Don’t Buy Toys with Guns for your Kids! Op-ed
In today’s highly politically correct society, the issue of whether or not anyone should be allowed to own a gun is a huge deal. This issue is in the top 5 news stories everyday, with people who are both for and against this issue refusing to compromise or budge from their respective positions. An interesting blow back from this argument has made its way to the toy aisle as parents have to decide whether or not they want to purchase toys for their children that either have guns included or promote the use of guns.
How many of us grew up with G.I.Joe, or playing with cap guns, or Cowboys and Indians. How many of us grew up and decided, gee, after hours of imaginary play with my toy guns, I have decided to go out and get a gun and perpetrate some act of gun violence? There is virtually no correlation between the two, yet liberal media and or your local liberal college professor would lead you to believe that. Not only this, but the very toy companies that are making or ‘not making’ gun related toys for children are advocating the removal of these types of toys from the toy aisle.
Did you ever wonder who is financing the movement to take away the right for Americans to own a weapon? I am guessing you did not realize that some of the biggest donors are Toy related companies. At Hasbro, The Chairman, CEO and President all serve on the board of CeaseFire, Inc. Every action figure and Transformers movie ticket you buy helps fund various gun control groups.
What do professionals have to say about the correlation between gun related toys and actual gun violence? Check out what the The Toy Industry Association had to say on the subject.
“Toys themselves do not promote aggressive behavior. There are no violent or nonviolent toys. Quite often, military and other role-play items may help kids work through or cope with what is happening in the world around them through play rather than through outwardly aggressive behavior.” Psychologists and some teachers, in fact, think similarly.
“Blaming toy guns for adult male violence or mass shooting defies common sense. Banning toy guns would be misguided, silly, even delusional. It would have no impact at all on our rate of adult violence. Healthy boys know the difference between pretend play and actually hurting someone,” said Michael Thompson, author of “Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys.” “Playing heroic hunt-and-chase games is something boys have done forever. They have done it with sticks and balls and they do it with toy guns. It often represents the best of boys: their desire to be strong, heroic and to stand up for what is right, to protect their homes and kill villains.”
Source: adage.com
Do you feel strongly for or against toy guns, toys with guns, or military related toys? Sound off with your thoughts AFTER THE JUMP!
