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Hey everybody...
After reading a few of the highlights from the recent debates on adding
different color minifigs into the Lego product line, I thought I'd offer a
few words.
I have a major concern with the discussions and the attitude portrayed.
That is: this is LEGO we're talking about. A toy which I grew up (and many
of you out there have as well) with having fun and playing with, with the
pleasant absence of a political message, and with limitless possibilities.
The spirit of the LEGO toy and the LEGO hobby are those of fun and
creativity, not overt political messages. That's the way LEGO should stay.
Points have been brought up about the yellow minifig color being neutral and
representing humanity in general. I suppose I would fall most closely in
that camp.
Personally I'm getting quite tired of reading this and watching factions
form to divide the group up. We're talking about LEGO again here, and this
is LUGNET - the so-called 'friendliest place on the net.' But it seems that
people can't leave politics out and have a good time.
Jason Rowoldt wrote:
"Does it seem marketed toward non-blacks? (A term I use from your comments,
as
I have a real problem in trying to judge that fine line as to who is black
and
who isn't, based on skin tone or cultural preference. I'd rather us all be
just
human beings)."
I'd agree with this statement wholeheartedly. But, as an interesting aside,
I'm looking at a couple pieces of literature.
First off, an article in Mary Beth's Bean Bag World Monthly - something a
friend clipped for me. The article is entitled 'Building Blocks for a
Successful Business.' (about LEGO and the LEGO collecting hobby) The front
page of the article shows a black child of about 7-8 years of age playing
with a LEGO Adventurers themed model. Featured next to him is a caucasian
baby of 6 months.
On the cover of each LEGO product lineup catalog (started with 'Its Hard to
Imagine Childhood Without It' in 1995), a black child is featured in the
photographs, along with caucasian children and Asian children. The 2000
catalog features not one, but 2 black children.
Last, and most powerful, is a copy of LEGOLife which I obtained. For those
of you who do not know, LEGOLife is the company's internal newsletter. The
global edition has many pictures of their LEGO Dream Party, an international
banquet held all around the world. One of the photos shows a black man very
well dressed, who apparently works for or is associated with the comany in
some way.
So really, is LEGO marketed any less towards any particular race? I would
think not - because LEGO is a truly worldwide company, and the literature
I've seen portrays people of a variety of different races being involved
with LEGO bricks.
Back to the quote - I am again in agreement with Jason's statement. We are
all human beings. That's the first thing that ties us all together, our
humanity, and secondarily our distinct genetic variations.
As to the Star Wars issue, I would have to agree that colored minifigs can
be introduced into Star Wars to provide accuracy to the film, without the
necessity or obligation to expand the line of DSMs (as I read it referred to
as) into the regular product line. Overstepping those bounds would have
tremendous political consequences and cause more headache for TLC, as other
ethnic groups would be requesting equal treatment. I would really rather
leave race out of LEGO completely.
It all boils down to, why pollute the hobby with politics? Why raise
unnecessary concern and disgust from many different people groups - its only
a headache in the long run, I'm afraid it seems some people have not weighed
the consequences of such actions.
After reading this thread and looking back into past discussions, I leave
now with the strong feeling this was used by people to cry racism. That's
unfortunate, because (at least from my POV) LEGO is not acting with any
racial motivation whatsoever in its product line. Really, the hobby and the
fun are being polluted for someone's political agenda.
On a lighthearted sidenote, I know someone who made their own black minifig,
and it was really cool! He is black himself, and what I appreciated the
most is he didn't take on an attitude that it was an injustice needing to be
corrected - he did it because he wanted a fig to represent himself. And his
attitude towards it was positive, fun, and definitely constructive to the
hobby. He didn't have any overt political agenda in creating his own custom
minifig. I appreciate it when people can take possibly sensitive matters
which they have been subjected to and not cling to them but enrich their
lives and the lives of others by just laying back and having a good time.
And yes, when I was a kid, I was one who wanted to see black minifigs
introduced, and was curious as to why they didn't make them.
--
Tim Courtney - tim@zacktron.com
http://www.ldraw.org - Centralized LDraw Resources
http://www.zacktron.com - Zacktron Alliance
ICQ: 23951114
AIM: TimCourtne
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | My 2 cents on the future
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| Hey all, I think it would be great if TLG just started making multiethnic minifigs in all their product lines without any hype or advertising campaign. Just a quiet acknowledgment of the varied skin tones that exist in our world. The one snag I can (...) (24 years ago, 13-Aug-00, to lugnet.starwars, lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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