Build-a-Bear takes heat for global-warming webisodes

Los Angeles Times ^ | December 25, 2009 | Mcclatchy

[ricks_place]

Conservative bloggers are calling for a boycott of the company. Executives say the series, in which Santa is warned the North Pole could melt before Christmas, was intended to inspire children.

St. Louis - First, Chicken Little warned children that the sky was falling. And now Build-a-Bear Workshop has warned children that the North Pole could disappear before Christmas.

The Missouri-based company has found itself in hot water, defending an animated series on its website featuring polar bears, penguins and Mrs. Claus, as Santa is warned that global warming is "a serious situation."

Conservative bloggers reposted the videos online and called for a boycott of the toy company, saying Build-a-Bear should not be presenting a political stance to children.

The company relented, took down the videos and posted on its website a letter from Build-a-Bear founder and Chief Executive Maxine Clark.

"Our intention with the polar bear story was to inspire children, through the voices of our animal characters, to make a difference in their own individual ways," Clark wrote. "We did not intend to politicize the topic of global climate change or offend anyone in any way."

[Issaquahking]

Exactly!

Like I said in #4.

[maggief]

Time for BEAR-ACK OBAMA
By maxineclark

Saturday is the big day–I leave for Washington, DC and the inauguration of our new President, Barack Obama. I am excited to be witnessing this historic moment in history. Regardless of who you voted for, I think most Americans will be proud of this past election as it says through and through, THIS IS WHAT AMERICA STANDS FOR– the right for any hard working American even from simple means to achieve their goals and in this case, the ultimate leadership position in our country.

My mother was a civil rights activitist in the 50’s and 60’s and she truly believed that all people are created equal. She would be excited to witness this day I am sure. Most of all she would be proud that I have such a strong interest in government and politics and that I understand the impact of this moment. She would also be proud that I have even met Mr. Obama! Actually I have met many Presidents–Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Bush 41 and now Obama. WOW!! Whether you agree or disagree with anyone’s politics, it is an honor to meet a President. It is a very hard job and I believe they all try to do their best.
Maxine and Presidential Candidate Barack Obama- August 2008

Maxine and Presidential Candidate Barack Obama- August 2008

I wasn’t an Obama supporter at first but now that he is elected I intend to support him and do my best for our country. So far he has shown wise leadership, he is cool under pressure and he seems to genuinely understand people on main street. I think he will do a lot for K-12 public education. I pray that he has a very successful tenure as President and that he is able to bring our country out of this economic crisis.

I love DC and am excited to be visiting and participating in so many events for St. Louis, for Missouri and for the USA. I will be attending lot of events at historic places and I intend to take a lot of pictures and write about my experiences. It is my first inauguration and if all goes well, it won’t be my last.

Stay tuned for BEAR-aking news from the inauguration of Barack (BEAR-ack ) Obama.

Hugs,

Maxine the Cub Reporter

http://maxineclark.wordpress.com/2009/01/17/time-for-bear-ack-obama/

[Mr Ramsbotham]

"Our intention with the polar bear story was to inspire children, through the voices of our animal characters, to make a difference in their own individual ways," Clark wrote. "We did not intend to politicize the topic of global climate change or offend anyone in any way."

I'm not going to rape you; I'm just going to force you to have sexual intercourse with me.

[Lazamataz]

Calling for current governors and past executive branch personnel to be executed is not a good idea, even though I may agree with you strenuously that their ideas are bad. Therefore, to help you avoid a visit from men in black suits, I will hit abuse and have your post removed.

[Lazamataz]

Good catch. She lies.

[jimbo123]

She and her husband are big Obama donors. They also give a ton of money to other Demoncrats and their causes.

It’s no surprise that their “global warming” propaganda effort was coordinated with The Kenyan’s trip to Nopenhagen.

[MaxMax]

Isn’t there a donation limit?

[Hacksaw]

I LOVE that picture!

