Posted on 11/02/2005 3:47:07 AM PST by Diago
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October 31, 2005, 8:22 a.m. Innocence Lost Is American Girl a pro-abortion company?
On Christmas morning, untold numbers of girls will rip open packages hoping to find an American Girl doll. The lucky ones will receive a prized possession of modern childhood, a little figurine to dress, comb, hug, and otherwise dote upon. Because these dolls are so loved, there aren't many companies with a more wholesome image than American Girl.
So why is this popular dollmaker now giving money to a group that supports abortion rights?
That's what a growing number of consumers want to know. Since 1986, they've bought more than 11 million American Girl dolls. They've also purchased more than 105 million "character books" that teach lessons about history, patriotism, and family values. Yet none of this has inoculated the company against a problem that began in September, when American Girl launched its "I CAN" program. According to a press release, this endeavor helps girls "tell the world they are capable of anything they set their minds to." They are encouraged to buy $1 plastic bracelets and sign pledge cards that declare, "I can be myself, follow my dreams, and always do my best. I can reach for the stars, lend a hand to others, and be a good friend. I can make a difference! I promise to try."
Nobody on this side of the He-Man Woman Haters Club has an issue with that kind of rhetoric, of course. A central feature of the "I CAN" campaign, however, is American Girl's financial support of Girls Inc., a non-profit group that endorses abortion rights. American Girl has pledged $50,000 to the group, in addition to 70 cents for every "I CAN" bracelet it sells.
On its website, Girls Inc. calls itself "a national nonprofit youth organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold." Its "major programs" include "math and science education, pregnancy and drug abuse prevention, media literacy, economic literacy, adolescent health, violence prevention, and sports participation."
Girls Inc. is based it New York, but it also has an office in Washington, D.C., where it lobbies for something called the Girls' Bill of Rights. This document has six planks. Here's the fourth: "Girls have the right to accept and appreciate their bodies." Although Girls Inc. says that "family is the primary source of information about sex," it also declares that "girls need and have a right to ... convenient access to safe, effective methods of contraception." Girls Inc. goes on to proclaim its support for "a woman's freedom of choice, a constitutional right established by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 in Roe vs. Wade."
Shortly after American Girl announced its financial partnership with Girls Inc., the American Family Association and the Pro-Life Action League expressed their dismay. They urged their members to contact American Girl by phone, fax, and e-mail. The Pro-Life Action League has threatened to launch a consumer boycott of American Girl if the company does not end its relationship with Girls Inc. by November 1.
In response, American Girl, which is owned by Mattel, issued a statement: "We are profoundly disappointed that certain groups have chosen to misconstrue American Girl's purely altruistic efforts and turn them into a broader political statement on issues that we, as a corporation, have no position." The company also said that its support of Girls Inc. was limited to "three distinct programs": "One builds girls' skills in science, math, and technology, another develops leadership skills, and a third encourages athletic skills and a collaborative spirit."
When I called Girls Inc. for a comment, spokeswoman Taiia Smart Young contradicted American Girl's contention that its collaboration with Girls Inc. was restricted to three areas. "If you work with Girls Inc., the assumption is you support everything we stand for," she said. Young also forwarded her own group's statement, which claimed that Girls Inc. "has become the target of false, inflammatory statements from people who are pursuing a narrow political agenda." When I asked Young for specific examples of false statements, she said that the media has quoted sources calling Girls Inc. an "advocacy group." She insisted that Girls Inc. is merely "an organization that serves girls."
Yet it seems as though Girls Inc. has been making some false statements of its own. "We have nothing to do with abortion," said president Joyce Roche, in the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Our program is about preventing the need for abortion." Roche ought have a chat with her group's webmaster, who can update her on the website's content. And, for what it's worth, a review of public records reveals that in 2003 she sent a $250 check to the Women's Campaign Fund, which describes itself as a political action committee "dedicated to electing pro-choice women."
