. Otherwise, this probably would not of happened," Lake said.
Naturally our next question-- So how do the people who actually own the house feel?
"They were questioning the whole thing until I told them that somebody stopped by and threatened to call the law, and then they said oh well leave it up," Lake added.
Lake who is from Fresno said he will be heading home tonight and taking down the controvesial display.
But, he says it will be back up next week when he returns, just in time for Christmas.
The San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department says it has gotten at least a dozen calls regarding the display.

Neutral + − !

Angel at Dec 24th 2009 11:20 PM

Call the cops? Get a grip people this is self expression at it's finest. Mr. Lake I am so sorry that our society can't take a joke and have to turn anything the least bit controversial over to law enforcement.I agree if you don't like it, don't look at it. Remember what mother told you, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say nothing at all....Bravo Mr. Lake and a blessed Merry (Christ-mas) to you

Just Wondering... at Dec 20th 2009 2:34 AM

So is Mr. Lake's message here "Jesus can't get His message across without a double-barreled shotgun?" The breakdown here is that the fundamentalist churches are NOT doing their job and the "Christian homes" of fundamentalists can't do their job either. Too many are on TV ranting about anything but what the real meaning of Christianity is. Moral problems are not necessarily solved with a shotgun - not saying that some wars aren't necessary based on moral principals. Santa Claus and Rudolph being shot by Jesus is NOT a message that is appropriate especially displayed at a location where children are certain to see it. That is NOT freedom of speech - it is an affront to public decency. Mr. Lake should "express his creativity" in his fundamentalist church where other non-believers and those incapable of thinking can get psyched up about it.

mocha at Dec 22nd 2009 1:44 PM

Just wondering...excellent!

High + − !

hellian at Dec 19th 2009 10:21 PM

Just because some one lets there child believe in the spirit of Santa does not mean they don't also teach that same child that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus.Wake up and think people yes Christmas is commercialised but that does not take away from the birth of Jesus most children learn that in Sunday school or church if not at home itself and to take the joy from little children is inexcusable.It shows them that violence is the answer to everything and that is not what Jesus taught!!!!!!