Toys Are for Real
“Let children be children,” Mary Anne Dolan says to Santa Claus’ complaints about toys (“Toys May Be Yucky, but They’re for Kids--Not Adults (or Santa)”: Op-Ed, Dec. 15). She says grotesque stuff, violent stuff is OK, even if yukky. But sociologists say we express ourselves in the gifts we give. Children are given toys to learn about the adult world. That’s what toys are--miniatures of the real, to role play, practice how to live.
Mary Anne, Mary Anne, what are you saying? Did you know there are 58,000 children in gangs on the streets of Los Angeles and they killed each other 35% more often last year? Let children really be as our Lord taught, free from the burdens of hostile violence. And the way to begin that is to get rid of the whole ugly mess, real and toy. MARI L. STITT
Julian
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