| From: | MC23 mc23@**********.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Wholesome, Non-Violent Blood and Gore |
| Date: | Fri, 5 Feb 99 01:29:27 -0500 |
Date: 02/05 1:01 AM
Received: 02/05 1:14 AM
From: Steve Jackson Games, sjg@*******.sjgames.com
SJ Games News: Wholesome, Non-Violent Blood and Gore
I'm a big fan of Lego . . . but sometimes the Lego Group's policies
leave
me shaking my head. This is a company that has made a billion-dollar
business out of selling boy-toys specifically designed for "playing
war."
Their top-selling lines are full of cannon, guns, swords, axes . . .
many sets are specifically (and cleverly) designed to let you drop
rocks
on "enemy" figures, dump them through trap doors, flip them overboard
to the sharks, blow buildings up with toy dynamite . . . Great stuff.
I approve. But the Lego-suits insist (sometimes to the point of legal
threats) that they aren't making "war toys." Every so often this puts
them head-to-head against their adult customers. The latest one is
funny
enough to share . . .
Alan Watts created an image he called Lego Death. And here's the letter
he got from Lego's legal department:
"Our attention has been drawn to the above sub-homepage, which, as you
know, consists of a picture with the title "Legodeath". The picture
incorporates
the head of a LEGO* mini figure with a blood-like substance oozing from
it, thus giving the impression that the LEGO mini figure has been
beheaded.
For this reason we hereby contact you.
"As you probably know, the registered LEGO trademark and the LEGO mini
figure product configuration are two of the most important assets of
the LEGO Group of companies. The LEGO mini figure is protected by
copyrights,
solely and exclusively owned by the LEGO Group.
"The LEGO Group of companies is very concerned about the morbid context
in which our LEGO mini figure is used. Please do not understand this
as if we wish to restrict what you want to publish on the Internet.
However,
we do wish to protect the wholesome, child-oriented reputation of the
LEGO trademark and product configurations and to prevent that they are
associated with destruction and violence.
"We hope that you understand our position and that you will consider
removing the "Legodeath" picture from the homepage."
Yours sincerely
The LEGO Foundation
Legal Department
Riiiiiiight. Their newest "non-violent" lines are Ninjas and Star Wars.
So the next time you see a Lego ninja with his katana, or a Lego Darth
Vader, just remember: don't associate them with destruction and
violence!
-- Steve Jackson
Related Links:
1. http://www.datax.com/brainchild/legodeath.html
2. http://www.io.com/~sj/
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