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Subject:	Re: Arkham Asylum - A cool set, but a bit disturbing.
Newsgroups:	lugnet.licensed.batman, lugnet.dear-lego
Date:	Thu, 7 Jun 2007 13:23:20 GMT
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In lugnet.licensed.batman, Richie Dulin wrote:

But then I saw this picture:

I know Arkham Asylum isn’t a standard mental health care facility by any reasonable measure, but the attic torture room seems to be a bit much. In fact, the guards getting the whip and the chainsaw ready, while the Riddler lies helplessly on the electroshock table, reminds me of some of the Abu Graib pictures.

Concernedly,

Richie Dulin

This is an alarmist over-reaction, in my opinion. No offense, I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, but you broached the subject and here’s my opinion.

You seem to be implying that LEGO either is insensitive to the Abu Ghraib controversy or is purposely making fun of it. Do you really think that’s true? Abu Ghraib is a mess of complex political and military controversies, the Arkham Asylum is a place where they hold Super Villians.

If LEGO had released a US military base and there were a torture chamber in it, I’d think there was a big problem. This set is from a comic book where very dark things happen. What did you expect them to have in the Arkham Asylum, a community room with checkers and snacks?

I also think it is terribly irresponsible to throw about accusations so casually. Last year Denmark took some harsh reactions to a cartoonist and were viewed as insensitive to Muslims, people burning LEGO in the streets. I think you should think more carefully about what you say before you say it because the implications you are making can be taken very seriously.

Like everyone who responded I am trying to continue a respectable discussion. My opinion however is strong on this one. I am simply tired of people finding offense in everything and am upset to see it happen to my favorite toy...I mean: artistic medium.

Message has 4 Replies:

		Re: Arkham Asylum - A cool set, but a bit disturbing.
(...) OK. I'm with you to here. Not sure I entirely agree but it's all reasonable. (...) Here you kick into what I consider to be an alarmist over-reaction yourself. Do you really think that a comment on a LEGO forum read by a small number of people (...) (17 years ago, 7-Jun-07, to lugnet.licensed.batman, lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)

		Re: Arkham Asylum - A cool set, but a bit disturbing.
(...) Although it's unlikely that LEGO intended the set as a commentary on Abu Ghraib, their choice to foreground an institutionalized torture chamber speaks of a curious lack of sensitivity on the subject. Given TLG's long-standing policy of (...) (17 years ago, 7-Jun-07, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)

		Re: Arkham Asylum - A cool set, but a bit disturbing.
(...) I'm sorry if you thought that my post was alarmist over-reaction. I could claim your response to my post was much the same, I guess. (...) No, no. I'm saying that the scene "reminds me of some of the Abu Graib pictures", and that I find the (...) (17 years ago, 8-Jun-07, to lugnet.licensed.batman, lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)

		Re: Arkham Asylum - A cool set, but a bit disturbing.
(...) I have tried to keep track of this as it is rather interesting. My main complaint about the whole thing is that the torture chamber in this set is compared to Abu Ghraib and not Sadam's rape rooms or torture chambers with the hooks and metal (...) (17 years ago, 10-Jun-07, to lugnet.licensed.batman, lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)

Message is in Reply To:

		Arkham Asylum - A cool set, but a bit disturbing.
Dear Lego and others, After hearing that Arkham Asylum included two pirate muskets, I raced out a bought a copy. (Actually the last copy at my local TRU). [LEGOSet 7785] Looking at the box on the way home, I noted that the contents panel showed the (...) (17 years ago, 4-Jun-07, to lugnet.licensed.batman, lugnet.dear-lego, FTX) !!

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