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INSIDEYOURMIND -> Straight jacketed bear (1/13/2005 11:36:22 AM)
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Strait-Jacketed Teddy Bear Brings Protests
AP
MONTPELIER, Vt. (Jan. 12) - The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. said Wednesday it would continue selling its strait-jacketed "Crazy for You Bear" through Valentine's Day, despite protests from mental health advocates.
"We recognize that this is a sensitive, human issue and sincerely apologize if we have offended anyone," the company said in a statement. "That was certainly not our intent.
"This bear was created in the spirit of Valentine's Day and as with all of our bears it was designed to be a light-hearted depiction of the sentiment of love," it added.
The bear, being marketed for Valentine's Day, comes with commitment papers and is meant to convey out-of-control love.
Mental health advocates believe the bear is "a tasteless use of marketing that stigmatizes persons with mental illness," Jerry Goessel, the executive director of the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, wrote to the Shelburne-based company.
"A strait jacket is not a symbol that we want to associate with sales of a teddy bear for loved ones over Valentine's Day," Goessel said. "And the use of commitment papers, legal documents committing an individual to involuntary treatment, is not something to be taken casually."
He asked that the $70 bear be pulled from the company's shelves. Goessel said he has support for removal of the bear from other mental health advocates.
The company said it would discontinue the bear, but not before Feb. 14.
"This bear was developed just for Valentine's Day and is not a permanent addition to our product line," the company statement said. "This bear will remain an offering for Valentine's Day."
The complaint is the first received by the company about the bear. It began selling the 15-inch creature days ago.
[image]local://upfiles/7331/9641A0573CEA49A4BFF742FBF8D732DE.gif[/image]
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