A Kentucky father is at the center of a raging debate about inappropriate Halloween costumes, after he dressed up his son as Adolf Hitler while himself donning a Waffen-SS uniform. Photographs of Bryant Goldbach and his son, who were going to a local Halloween event, went viral, with many criticizing the getup, terming it anti-Semitic. Goldbach, who runs a jewelry store, however, first defended the costume choice, claiming that they "love history.” Later he apologized.

The photo was taken Thursday in downtown Owensboro, while the Goldbachs were attending the annual “Trail of Treats,” during which children went trick-or-treating at local businesses. It was posted on Goldbach’s Facebook page in response to the criticism he received at the event. His indignation at the comments of attendees who were offended by the costumes was expressed in the lengthy caption that went along with photos.  

“Anyone who knows us knows that we love history, and often dress the part of historical figures,” he wrote in the post. “Tonight, as we walked, we saw people dressed as murderers, devils, serial killers, blood and gore of all sorts. Nobody batted an eye.” He went on to add that his "little” and he were dressed as “historical figures,” which did not warrant the snide remarks that they received at the event or the threats against his “little 5-year-old boy.”  

“That’s right. Tonight, grown adults threatened a child over his costume. Threatened his mom and dad as well. Threatened to rip his outfit off of him screaming obscenities, scaring a small child. First off, its none of your business. Second, how dare you! I mean How dare you threaten a child. Me, it's one thing, but my child? You are messing with fire,” he continues.  

He also went on to criticize the “tolerant” liberals who he had the displeasure of dealing with. The post has since been taken down after the severe backlash it received, with Goldbach later issuing an apology that read, "I think it was in bad taste for me to let my child to wear that, probably for me to wear that. It didn't occur to me. I thought it was a bad decision on my part.” 

He continues to be called a “racist” and “child abuser” online, with multiple people sharing old posts of his that suggest that he may be a Neo-Nazi or at least a sympathizer.