Iranian official warns against importing Barbie dolls

[meegbear]

Source: RawStory.com / AP

A top Iranian judiciary official has warned against the "destructive" cultural and social consequences of importing Barbie dolls and other Western toys.

Prosecutor General Ghorban Ali Dori Najafabadi said in an official letter to Vice President Parviz Davoudi that the Western toys was a "danger" that needed to be stopped.

Iranian markets have been inundated with smuggled Western toys in recent years partly due to a dramatic rise in purchasing power as a result of huge increase in oil revenues.

In Monday's letter, Najafabadi called for a crackdown on the smuggling of these toys which threatened Iranian culture.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/Iranian_official_warns_against_impo_04282008.html

[TheDebbieDee]

1. Quite frankly, maybe the Barbie dolls should be banned from the US -

But for what I am sure are entirely different reasons than the Iranians.

I think Barbie dolls re-inforce the unrealistic image of what is supposed to be a beautiful female body shape - A shape that is nearly impossible to acquire without starving oneself in addition to having breast augmentation surgery.

[enid602]

2. dolls

If we can't sell them Barbie Dolls, how else will we pay for the oil?

[MADem]

6. And you need oil to make the plastic that Barbie is made of!! Oh, the dilemma!!!

:rofl:

[balantz]

3. Mattel needs to have their Chinese factories provide Iranian Barbies with burqas.

[Mudoria]

4. Those dolls would definitely be more palatable

if the were wearing the beekeeper suits. And walked two steps behind the Ken doll.

[louis-t]

5. Non removable burkas

[MADem]

7. Those would be more for Afghanistan. The Iranian dolls would want chadors. NT

[balantz]

8. Thanks!

It's good to be accurate so as not to offend anyone.

[enid602]

9. don't forget

And don't forget the female circumcision kit option.

[MADem]

12. Not Iran. They're quite civilized in that regard.

The only ones who get their business cut are the males. It's a shi'a thing! Hygenic, and because Muhamad PBUH said so!


http://www.iranchamber.com/culture/articles/rituals_of_circumcision.php

[LeftyMom]

15. too late

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulla_%28doll%29

[sofa king]

10. Because they have lead on them?

It's not like they're made in America, anyway.

[DontTreadOnMe]

11. huh?

If they don't like "western toys", wait until the Iranian kids start listening to The Beatles.

[MADem]

13. The Beatles were big in Iran, back when the Beatles were big.

It's the grandparents of those kids you're talking about who can approximate "She laah you, yeah, yeah, yeah, she laah you, yeah, yeah, yeah..."

At least the grandparents who lived in the larger cities. The ones who lived in the little villages, if they didn't have a good radio, maybe not so much.

[LiberalLovinLug]

14. tale of two morals

what is fascinating is that Bush, the born again decider, thinks he can out-moralize the Iranians.

Its laughable to hear him claim the moral authority when in his country the networks are getting sleezier to compete with cable, violence and guns are glorified, epidemic of obesity, and on and on.
I am not arguing against the freedoms that these exesses are a product of, But I think its so transparently embarrasing for Dubya to think he can out-moralize the Iranian leadership.

[dipsydoodle]

16. Proably worried they might see the Zimbarbi Doll

the malnourished one with only skimpy rags for clothes.

[ohio2007]

17. Sharia burkah Barbie....stone sold seperately... Jihad Ken now with full beard. nt

[USA_1]

18. Iranians Should Be More Wary of Kyl-Leiberman

... BTW, when is this act going to be repealed??

[TaffyMoon]

19. Cultural genocide is a concern to most non-americans.

Including Canadians.

[KansDem]

20. Cultural genocide should be a concern to most Americans...

We're fat and ignorant because we have been told for decades that we "have choice" and that we really want what CorpUSA has to offer us.

Fat and ignorant...

Oh, and welcome to DU! :hi:

[onager]

21. Egyptian joke about the Fulla doll...

The Egyptians say Fulla doesn't have a Ken doll to keep her company, but her accessories do include "several angry brothers."

I've lived in Egypt for nearly 3 years now, and you see racks full-a Fulla dolls in every toy store.

BTW, this didn't start in Iran. The Supreme Islamic Council in Saudi Arabia banned Barbies several years ago. Along with the immorality foofaraw, the SIC(k) denounced Barbie as a "Jewish doll." Presumably because Mattel's owners, the Handler family, are Jewish.

According to one news story, the company originally tried to sell the same Fulla in every Muslim country. At that time, she only came with a black abaya and a prayer rug.

Sales were initially poor in Egypt, because many young Egyptian Muslim women don't dress that way. Many of them favor tight jeans and T-shirts, topped with a very colorful headscarf (hijab).