Bust a Cap in Santa

Merry Christmas, kids ... where did Santa leave the bullets?

That's the question lots of kids will be asking as they open their presents under the new tree ornament being sold by the crazy nuts at Urban Outfitters. The ad goes like this:

"Bust a cap in your tree with this super-glittery ornament in the shape of a handgun, complete with a satin ribbon for hanging"

And, it's only $6. But, hey -- it includes the satin ribbon. Steal some money from your parents and run to your local store and pick one up.
Click here for the full article from this morning's Philadelphia Inquirer.

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I don't think I am) but the marketing people at Urban Outfitters are college educated, semi-sophisticated people working for a company (headquartered in Philadelphia, I'm ashamed to say) that pulled in $828 million in revenue last year. These genuises had all sorts of options for Christmas goodies and settled on a little gun to hang from a tree.
Much like the stupid idea for O.J.'s book, I wonder if will it ultimately be pulled from the catalog due to public backlash - including that of the Governor of Pennsylvania, through his spokeswoman Kate Philips, who called it "twisted". Good one, Kate.

Here's the company's official spin:

The "Glitter Gun Ornament" is one of several "dark humor items" the company is selling this year, it said in a statement. There are devil sock monkeys and light-up skull ornaments - a roguish companion to the light-up Jesuses - and shiny cheeseburgers. "This specific 'Glitter Gun Ornament' is by no means condoning the violence that we face in our city, or any city, for that matter, and is not meant to celebrate guns or gun violence," the Philadelphia-based company said in a statement. "It is meant only to ironically celebrate the holidays."

I can think of a thousand different ways to celebrate the holidays, ironically or not, that do not include gun ornaments for the tree. My question to the folks at Urban Outfitters: Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast?
How does anyone think, in even their bleakest moment, that a little gun hanging from a tree is an appropriate ornament? If it doesn't condone violence, what does it condone? As far as I can tell, a gun has one purpose: to spray bullets on something in a violent fashion. Further, if Christmas is for kids, then what is a glittery gun ornament hanging from the tree telling them? That guns are OK, and appropriate as decorations to show around the house and, if you're so inclined, load with bullets and shoot a squirrel - or your neighbor.

OK, so maybe I'm taking it a step too far, but if there's a home in America where a tree is decorated with gun ornaments, and there are children in that home, then perhaps parenting is not the first priority of the people in charge of the children.

I am at a loss to attempt to explain the absolute idiocy of any company to market a tree ornament that would trivialize the violence inflicted by guns, regardless of whether it is a Christmas ornament or a cigarette lighter. Guns are serious business, and unfortunately, Urban Outfitters does not take its business seriously.

So, I will take my business to American Eagle Outfitters, Eddie Bauer, Lands End or whatever other company that I believe takes itself and its responsibility as a corporate citizen of this country seriously enough to market products that do not trivialize violence or even ridicule religion, for that matter.

Whether it is a Glitter Gun or a light-up Jesus, a company that is responsible for selling products should not take that responsibility lightly, lest we decide to take our business elsewhere.