What the 1980s Toy Industry Teaches the 2014 Gun Lobby

[SecularMotion]

I was two years old in 1980, young enough to experience everything the Me Decade had to offer across the full spectrum of childhood – toddler to pre-teen. As a 36 year-old adult, I remain imprinted by the decade’s pop culture (punk, pop and yuppie), politics (regrettably, I voted for Reagan in the first grade mock election at Pilgrim Lutheran School) and material goods.

As pertains to the latter category, as someone who spanned the ages of two to 12 across the 1980s, I feel qualified to comment on the era’s unofficial status as the Golden Era of Toys. My younger sister and I pined for the first editions of many of the greats that live on today: Nintendo, My Little Pony, Transformers, Strawberry Shortcake and more. Toys R Us was the most magical land this side of Chuck E. Cheese, and it was possible to love Cabbage Patch Kids and Garbage Pail Kids at the same time without a hint of irony

It was also possible to get hurt. Before the 1990s phenomena of helicopter parenting emerged, leaving no edge unblunted for Little Johnny and Jane, the Slinkys were made of metal. Earnest efforts could be and were made by the mischievous to unwind and turn them into long, thin saws. Children across the nation pulled Big Wheel emergency breaks while riding downhill at top speed, sometimes producing a gnarly spin effect that just as often launched you into a hard surface. And the day wasn’t really complete until you’d given your sister vertigo from the comfort of the family hallway, atop the Sit ‘N Spin.

Of course we know what happened. Parents got tired of the same nausea, cuts and head injuries and complained to manufacturers. The toys became safer. Goodbye Big Wheel parking break, hello hard plastic Slinky. Not quite as fun as the former models, but the great thing about kids is that if you give them a year or two they become a new demographic. Generation X was full of goth ennui by the time it noticed its cousins no longer swallowed little green army men.

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/08/31/1980s-toy-industry-teaches-2014-gun-lobby.html

[blueridge3210]

1. And what comparable "safety defects" exist in currently produced firearms?

Oh, that's right, none. They function as designed and are safe if handled correctly.

This article has so many fails they cannot all be addressed.

Was there something you wanted to discuss in this morning's Google Dump?

[Duckhunter935]

2. Guns are very safe if used

as they are designed. They are designed not to fire unless the bang bang trigger is pulled. The Toy makers should stop making realistic style weapons that can easily mistaken for a real weapon. Police shoot people for that.

To bad the op never comments on his Google dumps. It really would be nice to discuss the article with him. It is hard to discuss it with myself.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. re: Becky's rant

If rules and regulations pertaining to the manufacture, sale and usage of toys can evolve in response to a threat to children, why as we so dangerously and resolutely opposed to following suit with guns?

Are we "dangerously and resolutely opposed"? As I recall several things have changed since the '80s regarding firearms. Here we have straw-man #1.

Despite the proliferation of child psychological terror and death by the collective relaxing of gun limits (literal and culturally), it never seems to be enough to shake the zombified Second Amendment zealots out of their trance.

Exactly what is the "collective relaxing of gun limits"? Specifically, what limits are being relaxed? This implies that some laws have been changed that cause the relaxation. The word literal makes the case that laws have been modified and I don't see what has changed and where. The FOPA of 1986 banned transfers of full auto firearms to private individuals manufactured after that act became law. Is that relaxing? What has culturally relaxed? Is there some way quantify cultural relaxation?

At some point, as the 80s evolved into the 1990s, parents, manufacturers and lawmakers came together to decide that the safety of our youngest citizens was worth supporting. That’s right. Business, Congress and people working together for a common cause, a just cause. Toys didn’t suddenly become the stuff of black market trade, and no one lost their Constitutional right to play. The materials a(n)d features just changed a little bit. It was logical.

So between the '80s and the '90s toys got safer and Ms Sarwate is saying that firearms laws and culture haven't changed. In the '90s we came up with the AWB which demonstrated such laws are meaningless. Recently we have mag limits in some states and bans of some "assault" weapons. Straw-man #2.

How did we get to fourth graders being taught to view the handling of a semiautomatic weapon and the consumption of a hamburger with equal casualness?

Straw-man #3.




Three straws and you're out, Becky.

[ileus]

4. Bought my first 44 mag in 1986.

Bought it off my brother when he upgraded to a TC.

First of many great firearms I bought as a teenager. Those were the good ole days....

Wish I still had that Blackhawk.

[Duckhunter935]

5. For some reason

I do not think these posts are going the way that SM is hoping they will.

I do not miss the 80's but we had those great lawn Jarts. Those were fun to play with.

[blueridge3210]

6. It's all fun until someone loses an eye. (nt)

[IronGate]

7. Awwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Did your thread get locked in GD for violating SOP again?
You would think that after several locks, you'd learn.
Guess not.

[SecularMotion]

8. Kick

[blueridge3210]

9. Still no discussion of your post?

As a Group Host yourself, do you not feel any responsibility to actually comment on what you post? Is the lack of activity in Castle Bansalot so bad you have to troll here for any activity to give your life some semblance of meaning?

[Duckhunter935]

10. I think that is the limit that he can comment

or have an opinion. I really think it is sad for group host to act that way.

But I will try again, SM will you please post a comment even if you do not want to have a discussion with us?

I asked

[SecularMotion]

11. See post #9

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1172&pid=153084

[blueridge3210]

12. Post #9 is mine.

You're not very good at this, are you? Maybe too much activity here has got you flustered? Perhaps the more peaceful surroundings of Castle Bansalot would be more to your liking; you should be able to keep up with the general lack of activity there.

[Duckhunter935]

13. that link is to post 4

and there is no post 9.

Are you feeling OK?
Really do you need some kind of help

[Eleanors38]

14. I've never equated guns with toys to begin with.

[blueridge3210]

15. Me either.

One is a work tool. Never a "toy". Handled responsibly it has never harmed anyone.

[Jenoch]

16. This opinion piece laments the demise

of toys from their youth and how apparently laws were written to make toys safer and that nothing has been done to make guns 'safer'. Why did the writer not suggest any laws to make guns safer? The writer complains, but does not offer solutions.