Posted on 10/11/2005 10:09:57 AM PDT by ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton
My wife is giving me information soon, which I'll post when I get it indicating that the publisher of books for young girls and the maker of several lines of expensive dolls and accessories is raising funds for Planned Parenthood.
I wonder if they will come out with a line of books about "Heather" who can't grow up in the 70's because she was killed in the womb.
My wife sent me one link from here cell phone.
Here that thread is:
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=78387
Here is an excerpt from that thread:
"
Support the Roe V. Wade decision.
Their curriculum is geared toward protecting a girls right to choose
Depending on the local chapter, they have the freedom to promote planned parenthood and abortion clinics.
American Girl products are pricey, but we always felt that it was good to promote chidren's toys and books that are positive and teach about history. Needless to say, the order I put in last night will be the last, and I will be certain to tell them why, by sending letters to all branches of the company, letting them know that they have lost my family from their list of customers, which includes grandparents, Aunts and uncles and friends.
http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/page.php?id=1.2.2
The material presented here wasn't as detailed as I wanted so I called the offices in both New York and D.C. for confirmation on this.
and here is the link from American Girl for purchasing the "I Can" American girl Bracelet.
http://store.americangirl.com/shop/ican.php
"
Lurk, did you visit the AG site? They are donating 70 cents from the purchase of every bracelet to girlsinc, along with a $50,000 donation. If that doesn't represent "support" of girlsinc and their message, then I don't know what does.
Get off your high horse.
My problem here is that American Girl's target audience is ages 9-13. That is just not an appropriate age level for much of what is on girlsinc. "Sexual Ettiquette"? information on coming out? Everything in their "resources" is pro-gay. I don't believe I saw anything I would classify as "pro-family". It's the same old feminist crap wrapped up in a new package as they try to sell it to a new generation.
Two of their board members are from Walmart and Home Depot...Arthur Blank and the Walton families are well known conservatives....
I'll look deeper into what you are saying, but I am not convinced that American Girl as a whole is evil and destructive because of one tentacle...
I have a call in to the PR woman at American Girl Inc....608-836-4848. I will be very curious to see what she has to say...it is so interesting and disturbing a topic, I am going to write an article about it....
If you go to that link (the catholic one) and read some of the messages, you will find several that have e-mailed the American Girl company and received the exact same response. The Girls Inc. site states that they support Roe vs, Wade but apparently you have to check them out quite a bit to find this out. This is very sad that a company that began with such good intentions has come to this. I totally loved the AG dolls, and accessories but could never buy them because to bring them into Canada would have been ridiculously expensive.
Is this what you are referring to? It seems to me that they avoid coming out and actually saying they are pro-choice...however reading what I've cut and pasted for you below, they allude to an importance to "preserve reproductive choice."
Supreme Court Nominations: Much at Stake for Girls
The vision of Girls Incorporated is empowered girls and an equitable society; our mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and boldSM. We are committed to social change--change that is required for girls to exercise their rights freely and fully.
With the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and the retirement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the United States Supreme Court is on the threshold of an historic change. While Girls Inc. does not take positions on nominees, we care deeply about the direct, critical impact decisions rendered by the high Court have in girls' lives. As the Senate prepares to consider the nominees, we urge lawmakers to be fair, thorough, and diligent in exploring their views on the numerous issues at stake for women and girls.
Over the past decade, the Court has ruled on many cases with direct influence on girls' health, education, and future opportunities. Specifically, the Court has voted to increase protection against sexual harassment in school, preserve reproductive choice, uphold affirmative action, and affirm critical Title IX protections. The Court has also ruled on cases involving violence against women, male-only admissions policies, and the juvenile death penalty.
Justice O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court and one of the most influential women in public life, has served as a powerful symbol of the United States' commitment to building gender equity. The changes on the Court offer the opportunity to continue O'Connor's legacy and advance the country's promise of equity and opportunity for generations of American women.
Girls Inc. firmly believes that girls have the right to personal safety, equal opportunity in sports, reproductive healthcare, preparation for economic independence, and an education that is free of discrimination. It is vital that the nation have an independent, fair-minded Supreme Court committed to equality and safeguarding the rights and freedoms of all Americans.
It's stated very plainly at this link what they stand for in regard to "reproductive freedom".
http://www.girlsinc-alameda.org/about/faqs.htm
What is Girls Inc.’s view on reproductive freedom?
Girls Incorporated affirms that girls and young women should make responsible decisions about sexuality, pregnancy and parenthood.
We recognize the right of all women to choose whether, when, and under what circumstances to bear children. Reproductive freedom and responsibility are essential to other rights and opportunities, including pursuit of education, employment, financial security and a stable and fulfilling family life. Restrictions of reproductive choice are especially burdensome for young women and poor women. Girls Incorporated supports a woman's freedom of choice, a constitutional right established by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 in Roe vs. Wade
I have written American Girl Doll Co. They claim they are not involved in any campaigns to support anyone, including Planned Parenthood.
American Girl teams with pro-abortion, pro-lesbian group
Possibly some of you have daughters who play with the American Girl dolls or read their books. You may even be thinking about buying a doll or books for Christmas. Well, it turns out American Girl (owned by Mattel) is partnering with a group called Girls Inc. to sell a bracelet, the "I Can" band, which financially supports Girls Inc. Seventy cents of every purchase goes to Girls Inc. The band is sold on the American Girl webpage with a large ad and a link to the Girls Inc. webpage. In addition, the webpage says American Girl is giving $50,000 to Girls, Inc.
