A Staten Island Home Depot employee made a bold statement when she wore a politically charged hat to her Sunday morning shift recently.
An image of Krystal Lake wearing the hat, which reads, “AMERICA WAS NEVER GREAT,” has since gone viral, sparking support, outrage and even death threats, according to the Staten Island Advance.
The phrasing is a play on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” Lake, 22, of Staten Island, told the Advance.
However, Lake spoke her piece, telling the Advance, “The point of the hat was to say America needs changing and improvement.”
Since the photo of Lake surfaced on the web, people have taken to social media in support or opposition. Lake, a Bernie Sanders supporter, told the Advance that she has received dozens of death threats.
“Her hat said it all about Home Depot and their employees, everyone should stop shopping at Home Depot and sell all stock related to Home Depot. I live in Virginia and under President Obama he has destroyed how most people look at America, today…” Steve Hyatt wrote on Facebook.
“Some people need to experience life in another country…I actually feel sorry for people like this whose lives are apparently so miserable they can’t see the good around them,” Mic Johnson said on Facebook.
“My question to people blasting her would be this….What 50-year period in American history was this country GREAT? Define GREAT and be sure to include what it meant during that period for Native Americans and all people of color. I’ll wait,” Shaun King wrote on Facebook.
“She’s absolutely correct. Make America better because for so many people it was NEVER great. Making America great again is code for those that have bigotry in their soul!” Dellis Frank wrote on Facebook.
Despite the backlash Lake received, she still plans to continue wearing the hat.
