Editor’s Note (2-4-26):
An earlier version of this article incorrectly implied that Tinman’s Pub was affiliated with or located within the Norge Ski Club venue and that the sign referenced was connected to the organization’s ski jump event.
We have since been informed that:
- Tinman’s Pub is not affiliated with Norge Ski Club and is not located within its venue.
- Norge Ski Club did not create, display, endorse, or authorize the sign shown.
- Norge Ski Club was not responsible for the messaging and does not support it.
- The organization has stated that the message does not reflect its values and that it has taken steps to end any perceived association.
Sadly, in this day and age, threatening someone with gun violence has become something that a right-wing extremist would do, particularly the radical MAGA Trump supporters who endorse what happened to Alex Pretti and Renee Good. In these savages’ eyes, political discussion is not up for debate; like a barbarian of old, they yearn to spill the blood of their enemies in a literal sense. Even as a joke, it’s definitely not funny at this point, yet a bar owner hosting a Ski Jump Festival in Fox River Grove, Illinois, seems to think threatening “Liberals” is amusing.
The pub is called Tinman’s Pub, and the disturbing message that many have found both alarming and appalling is on a wind chime with bullet casings as its “chimes.” The decoration’s wooden plaque reads, “Only one more LIBERAL And my windchime is complete,” with two scope reticules engraved on both sides. For anyone wondering why the owner would buy and put up such a sign, the explanation is simple, according to a former employee of the bar.
“I worked as a line cook at a diner, the owner was/is hardcore MAGA. This was during the 2016 election and she had Trump signs and the whole 9 yards. All my coworkers were from Mexico and Ecuador, varying legal statuses. I guess she didn’t mind the cheap labor,” explained Reddit user Jahweez.
“Ask em what they think about Trump saying ‘you can’t just have guns, you can’t walk around with guns’, 😆,” ironically remarks a commenter, referring to what the President said in response to Alex Pretti’s death. “Unless it’s Charlie Kirk, in which case how dare you?! But basically anyone else is fair game yeah….” adds another Reddit user. As for Tinman’s Pub is faring, online users weren’t too happy when the owner’s “funny” wind chime sign circulated on the internet. The restaurant is now getting review-bombed on Yelp as a result.
“Hostile MAGA nonsense. Steer clear, don’t patronize these folks, and please stay safe out there,” says a reviewer. “Regardless of my political leanings, I prefer frequenting establishments that don’t publicly threaten murder to some of their visitors,” writes another. “Thank you to the owners for making it very transparent who their preferred customers are so our group didn’t spend any money or time here,” expressed a third.
The owner of Tinman’s Pub is quite brave to have that wind chime up at a time like this, and any sort of backlash or review-bombing is well-deserved. After all, even they probably wouldn’t feel very safe if someone threatened their life over politics.
