Check out this picture above and guess what it is. Any ideas? Try “Exclusive LEGO Style Mega Weapons Pack (49 pieces),” sold by Toy Wiz through Amazon for $23.99 (plus shipping and handling). This weapons pack popped up yesterday – as my husband browsed Lego kits – as one of those “Customers Who Bought This Also Bought” suggestions.
These and other LEGO compatible weapon sets are manufactured by BrickArms. This company, which has been around since 2006, raised eyebrows this past winter when they introduced “Bandit – Mr. White” a “bad guy” who resembled an Islamic terrorist. At that point, the LEGO company released a statement denouncing the BrickArms products.
“BrickArms is not licensed by LEGO Group to customize LEGO figures and has no links to the LEGO brand…The LEGO Group is committed to developing toys which enrich childhood by encouraging imaginative and creative play – and does not endorse products that do not fit with this philosophy.”
Oh, yeah? You can’t have it both ways, LEGO Group. You opened the door by marketing your own lines of violent, weapon toting LEGO sets. There is a double standard at work, when you profit from the glorification of violence, but don’t want others to do the same.
As I’ve said before, children (particularly boys) have a need to play out violent scenarios (especially these days when they are trying to make sense of all the violence they are exposed to). But these highly-realistic weapons glorify war, and that’s where the problem lies.
In related news, the violent PG-13 movie “G.I. Joe” has just been released, and it does the same thing. Click here to read a few words on that topic from Iraq war veteran Sergeant Mark Linberg, and to read about CCFC’s petition to the FTC regarding the marketing of PG-13 movies to young children.
Enough bad news! This is a good place to recommend Nancy Carlsson-Paige’s amazing book, Taking Back Childhood: Helping Your Kids Thrive in a Fast-Paced, Media-Saturated, Violence-Filled World. The book is an incredible resource for parents who are trying to navigate this current confusing world and a hopeful note to end this depressing post on.
Amazing what people (that is, the CEOs and other decision-makers of BrickArms and LEGO, let alone toy-gun manufacturers in general), human beings, many with families and young children of their own, will do for money…
Nancy Carlson-Paige's book is a fantastic resource! She is fabulous- she really describes the pressure on children today and how this affects their emotions, academics and development. It also gives some great ideas of replacement activities to do with your kids!