http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0311/baard2.php

she got arrested for dressing up like the easter bunny and protesting the sale of easter baskets containing war toys!

Kreeli: she was not arrested for protesting, she was arrested for refusing to leave the store premises after being asked nicely to leave. She was told she could protest outside the store if she wanted. She refused, That's why she was arrested.

I certainly would not buy an Easter basket containing guns and the like, but K-Mart had every right to revoke her permission from being inside their store.

What I find interesting is that she brought an infant to a protest. A protest that she had to have known would likely end up in some sort of confrontation given the division of opinion on "guns" these days. It gives me cause to wonder how responsible a parent your friend is.

I DO agree that these baskets are inappropriate.

oh, pshaw. she knew she'd be kicked out and possibly arrested, and she knew she wouldn't fight it. it was a statement that begged to be made. her child was in no danger at any time, and she never would have brought her, if there was the chance of that happening.

you are right, though, about one thing. she was arrested for not leaving private property when asked.

i'm still proud of her! :)

Why protest the consumer decisions made by other parents?

I loved "war" toys as a kid, Tame, Jr. loved them while younger, and Toddler Tame loves the word "bang".

'Course I also have taught Tame, Jr how to fire a rifle. ;)

I loved playing war too but putting them in Easter baskets seems a bit odd.

My parents wernt pc yuppies or hippies or anything, but they did not allow realistic war toys like GI Joe, nor did they allow us to have toy guns. It wasn't a big deal. It was just that they emphasized that guns are serious, should be treated with respect (if at all) and nothing to play or joke about. We also were not allowed to play with sticks (You'll poke your eye out!). One time a friend of my brothers started playing with a stick, and wouldn't listen to my dad when he said not to. Wouldn't you know, he almost poked my brother's eye out. Still has a scar.

I have a problem with real guns...I wouldn't let my children have any, but toy guns are fine (in my opinion.)

My sons (17 & 15) LOVED guns when they were little. And if a gun was not handy, they turned anything into a gun - including Barbie. My youngest son (6) has never been into them...aside from an occasional water gun fight.

As for sticks...I told my kids they could play with any stick that was not longer than their own arm. In my opinion a long stick is much more dangerous than a toy gun.

Originally posted by Tame
Why protest the consumer decisions made by other parents?


To educate other people and to let them know the full story ?

What's the full story? I missed the point.

My nephew wasn't allowed to play with guns and war toys by his mother. He joined the Air Training Corps and won a medal for being cadet of the year:D Then he discovered girls and beer and left the ATC.

Originally posted by 1vegan
To educate other people and to let them know the full story ?

What full story? Some parents let their children play with, *gasp*, war toys. Others don't.

Newsflash: if no one buys the Easter baskets, they won't make 'em next year

Get in Mrs. Tame's way when she is buying Toddler Tame a toy tank, and she'll kick you in the junk. ;)

Originally posted by kpickell
What's the full story? I missed the point.

I think the message is:

“it’s not good to glorify weapons, and we give the children the wrong message by giving them toys that somehow say it’s “good” or “normal” to “kill” people.”

“more people should realize the hidden message/value that is in these gifts”

(I not sure)

Personally I think that protesters can be the “cutting edge” of the society.
Sometimes it takes several years or decades before the general public learns to appreciate what they try to tell us.

oh okay. i can see that.

War toys are fine and all, I know I had fun with them. But as an adult I hate to see companies exploiting the war for profit. I guess that's the American way. :(

Is it exploiting the war, or fulfilling a demand created by kids interested by what is going on in their world?

The fact that there is a demand for something doesn't make it ethical to fulfill that demand. I'm not suggesting they be outlawed, just that I think it's wrong.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

I don't think ethics comes in to play when selling plastic toys that children have played with for years.

i certainly have a problem with the idea that violence and war are "fun" or "lighthearted".

and i don't think kids naturally want to play violent games that glorify death. i think they only do it because it is a culturally approved form of play. they see violence trivialized in the media. they see war toys and guns on the shelves of toy stores. their parents buy them for them. all of this is a subtle form of conditioning/brainwashing. and it certainly must play a role in the mindset of the adults they will become.

I heard of some people who jokingly created these "electric chair" toys for kids. If kids can play war, why not executioner, gallows playset, firing squad, gas chamber (drop a tablet of baking soda into the special acidic liquid, it really fizzes!).

Or the it's time according to grandpa's living will to remove the respirator playset.

Let's put down Fluffy activity set. Includes plush doll and play syringe.

All of these things are solemn, and legal activities resulting in death (like war). I am not sure what it would be teaching children that these things are to be taken light heartedly. I doubt many people would approve of the above play sets. I don't think how long they have been around is relevent.

War toys are perhaps most distrurbing to me not bc of what they include, but what they don't include. They include all of the action, with none of the consequences. If kids had to watch movies of what really went on in war, and all of the people effected by it, perhaps they wouldn't find the toys so fun.

Originally posted by Kreeli
they see violence trivialized in the media. This is clearly seen with how the graphics and intros for war coverage are almost indistinguishable from what would be used for a war movie or a TV show. "Showdown in IRAQ" "When Diplomacy Fails" (Lifetime television exclusive made for TV movie!) and they have all these targets and flags, and other silly graphics. It's not a movie, it's not a TV show. It is real, and it is not entertainment.

Coverage, and some people's talk about the war remind me of coverage for an upcoming football game. Let's get out the air horns and giant foam fingers that say "America's number one." Even if a person is super pro-war, this is still a serious event, not a game to be trivialized.

graphic

Tame - I'm not on a big crusade to get rid of war toys. I had them and I loved them, I'm sure I'd buy them for my kids. If nothing else, at least toy guns get kids outside and running around. I just think buying (or selling) an Easter basket with war toys is a bit tasteless (I realize that my definition and your definition of tasteless are miles apart). Especially when you consider that Easter has religious overtones. I don't think religion and war should ever be mixed or confused. And other than people profiting from something that's going to result in the loss of life on both sides I guess I see it as propoganda in a way and kind of resent it.

I'm making it sound like I feel way more strongly about it than I do. As you can probably tell from other posts my emotions are jacked up about 200% today.

Originally posted by Kreeli
i'm still proud of her! :)

I get the impression you know her in RL.
If so give her my regards. Let her know there are people that are proud of her.