Do you get the point of this poster?
 It was initially made for the UNHCHR for distribution in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Michelle Malkin thinks you're an idiot if you don't see that "...the puzzle pieces represent unity and tolerance; the red LEGO represents a blaring, non-conformist, and unacceptable 'shape of racism."
She adds this:
Some readers write in that no one knows who makes Danish-based LEGO toy pieces. Have you all been snoozing through the Cartoon Jihad conflagration or what? If you can't see the poster for the Islamist-pandering piece of propaganda that it is, there's nothing I can do to help you. LEGO's are Danish? Hm. You learn something new every day... I for one have never seen LEGOs and thought: Denmark...
The poster supposedly has upset the LEGO people and the Danish people, who we're told feel it 1) is a slap at the Danish-inspired cartoon row, and 2) associates a Danish product with racism... But the LEGO company's statement focused only on the latter issue, and on a more relevant one, I think: copyright infringement:
“We regret that the United Nations did not seek our permission. The poster may as well create an impression that LEGO is connected with racism or is completely racist,” said Lego Spokeswoman Charlotte Simonsen. In the corporate world, it's not some deep interpretation of the image that counts, its the visceral word-picture association of the product -- LEGOs -- with the word "racism" anywhere on the page. It's Malkin and her cartoon jihadis who are all worked up about the symbolism. Malkin even suggests that the fact that the U.N. has pulled the poster is proof they really were trying to smear the Danes. Really? You don't think it had something to do with fearing they'd end up in a copyright suit in court?
As for me, I think the poster is simply confusing. It could mean any, or all, of the following:
- Black striped puzzle pieces too often unite against the red LEGOs in their midst...
- It's hard out there for a red LEGO, when everybody but you fits in...
- Red LEGOs are afraid -- perhaps because of racism -- to get too close to black puzzles
Malkin's take, that the LEGO is the racist one in the picture ... strikes me as the oddball choice. I mean, after all, the LEGO is all alone, out there by its lonesome on the side, while the "unified" black puzzle pieces have each other. It hardly looks like the angry, menacing face of racism. Besides, assuming its the red LEGO that's racist just because it's Danish is, well, downright racist. ... or is that recreational passtimist...? Think this whole argument is stupid yet? Earth to Michelle: this is about 50 percent about patent infringement -- using the LEGO image without permission, and 50 percent about product marketing. LEGO would have reacted in exactly the same way had their product been depicted along side a picture of a child molester. They're not fighting the cartoon wars with you, they're defending their brand. Meanwhile, Poliblogger offers a dose of sanity, with lego people! Don't you just have to love LEGO people? Even if the little bastards are Danish... (I kid! DON'T email me...)
Tags: LEGOs, Lego, Cartoons, Denmark, United Nations |
