Page 1 of 2 SPEAKING FREELY The US also has lethal toys
By Beverly Darling
Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to have
their say.
Please click hereif you are interested in
contributing.
Just walk down any toy aisle in the US and you will be overwhelmed with a
number of lethal toys. No, I am not talking about the millions of hazardous
Chinese-made toys being recalled
because of their toxicity in the lead paint or magnets that can be swallowed by
children.
Instead, the toys I mention in this article are emotionally and psychologically
deadly. They have long-term effects and, as you read, keep in mind that they
are advertised for age five and up.
For a few dollars you can purchase a Black Ops GI Joe with the code name Shock
War. The camouflaged box says, "His expertise is urban combat and night
operations." He also has "special training in enemy location along with weapons
proficiency in missiles, rockets and cannons". Turning over the packaged Black
Ops GI Joe, you notice that his "tactics are strategic weapons combinations
with a background in ammunition and field artillery". With massive black armor
and night-vision goggles, he looks like a modern-day version of RoboCop.
If this does not satisfy your little trooper, you can purchase the GI Joe
Combat squad leader with a missile-launching blaster (which is much larger than
the GI Joe). Shown with muscular Nordic features, this toy would have made
Adolf Hitler very proud.
Next to it is an unlimited supply of other GI Joes, such as the GI Joe Sigma 6,
GI Joe Grenadier, and a GI Joe Gung-Ho Marine. The GI Joe Gung-Ho Marine has a
multi-weapons tool complete with bayonet, knife and shovel. It harks back to
Julius Caesar's Roman legions and the Pax Romana slogan of "I came, I
saw, I conquered." It also has an M60 machine-gun with a "pull-through ammo
strip". Wow! In bold letters it promises the child "fast-strike units to
large-scale assaults", and then it mentions that the tool can be used to "break
down reinforced doors", which harkens to the Pax Americana in Iraq.
For a few more dollars you can buy the Twelve Special Force Unit called the
CORP. On the back of a flashy and colorful box it says: "In a time of darkness,
a fearful and terror-stricken world requires men of honor to step forward,
heroes whose mettle has been tested and whose skills have been honed. From
around the world they step forward, the best of the best, and take up the
mantle of the 'special force units'."
It then promises "An ever-ready team devoted to protecting every person, every
country in our world." (Although it may sound very similar to a page from
President George W Bush's State of the Union addresses, at least our
five-year-olds will have a concept of internationalism. Of course, what kind of
internationalism is another matter.) It also comes with a set of dog tags that
read, "Devoted to serving and protecting our world." Each action figure is
holding either a laser, a blaster, a knife or some other type of weapons
system.
Still unsatisfied? The Ultra Corps Battle Underground Squad has
militant-looking-like figures with the names of Shark, Firestorm, Flashbang,
Rick Ranger, Flash Fire, Large Sarge, Stryker, and Hawk. It advertises, "Wars
are won on the back of soldiers on the ground. The best of the free world -
first into battle and last to leave." (Senator John Kerry would probably
disagree with the last statement.)
This All Terrain Lethal Attack Squad is "hardened in battle and ready to 'bring
it on'!" The Stealth Underway Brigade SUB action figure performs "covert
missions under seas and beach assaults". Urban Recon Ballistics and
Neutralization URBAN proclaims, "When enemies attack, the civilian street URBAN
scrambles into action and is the most effective lethal anti-terror figure in
the world."
The Ballistic Launch Assault and Stealth Team BLAST (getting ready for those
military acronyms?), says, "When the going gets tough - the tough starts
blasting," and promises a lot of fun and excitement with "bunker-busting bombs
and an anti-personnel shrapnel shredder that delivers a BIG BLAST!" (Some of
the figures are completely weaponized and have no resemblance to a human.)
Thousands of more simplistic toy-like weapons that line the aisles, such as the
Double Shot Dart Blaster, water guns and water cannons, offer "Xtreme Blasting
Power".
For young children who will turn into future soldiers and fight futuristic
high-tech wars, the "advanced flash blast wins every time!" When I asked the
store clerk where the large Humvee mission vehicles were (which were
advertised) and where children could sit on and operate a 50-caliber
machine-gun, a laser weapon and M60, or where the Abrams battle tank replica
was (which was also advertised), he said they were sold out and were the most
popular toy items.
Even the seemingly innocent Pirates of the Caribbean - At the World's End
(Preparing for Armageddon?) shows two pirate ships shooting at and attacking
each other. It comes with seven action
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
