Offensive Editorial About Doll Collectors

Although I think the sentiment behind this editorial had the right heart and emotions behind it, I don't think the author realized how offensive this editorial would be to doll collectors or to people who buy dolls for children.

In Set Aside The Dolls and Treasure Real Children in the Fort-Wayne News Sentinel, the author puts forth the argument that people who collect and admire dolls would be better off putting that attention on real children because "The originals they represent are aborted, abused, ignored and neglected."

Really? Does the author think that loving dolls and loving children are mutually exclusive?

Most of the people who love dolls are, in fact, devoted mothers and grandmothers. They are the type of people who learned to nurture and care for children while playing with dolls when they were children themselves.

I, personally, have two children who I lavish with attention and care, and five (5!) godchildren. Many of my doll shop users and readers of this site, I know, are similarly surrounded by children. Many of my customers and readers of this site also contribute to charities for children.

In fact, people who cannot respond at all to dolls are the people that I'm more worried about regarding lack of love for children. I'll occassionally get someone who walks into my store who literally snears at the dolls--it's as if they cannot bear to look at all the human representations that are there.

Well, this is just my opinion, but I really DO think that the author of the editorial missed the boat, and doesn't "get" the type of person who is drawn to dolls.