9/11 colouring book features Julian Assange as "evil"

Eggy Baby!

Was on the internet today when I came across this article:

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/9-11-coloring-book-features-terrorist-trading-cards-204300629.html

The book is called: "We Shall never Forget 9/11, Volume II: The True Faces of Evil-Terror", catchy name, I know.

This is a strange colouring book which apparently contains information and pictures related to 9/11 and Islamic fundamentalism. In the book you can colour in the faces of various "faces of evil" such as Bashar Al-Assad and Saddam, who, as we all know, were totes involved in 9/11. The info-book also includes trading cards containing various terrorists, which the publishers say are: "....unique in the fact that we try to name them and shame them, the actual faces of evil." The book also contains black and white emblems of the different branches of the US Army, ready to be coloured in, presumably as the symbols of goodness that they are.

What is the contentious issue here however, is the frankly odd inclusion of Julian Assange on said trading cards. He is alongside such greats as the Unabomber, the Beltway sniper and the Oklahoma city bomber. He is described simply as the "founder of Wikileaks".

The book itself it targeted at a PG13 audience. The publisher, Wayne Bell, adds: "We're giving people a teaching and learning tool," Bell says. "It's an unpleasant subject, make no mistake about it. A lot of people don't want to talk about it. They want to forget it. But we make it because a lot of people want to read about it and buy it."

The description on the website says: Composed with a clear message the graphic coloring book novel calls out for open and honest discussion. We educate children about something besides the "TMZ Society" which bombards them with "important" news. Truthful and honest education about serious subjects for youth is an essential part of learning and considered a critical step in beginning to comprehend the world in which we live.

Another disturbing part of the description: This is Good vs. Evil. We Shall Never Forget 9/11 Vol. II Terrorist Trading Cards clearly identifies the evil that may sit next to you on an airplane, or it could be an avowed Atheist in the parking lot of your local grocer on a sunny morning.The world should look at them, make fun of them, name them - shame them, recognize who they are and rid the earth of them. No comic book published, nor any nightmarish fiction written, can compare to the absolute evil pictured in this book. And realize as well "They" are not finished. Imagine a terrorist with a nuclear bomb.


http://www.coloringbook.com/NeverForget9/11TerroristTradingCards.aspx

The company has also published a book sympathetic to the Tea Party here: http://www.coloringbook.com/theteaparty-imprintable.aspx

An insight into the frankly bizarre conservative culture in the USA.

But has the company gone too far in making a political statement about Julian Assange? Could he sue?

SamHarris

Creepy but wouldnt get too excited really. There are plenty of weird things out there, strange beliefs and viewpoints,

With regard to them seeing the US army as the good guys - why not? Everyone today seems to be convinced that good/evil is all about perspective, so why is their view of "their side" any less valid than your view that they are bad/nasty/whatever given that their position in relation to the US army is so clearly different?

Particularly as its aimed at children, why should their opinion be any more complex at that point?

Sure teaching politics to that age group is weird, but given how polticised some religions have become, why is it any worse than indoctrination of that kind? There are far bigger problems with regard to what youths learn.

Concerning Assanges inculsion, so what? What do you think will come of it? The developers of a colouring book believe he is one of the "bad guys", its hardly indicative of any real political value. He is a public figure and can be lampooned as much as anyone wants to in the US, if it was released in the UK - given the ridiculous nature of libel laws there - he probably could sue succesfully. Free speech laws, however, or far far stronger in the US.

juan.kerr

Eggy Baby! wrote: »

But has the company gone too far in making a political statement about Julian Assange? Could he sue?

Perhaps he is 'evil'. His unwillingness to face the Swedish justice system certainly raises concerns about his integrity.

I wonder if the whole Manning leaks fiasco hadn't happened would he use another smokescreen to avoid facing the music.

wes

Pretty nasty, but I doubt that there going to sell many copies. Sounds more like a publicity stunt imho.

Victor

SamHarris wrote: »

Particularly as its aimed at children, why should their opinion be any more complex at that point?

No, it's is PG13 - aimed at teenagers.

Yes, a colouring book aimed at teenagers.

Sunnyisland

Sure you can get anything you want or believe in on the Internet.

pablomakaveli

I dont really see why this needed its own thread

SamHarris

Victor wrote: »

Yes, a colouring book aimed at teenagers.

Harbinger of the apocalypse.

Eggy Baby!

SamHarris wrote: »

Creepy but wouldnt get too excited really. There are plenty of weird things out there, strange beliefs and viewpoints,

With regard to them seeing the US army as the good guys - why not? Everyone today seems to be convinced that good/evil is all about perspective, so why is their view of "their side" any less valid than your view that they are bad/nasty/whatever given that their position in relation to the US army is so clearly different?

Particularly as its aimed at children, why should their opinion be any more complex at that point?

Sure teaching politics to that age group is weird, but given how polticised some religions have become, why is it any worse than indoctrination of that kind? There are far bigger problems with regard to what youths learn.

Concerning Assanges inculsion, so what? What do you think will come of it? The developers of a colouring book believe he is one of the "bad guys", its hardly indicative of any real political value. He is a public figure and can be lampooned as much as anyone wants to in the US, if it was released in the UK - given the ridiculous nature of libel laws there - he probably could sue succesfully. Free speech laws, however, or far far stronger in the US.

Well the colouring book did not come about by official US government policy. So therefore its not really a horrible thing because the guys who make it are not government shills. I just posted this because it was an unusual story, and because Assange has been in the news lately I think this sort of thing is rather badly timed.

The idea I find horrid here is that some kid will get this thing and come away from it thinking Assange is some sort of enemy of America. That's the issue here.

Perhaps he is 'evil'. His unwillingness to face the Swedish justice system certainly raises concerns about his integrity.

Yes but if he is guilty there, he is a rapist. That's still not a terrorist, which is the sort of people he's being pidgeon-holed with in the book.

I dont really see why this needed its own thread

Its an interesting story relating to politics. Why not? That's for a moderator to decide.

SamHarris

Eggy Baby! wrote: »

Well the colouring book did not come about by official US government policy. So therefore its not really a horrible thing because the guys who make it are not government shills. I just posted this because it was an unusual story, and because Assange has been in the news lately I think this sort of thing is rather badly timed.

Given comments Assange makes I think he would consider himself an enemy of America. People actually left Wikileaks because of his axe grinding. His attitude I have no doubt has played into the media in the US, and the public, changin perceptions of him. Originally they were pretty much overwhelmingly positive. He really is hamfisted in his personal PR - only the people who have completly tied his plight to the question of free speech and voracious Anti - Americans still support him whole heartedly.

I say anti americans too (obviously not all Assanges supporters), because you will notice many parties that rail against free speech and actively suppress it in other situations choose now to jump to its defence.

Places like Equador being portrayed as a champion of free speech is testament to how bizzare the whole thing has become.

Obviously portraying him in the same vein as OBL is creepy and a little hysterical though.

Eggy Baby!

Given comments Assange makes I think he would consider himself an enemy of America.

But a "face of evil"?