[comps4spice]

I think any company that is willing to support the fraud that is globull warming (more a religious cult really), should expect that at least 50% of their market is going to go away.

Vote with your money—don’t purchase from Obama supporters.

[jimbo123]

The CEO can be reached at:

maxine@buildabear.com

[Erik Latranyi]

DESTROY THIS COMPANY!!!!

Drain the liberals of funds by choking off their supporters.

Tell every friend that this company is using scare tactics against children to sell bears....even liberals (who are ill-informed) will support the boycott.

[ricks_place]

There’s a difference between...

Interesting and rational comment. Agreed, there is a difference between the AGW scammers, ulterior motivated AGW grifters, and AGW scam-victims. Most individuals lack the critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate science and to expose most logical fallacies.

The Top Global Warming "scientists" were exposed gaming the system.

• Manipulation of the raw data to fit the desired UN IPCC outcome.
• Back room dealing to sack non-compliant peer reviewed journal editors.
• Conspiracy to thwart AGW scientist from publication in peer reviewed journals.
• Criminal conspiracy to evade Freedom of Information Laws.
• and more

The result of the Top Global Warming Scientist's misdeeds is a science muddle. A great deal of climate research has become unreliable at best and flat wrong at worst. Enormous political pressure has built in many nations to commit great sums to AGW. The money has become the important thing.

Science and Political Conclusions:
• It is unknown if the planet is warming or cooling currently or in a longer term.
• It is unknown if man is causing the planet to warm or cool.
• It is unknown if man can alter a planetary warming or cooling.
• It is unknown if reduced man-made carbon dioxide will alter a planetary warming or cooling.
• Limiting carbon dioxide emissions will decrease personal liberty and aggrandize government.
• Spending great sums on an unknown Global Warming will not increase national productivity and will make the nation poorer. The green jobs that are economic are already being done.
• Great portions of Global Warming treasury will be skimmed and scammed by the corrupt UN and the member countries.
• Commitment to permanent funding of the UN is a step towards loss of sovereignty.

[Brugmansian]

Our intention with the polar bear story was to inspire children, through the voices of our animal characters, to make a difference . . .

Sit home, don't go to work, beat the wife, drink beer all day and you "make a difference" in many lives.

I want to slap people who say "make a difference". They've given up what is most precious--our reason, our ability to discern, to make judgements. They are spineless. They are scared to say anything which has a moral component to it. They are afraid to say what they think about anything. They do that long enough and they don't think at all. They accept everything the popular culture tosses at them. They accept global warming because they would have to make a judgement not to.

[11Bush]

Build it and I will come. Of course, I would be there faster if it was a Build-A-1911.

[hoosier hick]

Here’s what I don’t understand about these people: if you feel strongly enough to do it, stand up and say I did and here’s why. Don’t do it and then deny that’s what you did. Does that make any sense?

hh

[pepperdog]

Thanks for the link, it surely felt good to tell them I could eliminate them from any consideration for presents for my grands.

[pepperdog]

“I wasn’t an Obama supporter at first but now that he is elected...”

What a pompous liar, she gave him scads of money. Yet she is so vacuous in her convictions that she refuses to admit she was a strong supporter!

[MHGinTN]

The value system of these socialists is different from what you’re accustomed to. Lying, mayhem and such are not immoral to these freaks. In fact, they are considered useful tools to accomplish their twisted anti-human ends.

[Darnright]

>My mother was a civil rights activitist in the 50’s and 60’s and she truly believed that all people are created equal. She would be excited to witness this day I am sure. Most of all she would be proud that I have such a strong interest in government and politics and that I understand the impact of this moment. She would also be proud that I have even met Mr. Obama!<

Well, it’s really heartening to know she supported him because of his past experience and his policies, which have shown that he was the most qualified candidate this past election cycle </ spit>.

[Mr. Silverback]

The funniest thing about these web videos (saw a clip on Fox News) is that everyone standing around talking about the NorthPole melting by Christmas is wearing winter clothing...even a polar bear character.