Posted on 11/13/2005 4:42:14 PM PST by SJackson
It turns out that when suburban mothers buy American Girl dolls that look and dress exactly like their own little girls, they may unwittingly be purchasing tiny, lesbian partners for their children....
It turns out that when suburban mothers buy American Girl dolls that look and dress exactly like their own little girls, they may unwittingly be purchasing tiny, lesbian partners for their children.
At least, that is the fear of the wacko, right-wing watchdogs who keep track of exotic threats to our children that most of us are too naive - or not nearly psychologically twisted enough - to recognize.
Up until now, we thought the growing success of the Wisconsin-based American Girl doll company was one of those wholesome, positive, all-American stories.
Who could possibly find fault with a roaringly successful commercial venture that encourages young girls to dress in the same designer outfits as their look-alike dolls?
The company founded 20 years ago in Middleton by Pleasant Rowland was sold to Mattel Inc. in 1998 for $700 million. The company has upscale doll stores in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles with expensive clothing boutiques, hair salons and high fashion events for dolls and children alike.
Obviously, any little girl who buys deeply into the American Girl mystique - emphasis on "buy" - is well on her way to dressing for success in life. At the very least, she has a shot at becoming a particularly well-tailored trophy wife.
The commercialization of childhood is a serious social issue that could be the subject of thoughtful public debate. Or we could just listen to the ignorant blatherings of right-wing extremists.
Guess which has gotten American Girl into hot water? You got it. It's the complaints of the American Family Association and the Pro-Life Action League.
The American Family Association, based in Tupelo, Miss., the birthplace of Elvis Presley, has a long history of seeing threats to our children that most people are far too intelligent to notice.
The American Family Association was among the few organizations to perceive that preschool children were being brainwashed into pursuing a life of homosexuality by a sexually ambiguous Teletubby named Tinky Winky.
The organization once protested an episode of "Rocky and Bullwinkle" in which Bullwinkle the Moose married Cinderella. You might think the American Family Association would rejoice at such a high-profile celebrity endorsement of traditional marriage.
But those vigilant protectors of conservative morality recognized the Bullwinkle-Cinderella liaison for what it was - a subtle endorsement of inter-species relations promoting sex with animals.
So what could be so objectionable about American Girl dolls to attract protests from the American Family Association and, even more curiously, the Pro-Life Action League? The last we knew no embryos were destroyed producing American Girl dolls, which are not actually alive, just perky.
It turns out purchasing American Girl dolls helps promote concepts these groups find offensive. You know, objectionable concepts such as living healthy lives and being tolerant toward others.
The two groups have launched a crusade against American Girl for contributing philanthropically to Girls Inc., formerly the Girls Clubs of America, which for 140 years has organized programs encouraging young girls to feel good about themselves and strive for achievement.
This is where the charges about lesbianism come in. It seems that in educating adolescent girls about sexuality, Girls Inc. fails to teach young women to hate themselves or anyone else if they happen to be gay.
Almost as bad, in attempting to prevent teenage pregnancy, Girls Inc. reveals to girls that abstinence is not the only method of birth control. Since abstinence has been known to fail, it also acknowledges the existence of contraception and abortion.
No advocacy is involved. It's a simple matter of providing an honest education in the basics of good health for adolescent girls.
American Girl dolls aren't proselytizing innocent young girls into lesbianism or teenage whoredom. That's just standard laughable exaggeration from wild-eyed goofballs on the right.
But when the president of the United States lends legitimacy to the wild-eyed right on issues such as teaching religious beliefs as science in our schools, pretty soon other institutions in our society start taking seriously other ridiculous right-wing ideas.
St. Luke Catholic School in Brookfield recently canceled an American Girl fashion show that was expected to raise from $10,000 to $30,000 for the school.
Apparently, these regional fashion shows, which send personal invitations to more than 20,000 American Girl doll owners over a wide area, are killer fundraisers.
Brookfield, in Waukesha County, could well be the state's most seething hotbed of both American Girl dolls and the religious right. Those well-dressed, fresh-faced dolls never had a chance.
Father Frank Malloy, the pastor of St. Luke school, said in canceling the American Girl event: "The cost is too high. Our integrity isn't for sale."
Anyone gullible enough to believe that an American Girl doll is a threat to public morality doesn't need to be bought. He's already been Bullwinkled.
Which part don't you understand?
Maybe, if you're serious about it. Be interesting as a little venture. Send me the details of what you're aiming at.
All that glimmers is not gold... and it's a shame. Finally thought there was one good thing left, it's all about money now... some things I refuse to let mine go to.
Of course the books are historical and educational, but the causes beneath are insidious.
For example, my daughter 9, was in the Girl Scouts last year... I was in the scouts, my sisters and a lot of my friends, great experience. My daughter was taught about condoms... at nine, in the girl scouts. Think I let her stay there? Nope. Some have said troops are different... put her in a troop somewhere else... would you?
If Microsoft offered Word with a built in donation to Planned Parenthood, which is what they're doing here, I'd buy the regular version. And let them know my displeasure. Obviously there are more doll choices than operating systems.
I'm guessing that from the tone of Mr. McNally's rant, the boycott of "American Girl" is working much better than anyone could have predicted.
Remember the Liberal Mantra: "What we cannot Indoctrinate. We Humiliate and Intimidate!"
Jack.
Excellent.
Yep and anyone who watched it knew... the purse kind of gave it away from the start.
There is a christian version of American Girl. The more the better. I'd love to see a religious version that includes Jewish girls.
http://www.alifeoffaith.com/
That is exactly the section I was going to quote and question....
It's a good idea to have toys and play that help kids remember God. Why not? Why not all kinds of personalities from history and religious traditions? I remember when I was a kid I loved to read biographies of real people. George Washington Carver was one of my favorites, he was a hero to me.
I had a Barbie head that you could give little hairstyles too. I remember that was the highlight of christmas. One day I watched my mom straighten her hair so you know Barbie had to have that too ;o) I want my girls to have dolls but I'd not feel right about buying something supports abortions. I'm sure there are companies that do that and I buy their stuff but I sure don't wanna know :(
You beat me to it - this was the sentence that lept out at me . . . .
Good Evening, Wisconsin Conservative Politics Ping List Members!
Great C'thulhu! I think that's a Deep One!
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Thanks for the link to that site!
Do we even need to imagine what the moonbat reaction would have been if American Girl had supported pro-life groups?
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