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Jan. 15, 2005 Advocacy groups play important roles in looking out for the welfare of their members, but sometimes they go into attack-mode at the slightest provocation. Case in point: The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. controversy. The company that sells cute and cuddly Teddy bears through the mail has outraged mental health advocates with a special Valentine's Day promotion. They are commemorating Valentine's Day by selling a 15-inch stuffed bear in a straitjacket. The $69.95 toy called the "Crazy for You Bear" comes with its own commitment papers. I'm surprised that Jerry Falwell hasn't jumped into the fray by pointing out that the "$69" selling price is an obvious attempt to glamorize a deviant sexual position. "This bear was created in the spirit of Valentine's Day and as with all of our bears it was designed to be a lighthearted depiction of the sentiment of love," the company rhapsodized in a press release. It's an accurate depiction of love I might add; when in love the average person acts crazy. But mental health advocates don't see the humor; Jerry Goessel, executive director of the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill denounced the cute bear as "a tasteless use of marketing that stigmatizes persons with mental illness." I'm sure that a person with mental illness has larger concerns, like the high price of prescription drugs and that Martian who sleeps underneath his bed. In fact, if a mentally ill person had a cute teddy bear to sleep with, I'm sure that would be the best therapy in the world. The Vermont Teddy Bear Company said it would discontinue the bear, but not before Valentine's Day -- which I'm sure was their intention all along. My advice for Jerry Goessel is to take a valium, or better yet buy a "Crazy for Your Bear", a cute stuffed animal like that would make even a stressed-out executive director mellow out. ------------ About the author: Robert Paul Reyes is a columnist for the Lynchburg Ledger. Email: rreyes4966@aol.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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