I remember when I was growing up, my parents often said to me that no matter what I decided about God and religion, I should always remember that tolerance is one of the greatest principles to live by – tolerance for other ideas, other lifestyles, other people. That’s why there’s nothing I hate more than a bunch of right-wing “Christian†nuts who give the rest of us a bad name.
Their new target – “American Girl†dolls. A cute little doll, made for being hugged and treasured by a little girl. According to the article, they’re not curvaceous like Barbie, and not dressed like little tarts like the Bratz dolls. But the people who make them also support an organization called “Girls, Inc.†They are a group who help inner city and underprivileged girls. They happen to support a woman’s right to choose, and they teach young girls all about safe sex, pregnancy prevention, and substance abuse. They also help girls who are dealing with their sexuality, and possible homosexuality, by giving them someone to talk to and a place where they feel they can be themselves.
Heaven forbid! So now, a bunch of self-righteous people who have never had a problem beyond what to get their kids for Christmas, are no longer buying these dolls for their kids because they’re boycotting the good work this organization does. They don’t happen to agree with the pro-choice stance, fine. But instead of putting that aside, of practicing a little tolerance for a different point of view, they’re putting on this ridiculous boycott. All it’s serving to do is show how intolerant these “Christians†really are. What would Jesus do? I’m not sure, but I don’t think he’d boycott a doll company.
willemmarx @ November 7, 2005 - 9:51am
But you can't question a consumer's right to choose, just as you and I wouldn't question a woman's right to choose. We can label the Christian Right, "Self-righteous," or whatever else, but if it something they do not agree with it is no different to boycotting South African products during apartheid, or French products during the lead up to 9/11. People, in my view at least, have the right to express their views through their shopping habits, however incomprehensible such behaviour may seem to those who do not agree with them.
Let's just hope that the funding for Girls, Inc. is not too adversely affected by the loss in sales engendered by this particular demographic's boycott of the American Doll products.
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