Adolf Hitler Birthday Cake Rejected

Young Adolf Hitler Campbell was denied a birthday cake by his local supermarket and had to go to WalMart instead.

Heath Campbell, left, with his wife Deborah and son Adolf Hitler, 3, pose in Easton, Pa., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008. Deborah and her husband Heath attempted to buy a birthday cake for their son at a near by ShopRite supermarket in Greenwich, N.J. and were told that the store would not inscribe Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler on the cake. The Campbell's also have two daughters, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Heath Campbell, left, with his wife Deborah and son Adolf Hitler, 3, pose in Easton, Pa., Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008. Deborah and her husband Heath attempted to buy a birthday cake for their son at a near by ShopRite supermarket in Greenwich, N.J. and were told that the store would not inscribe Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler on the cake. The Campbell's also have two daughters, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

A supermarket is defending itself for refusing to a write out 3-year-old Adolf Hitler Campbell’s name on his birthday cake. Deborah Campbell, 25, of nearby Hunterdon County, N.J., said she phoned in her order last week to the Greenwich ShopRite. When she told the bakery department she wanted her son’s name spelled out, she was told to talk to a supervisor, who denied the request.Karen Meleta, a ShopRite spokeswoman, said the store denied similar requests from the Campbells the last two years, including a request for a swastika. “We reserve the right not to print anything on the cake that we deem to be inappropriate,” Meleta said. “We considered this inappropriate.”

The Campbells ultimately got their cake decorated at a Wal-Mart in Pennsylvania, Deborah Campbell said Tuesday.

Good thing for Wal-Mart! But, uh, isn’t Adolf Hitler an odd name, what with the baggage?

Heath Campbell said he named his son after Adolf Hitler because he liked the name and because “no one else in the world would have that name.”

True. And, really, a much better explanation than Levon gave for naming his boy Jesus. (“’cause he likes the name.”)

The Campbells’ two other children are named JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell, who turns 2 in a few months, and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, who will be 1 in April.

Wait a minute . . . I’m sensing a pattern to these names. But before you go jumping to conclusions:

Campbell said he was raised not to avoid people of other races but not to mix with them socially or romantically. But he said he would try to raise his children differently. “Say he grows up and hangs out with black people. That’s fine, I don’t really care,” he said. “That’s his choice.” He said about 12 people attended the birthday party on Sunday, including several children of mixed race.

Well, there you go.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Anthony says:

    Looking at the photo it took me some time to figure out that the person on the left is a chap.

    Such a charming neck tattoo, as well.

    Still, at least they’re married, I suppose…

  2. tom p says:

    He said about 12 people attended the birthday party on Sunday, including several children of mixed race.

    Yeah… sure… I can see all the mixed race children at his son’s birthday party: Swede/Swiss, German/Pole, French/Belgium, Czech/Serb…

    How did this hit the news wire? A hint…

    Thanx, James, it ain’t dead yet.

  3. Triumph says:

    This not nearly as bad as the fact that our NEXT PRESIDENT is named HUSSEIN. Who cares about this couple from Jersey, let’s focus on what really matters.

  4. DL says:

    For the first time in decade, I find nothing here to discuss. Garbage in- garbage out!

  5. Anderson says:

    You can’t get married without a marriage license.

    Why can you parent without a parenting license?

  6. Anthony says:

    “Why can you parent without a parenting license?”

    In several of the northern European countries, the names parents give their children must be chosen from a (very long) list of officially endorsed names, to avoid the extremely weird and willfully outlandish.

    Frankly, though, the notion of an officially approved list of names strikes me instinctively as more creepy than having to put up with the proliferation of crap D-grade celebrity-inspired made up names and the occasional loopy choice.

  7. Dave Schuler says:

    In several of the northern European countries, the names parents give their children must be chosen from a (very long) list of officially endorsed names, to avoid the extremely weird and willfully outlandish.

    Until rather recently in France you had to pick a name from the calendar or one of a handful of classical names.

    My only reaction to this is that someday he’ll forgive them.

  8. randallinoklahoma says:

    I might be an uneducated, underachieving redneck fool in the eyes of most people. However, I would never subject my children to such passive abuse. These parents stacked the proverbial deck against their own son. I hope these children are able to find their way in the world when they are grown.

  9. Floyd says:

    Anderson;
    Would you really want the government to raise your children?
    Wouldn’t that just be like letting the incompetent bastards run your finances?

  10. Franklin says:

    Hmmm, a tough one. The right of a parent to name their child vs. the right of the child to not get beat up regularly.

    Even with this awful choice, I’ll have to stick with my normal free speech argument and side with the parents’ rights. Free speech like this allows other people to know who the idiots are. And perhaps the kid will get some special attention at school because the teachers know the kid is probably being raised to be an ignoramus.

  11. Joe R. says:

    This not nearly as bad as the fact that our NEXT PRESIDENT is named HUSSEIN. Who cares about this couple from Jersey, let’s focus on what really matters.

    Getting less amusing (not that it ever was) and more tiresome all the time. Are you trying to turn this into your own little Jesus’ General or something?

    And perhaps the kid will get some special attention at school because the teachers know the kid is probably being raised to be an ignoramus.

    That’s what I’m hoping. Still, tough to convince a kid his parents are awful at that age.

  12. rodney dill says:

    What about Schickelgruber?

  13. caj says:

    Although I think it’s a ridiculous name to give a child, who would want to be called that?
    I’m sure the child will suffer in later years with that name for sure.
    It is still however the parents choice to name their child what they like and if they ask for that to be put on a birthday cake…that is their right.
    I understand the bakery not wanting to do it, but that is not their job to pick and choose what goes on a cake, it is just put on what the customer asks for.

  14. caj says:

    This not nearly as bad as the fact that our NEXT PRESIDENT is named HUSSEIN. Who cares.

    Posted by Joe R. | December 17, 2008 | 10:52 pm

    Such ignorance, how can you equate the two names here. Hitler was a mass murderer and PE Obama was just given his middle name by birth…how ignorant folks like you love to play his middle name up and make it sound bad!!!!
    Still, little things please little minds I suppose!!!!

  15. Bithead says:

    This not nearly as bad as the fact that our NEXT PRESIDENT is named HUSSEIN.

    For the frst time in months, Triumph adds something of value to the discussion.
    Apparently, names and their associations DO in fact matter, on some level. Apparently, Hitler’s problem was that he didn’t think to claim to be a racial minority.

  16. tom p says:

    Until rather recently in France you had to pick a name from the calendar or one of a handful of classical names.

    I can hear it now: “February 29th? Will you come up to the board and solve the problem?”

    I understand the bakery not wanting to do it, but that is not their job to pick and choose what goes on a cake, it is just put on what the customer asks for.

    In every south side diner and bar I have ever been into hangs the sign: “We reserve the right to refuse service to any one for any reason.”

    Triumph: Sarcasm is wasted on some people… but keep trying, I enjoy it anyway.