The problem here is that Girls Inc. has on their webpage a statement saying they particularly support abortion and a girl's right to abort an unwanted baby. They were quite clear about their support for Roe, so there is no mistake or room for confusion on that count. Additionally, Girls Inc. supports contraceptives for girls.
They also support and offer resources encouraging lesbian and bi-sexual lifestyles, actually offering resources for girls. One of their publications states, "The emergence of a lesbian identity is an ongoing process, rather than an event."
Of course, American Girl itself is a separate company, unrelated to Girls, Inc. except now by webpage and the seventy cents on every bracelet. I checked out the Girls, Inc. website, and it is exactly as I have told you. Below are some direct links, so that you can see them for yourself.
American Girl website offering "I Can" band to benefit Girls Inc.
http://store.americangirl.com/shop/ican.php
Girls Inc. homepage
http://www.girlsinc.org/ic
Girls Incorporated supports a woman's freedom of choice
http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/page.php?id=4.3.4
Convenient access to safe, effective methods of contraception
http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/page.php?id=4.3.4
Girls and Lesbian, Bisexual, and Questioning Identities
http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/content/lesbianbisexualgirls.pdf
Free your mind: The book for gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth and their allies.
http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/content/sexualityresourcesgirls.pdf
Girls and Sexual Health (with sexual orientation on page 3)
http://www.girlsinc.org/ic/content/GirlsandSexualHealth.pdf
I hope you will take time to let American Girl know they are making a terrible mistake by supporting the pro-abortion, pro-lesbian organization, Girls Inc.
Please send them an email expressing your disappointment and let American Girl president Ellen Brothers know the company's decision casts a great shadow over their trustworthiness to put the welfare of girls and children first.
Click Here To Email American Girl Now!
Sincerely,
Don
Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association
P.S. Please forward this e-mail message to
Fabulous letter! Will send it out in an email to all my contacts today.
Why have they chosen to sell these bracelets and to donate to Girls, Inc.?
I have no clue. They really did not take in to consideration who their target parents are - CONSERVATIVE.
Bad decision upon bad decision.
I would like to see a good old fashioned firestorm over this one. It's about time Freepers got back to freeping and this is a perfect opportunity.
American Girl Doll response (note the contact info below):
To whom it may concern:
I hope that in the future American Girl researches it's charities and
organizations it affiliates itself with a little better. I am shocked
that American Girl would be associated with Girl's Inc and it's agenda.
I don't want my daughter to be introduced to questioning her identity, abortion issues, and an obvious political agenda namely lobbying against abstinence programs. This offends me and my family's religious convictions.
I believe it would also offend many of your other customers as well. I am organizing a boycott of your company and it's upcoming movie if this "I can" bracelet is not removed from your website and magazine.
Here is the response from the American Girl Company:
Thank you for your letter expressing your disappointment with American Girl's affiliation with Girls Inc. We appreciate you allowing us the opportunity to address your concerns about this issue.
Our goal with the "I CAN" program is to celebrate and encourage the individual qualities, talents, and dreams that every American girl possesses. In addition, we made it a cause-related effort to help reinforce the idea that helping others achieve is also an important part of life.
The donations from American Girl to Girls, Inc. are earmarked specifically to support their work in the areas of intellectual development, leadership, and sports programs, including:
- Girls Inc. Operation SMART®, which builds girls? skills in science, math and technology - Girls Inc. Discovery Leadership®, which develops leadership skills and community awareness
- Girls Inc. Sporting Chance®, which encourages athletic skills, cooperative and competitive spirit, and an interest in sports participation.
We chose Girls Inc. as our benefit partner because of their strong focus and commitment to help millions of girls realize their potential in these fields. American Girl believes that the girls we serve and support today will be the women who make a difference tomorrow. Our support of these three Girls Inc. programs allows us to have an even greater impact on today's girls, particularly those in high-risk, underserved areas.
We hope this information helps provide a better understanding of our affiliation with Girls Inc. Please be assured that we have noted your comments, and again, thank you for sharing your concerns.
Sincerely,
American Girl® Customer Service
Phone: 1-800-845-0005 or 608-831-5210
Fax: 608-828-4790
Available Monday - Sunday 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Central Time
bump
Phone: 1-800-845-0005 or 608-831-5210
Fax: 608-828-4790
Click Here To Email American Girl Now!
>>
shouldn't the word "here" be hyperlinked?
Company History
American Girl was established as Pleasant Company in 1985 by founder Pleasant T. Rowland, a former educator and publisher of educational materials. She created the American Girl brand as a way to educate and entertain girls with quality books, dolls, and toys that integrate learning and play experiences while emphasizing important traditional values. Since that time, American Girl has become one of the nation's most respected brands and has earned the loyal following of millions of girls and the praise and trust of parents and educators.
*** While I can respect that AG seems to have "earmarked" its donations to specific programs at Girls, Inc., I have a problem with AG donating to Girls,Inc., period. AG proudly depicts itself as being founded upon traditional values, and their solicitation and support for donating money to a pro-choice organization, even if earmarked for tissues, is unacceptable to me.
For a perfect example of what can happen when a funding source is "earmarking" donations, one need not look any further than the state of Louisiana, the Levee Board, etc.
Weren't the original feminists communists, back in the 60's?
FWIW, my daughter, who is now grown, had a couple American Girl dolls, back when she was a kid, and enjoyed them.
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