If you think that the incomprehensible sounds babies make mean nothing, think again. Keeping up with the times, the blogopshere is abuzz over Fisher-Price’s Baby Cuddle and Coo doll, which allegedly proclaims: “Islam is the light.” Many parents in the US are outraged and some shops have even pulled the ‘offensive' doll off the shelves.
From the US, Mike Mozart of Jeepersmedia asks his audiences to “listen and decide”:
Having heard all she needs to hear, American Progressive Muslima News notes:
The haters have reached new lows of Islamophobic stupidity with allegations that Fisher-Price’s “Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Cuddle and Coo†doll invokes Satan AND proclaims “Islam is the Light.†(Note to the gullible: a so-called Islamic doll would not gurgle phrases like “Satan is King.â€)
I listened to the clip of this doll and could not detect any words — just baby-like babbling.
She further remarks:
Give. Me. A. Break.
From Morocco, Myrtus adds:
Listen to the doll and hear what it says….
“Islam is the light”?
or
“it's mommy's delight”?
or
something else.
Commenting on the incident, Global Voices Online Morocco author Jillian York writes on Kabobfest:
To most of us, just yet another annoying doll that makes unrealistic sounds and drives parents crazy.
But to one community of Midwesterners, this doll is a terrorist.[…]
According to Tulsa, Oklahoma's KJRH, Baby Cuddle and Coo utters, among other things, “Islam is the light.” (Incidentally, you can hear the track right here; I can clearly hear the word “night” or “light” but otherwise have no idea what these nuts are talking about).
York continues:
Yeah. So let's suppose for a moment that the doll is in fact saying “Islam is the light.” Clearly, that must mean that Fisher Price is secretly owned by terrorists, aligned with Obama, and intent on world domination. Clearly.
Or, it could mean that some dude had a little too much fun one day at the Fisher Price factory.
And finally, Aussie Dave, from Israel, has a different take. In a post entitled Infidoll, he writes:
Meet the Fisher-Price “Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Cuddle and Coo.â€
Or you may know it by its factory name “Little Freaky Doll That Digs Allah and Satan.â€
2 comments
When I was young and first learning in middle school of the Salem Witch Trials, I often thought to myself “what gibbering fools the Puritans must have been to succumb to such ridiculous hysteria†and later, in high school, similarly wondered in horrible disbelief at a population that so readily subscribed to the Nazi ideal, a belief system that eventually lead to one of the most terrible chapters in modern history. I believe now that we know what sorts of people these were. Many of them call themselves Social Conservatives, and Christians, and Americans. They live next door to you. Their children sit next to yours and mine in school. But their defining purpose, unlike we who can accept and even celebrate the differences of our neighbors, is to propagate fear and animosity and prejudice of anyone even vaguely unlike themselves. They commit this tragic disservice in the name of their god or draped in the flag of their country, and it both saddens and confuses me that such individuals and I could be of the same species. I am embarrassed by it and them as an American, and angered by it as a human being. Control yourselves. Be adults for once in your sad misguided lives. Attempt some basic form of humanity. I don’t think it’s really that much to ask.
I have heard the doll in person and can vouch for the “Islam is the Light” phrase. I haven’t heard the “satanic invocations”, but the phrase about Islam is definitely plain and clear. I have to respond to JohnM’s comment…I am a “social conservative”, a “born again Christian”, AND an “American”, and VERY PROUD of it. I can accept and celebrate differences between others and myself, but I cannot accept something that goes against my basic belief system. I am NOT prejudiced, nor do I go about trying to “propogate fear and animosity…in the name of my God or draped in the flag of my country.” I challenge anybody to truly research the RADICAL ISLAMIC MOVEMENT…And I repeat, the RADICAL Islamic movement that has delcared Jihad on our country, our people, our government, our beliefs, and our entire world system. But, besides that fact, this article is not about “Christian vs. Muslim”…it is about a doll that plainly states “Islam is the light”. This doesn’t have anything to do with our feelings about Islam or anything like that. It has to do with a doll that isn’t supposed to actually say anything except for innocent babbling and cooing as the doll’s name implies. What if this doll said “Salvation is only through Jesus Christ” or “Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins” or “Jesus is the Christ” or “Jesus is Messiah” or “Jesus, God’s Son” or “Jesus loves you” ???? There would be an uproar over it; it would be on every TV station, it would be plastered on the Internet; it would make front page news across the country. There would be people from all over the world proclaiming that we “Christians” have gone too far by trying to indoctrinate little children through the guise of a “babbling doll”. We’re not slinging mud or hating anybody or putting any religion down or even saying that you and others like you are wrong…We just want the “problem” fixed…Fisher-Price has stated it is a “malfunction” of the doll…Fine, then why haven’t they recalled it? Go to a local store and listen to one yourself…If you are embarrassed by groups of people standing up for what they believe in and fighting for their rights, then you are embarrassed by your country, my friend. That is what our country is all about – people fighting for a cause. If nobody ever stood up for what they believe is a just cause, we would still be under British rule; there would have been no revolution, not Declaration of Independence, no United States of America. My life is not sad, nor is it misguided. I am acting as an adult and I do treat other as I would have them treat me. Please don’t insult the “Social Conservatives” and our God. This country needs to wake up and open our eyes to what is really going on around here…