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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iran urged to fight Barbie doll invasion |
| 2008-04-28 |
| Iran’s toy market is being inundated by models of Barbie, Batman, Spiderman and Harry Potter and the young must be protected from their harmful cultural effects, the prosecutor general was quoted as saying on Sunday. “Promoting figures like Barbie, Batman, Spiderman and Harry Potter and the uncontrolled import of CDs of video games and films should alarm all the country’s officials,” Ghorban Ali Dori Najafabadi was quoted as saying by the student ISNA news agency. “We need to find substitutes to ward off this onslaught, which aims at children and young people whose personality is in the process of being formed,” he added. Dori Najafabadi’s comments came in a letter to an Iranian vice president, urging measures to protect “Islamic culture and revolutionary values”. While officials regularly lambast Western culture for polluting the minds of the public, Western toys have become a regular and popular feature on the shelves of toy shops in Iran in recent years. Affluent Iranian parents are known for indulging their children and the purchase of such toys has become for many an obligatory treat. But Dori Najafabadi said: “These toys, which do not respect the required norms, present dangers for the health of children and affect the survival of toy factories in this country.” |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #11 What, no "300" action figures? New from Mattel -- the "Thermopalye Ken" playset! (Persian action figures sold separately.) |
| Posted by: Mike 2008-04-28 17:24 |
| #10 What, no "300" action figures? |
| Posted by: ed 2008-04-28 15:20 |
| #9 probably most of their Barbies, etc. are illegal knockoffs anyway |
| Posted by: mhw 2008-04-28 12:54 |
| #8 It sounds like the smugglers are doing just fine under the current regime over there, and those unhappy under a religious dictatorship are teaching their children to rebel. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-04-28 12:24 |
| #7 Barbie replaced by 'convicted rape victim', complete with crane for hanging. "Collect all three sets!!!" |
| Posted by: Pappy 2008-04-28 09:17 |
| #6 Ken replaced by Honor Killing Abdul? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-04-28 09:10 |
| #5 Just put a headscarf on her and call her Islamic Revolution Barbie. She's obviously already received the customary female circumcision, so add a few bruises across her back and she's ready to go. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-04-28 08:45 |
| #4 Aieeee! It's Malibu Barbie! Flee for your wretched lives! |
| Posted by: Mike 2008-04-28 07:53 |
| #3 Harry Potter and the Barking Turbans (working title) |
| Posted by: Mad Eye 2008-04-28 07:41 |
| #2 “We need to find substitutes to ward off this onslaught, which aims at children and young people whose personality is in the process of being formed,” Like honor killings, terrorism, executing homosexuals, child marriage, destroying Israel, etc.. You know, wholesome stuff. |
| Posted by: gorb 2008-04-28 04:44 |
| #1 The Iranian Mullah's find Barbie's boobs too forward, too pointy; and legs much to slender and supple! How can they ever give them to their daughters to play with! |
| Posted by: smn 2008-04-28 02:30 |