Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Congressman Gutierrez on the new American Girl doll

It's no wonder that the Democrats keep losing elections when they choose trivial issues such as this.....

Politicians beat up on American Girl doll, by Andrew Herrmann, Chicago Sun-Times

Feb 2, 2005

Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Chicago) Tuesday invited the president of the company that makes American Girl dolls to visit Pilsen after the firm angered some Hispanics by describing the neighborhood in a storybook as "dangerous.'' Meanwhile, Ald. Daniel Solis (25th) said he had set up a meeting for next week with a representative from Mattel, American Girl's parent company, to discuss what he said was "probably an unintended mistake.''

The Wisconsin-based American Girl rankled some when it set the back story of a new doll in Chicago. The storybook describes how a Mexican-American girl named Marisol Luna moves to suburban Des Plaines after her parents fear for her safety. In the book, which accompanies the $84 doll, Marisol's parents tell her "It's time we get out of this neighborhood.''

Pilsen is not specifically named but the family is described as living across the street from Harrison Park at 18th and Damen. Says Marisol in the book: "[My mother] explained it was no place for me to grow up. It was dangerous, and there was no place for me to play.'' More to read here.

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