Liberal editorial pages have of course jumped to the defense of American Girl and Girls Inc. The Boston Globe called the "I CAN" campaign "a fine corporate gesture." The Capitol Times of Madison, Wis., opined on the "warped worldview" of pro-lifers. Connie Schultz of the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote a column below this headline: "Attacking dolls truly un-American." Sen. Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois, also waded into the controversy. "This is a classic example of overreaction and a lack of proportion," he said last week.
But really it's not. Pro-life parents simply don't want to participate inadvertently in a fundraising drive for a group that supports abortion rights. Is that so complicated? If American Girl wants to have a philanthropic influence, surely there are organizations that try to improve math and science education for girls without wading into the mire of abortion politics.
My wife a gung-ho fan of American Girl products actually bought eight of the "I CAN" bracelets to give away at our daughter's recent birthday party. A few days after handing them out, she was mortified to learn about the group that would benefit from her purchase. She contacted American Girl to express her concern, but hasn't heard back. She really doesn't want to give up on a company whose products she loves, but now she's starting to wonder about a biting comment Elizabeth Foss made in the Arlington Catholic Herald: Maybe American Girl cares more about plastic babies than real ones.
With Christmas coming, millions of girls real ones will draw up wish lists. American Girl dolls and books are sure to be on the tops of many. But unless the company fixes its problem, a lot of parents who want to say "I CAN" will find themselves saying, "WE WON'T."
John J. Miller is national political reporter for National Review and the co-author, most recently, of Our Oldest Enemy: A History of America's Disastrous Relationship with France He is author of the upcoming A Gift of Freedom: How the John M. Olin Foundation Changed America..
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http://www.nationalreview.com/miller/miller200510310822.asp
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Because of the publicity this is getting it is very important that folks call and complain. This is a big, big test of the strength of the pro-life movement:
Call 1-800-845-0005 to complain.
ping
I suppose they want to kill their potential market, huh. Smart.
Me too!
How can the U.S. Supreme Court "establish" a Constitutional right if it is not a Constitutional right in the first place?
But, that said, American Girl is an increadibly important cultural influence on young girls in this country. If the same mutants who have ruined the Girl Scouts get ahold of American Girl, they can do an awful lot of damage.
American Girl needs to hear from us in letters and at the cash register. They have to be told, in no uncertain terms, that this flirtation with the abortion promoting feminist Left must end now, or they will sacrifice their hard-won image in the marketplace as the embodiment of the wholesome American ideal.
I ended my association with this organization, and my daughter's, a half year ago. I do not believe they are a wholesome source. Their magazine does not represent the type of things I want to instill in my 9yo.
What specifically was in there that made you uncomfortable? My daughter is too young for us to be purchasing the product right now.
I'd love it if American Girls stopped its support of Girls, Inc., but it doesn't seem as if the company is interested. Perhaps they will be interested when there bottom line is affected.
Ping!
Do you know if American Girl was supporting Girl's Inc. before they were bought by Mattel? What I'm getting at is that Mattel might be aligned with similar type groups and who knows where the money spent on Barbie goes.
I just called and spoke to a rep. She said that she understood, and that "it ends at the end of this year".
You could tell their hearts were not into defending Girls Inc.
Is Girls, Inc. assoc'd with Soros? Does anyone know?
I don't think there's any connection. They used to be known as Girl's Clubs and they were usually located in cities.
Thanks for the information. We have a 31/2 year old granddaughter that I was hoping to buy an American Girl doll for this year. Instead I sent e-mails telling them abortion is the ultimate hate crime.
WOW! That is awesome. God bless you and your daughter for being willing to stand up to evil. This won't be the last time she will have to say "No"! What a great start at such a young age.
I am deeply disappointed to have found out that American Girl supports Girls, Inc., an actively pro-abortion organization. I will go out of my way to inform my students and their parents as well as colleagues, neighbors and others that your company supports a group whose concern for unborn girls is nonexistent. Any attempt to support the well-being of girls on the part of Girls, Inc. must begin by allowing them to be born. Shame on American Girl for attempting to dupe customers into unknowingly supporting the pro-abortion lobby and the corrupt abortion industry. My family has spent large sums of money on American Girl products, but no more.
Thanks for the ping topher.
I believe I read that the association started quite recently, after Mattel had acquired AG.
Bump
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