Turns out, cupcakes really are controversial

[LibraryLover]

Of course one should avoid things that are likely to traumatize children in the context in which they find themselves. So no little green men with guns in Sandy Hook, but not likely to traumatize kids in a military town.

 

In the particular school in question, however, it would be apparently be very insensitive to put little figurines of women who resemble the principal on anyone's cupcakes.

 

 

It does sound like she is a bit of an odd duck, no doubt.

[ChocolateReignRemix]

 

 

 

But you understand why some of us might?

 

Honestly? No. That is simply a level of hypersensitivity I cannot comprehend.

[LibraryLover]

Honestly? No. That is simply a level of hypersensitivity I cannot comprehend.

 

 

 

You can't understand that military grade weapons are frightening to some of us? I don't think it's hypersensitivity to say we are uncomfortable.

 

I completely understand the military family point-of-view on this, and do not consider your beliefs 'hypersensitive'.

[Dandelion]

I think the kids involved in this situation were likely more traumatized by the reaction of the principal and school staff than the little green army men. Most kids would have plucked the toys off their cupcakes and chowed down. They might have briefly played with them (if at all), and then they would have forgotten about them.

 

Would it have been that difficult for the school staff to just let this kid enjoy his birthday cupcakes with his classmates, and then discreetly collect the toys at the end of the party? Did they have to make such a show out of pulling them off of the cupcakes? If anything, they made those green army men more intriguing to the kids by making such a fuss.

 

I totally respect the right of parents to ban toy guns and the like in their homes. I also understand that some parents might be offended by these cupcake decorations. At the same time, I think the response of this principal and her staff is completely devoid of common sense. I'd feel that way even if this wasn't a *military town*.

 

Personally, I think kids would be much better served if schools educated them about guns in a rational way instead of painting guns as things that are evil and to be feared. I think schools are doing kids a disservice in their approach on these issues. I'm also wondering how in the world they manage to teach history if they're so averse to guns, the military, etc.

[LibraryLover]

I am not addressing how the adult in charge reacted. Some people think of themselves before the children they care for. Some people have issues with guns, sensible or not.

 

My issue is that some people are upset by toy weaponry, and that such concerns, at this point in our history, are not over-the-top.

[ChocolateReignRemix]

 

 

 

You can't understand that military grade weapons are frightening to some of us? I don't think it's hypersensitivity to say we are uncomfortable.

 

I completely understand the military family point-of-view on this, and do not consider your beliefs 'hypersensitive'.

 

 

A 1" plastic toy holding a tiny weapon does not qualify as "military grade weapons" that should cause panic attacks to most reasonable people. And yes, I do believe a super majority would consider your thoughts on this issue hypersensitive.

[LibraryLover]

A 1" plastic toy holding a tiny weapon does not qualify as "military grade weapons" that should cause panic attacks to most reasonable people. And yes, I do believe a super majority would consider your thoughts on this issue hypersensitive.

 

 

 

I got nothin' for you at this point. :) Sorry we could not communicate.

[Parrothead]

Nevermind. I'm not going to rehash this.

[Ruby Rose]

Honestly, I don't care enough about this to argue, but I will clarify that I think we ALL can agree that the way the Principal handled it was wrong. My personal reaction to this after the fact (my child received the army man) it wouldn't be a big deal. In my opinion, decorations that bring about controversy (lol, did I just type that!) should be avoided.

 

For the record I am Pro-Gun, Pro-Military, Pro-cupcake. I do not equate plastic Army men with crazed lunatics nor do I equate them with our military. They are a toy. I just think we should consider other possible reaction before sending something that could be misconstrued. Say someone sent in crucifix on the Christmas cupcakes. Don't think that would go over very well. Everyone isn't the same and don't share the same values. If we are going to be sensitive to some, we should be sensitive to all. That's all.

 

Now had the mother made a cake in the shape of an AK-47 ... well, then maybe someone should speak to her. LOL!

[Parrothead]

They are a toy.

 

 

Yup. An inanimate object that is not evil in and of itself. They are only as evil and dangerous as a parent makes one out to be.

[mom2scouts]

I'm shocked by those of you who have never noticed a police officer's gun! Just today, I was driving home on the turnpike and saw three police cars had pulled someone over and were searching the trunk. One of the officers was standing on the side of the road holding a rifle on the suspect. A few weeks ago a police officer mother came into our dance studio wearing both a gun and a taser and the kids were all asking her about her weapons. Once I was at the zoo talking to the woman at the ticket counter when a man wearing camo walked up with a gun strapped to his leg and hip. Nobody batted an eye and it turned out to be SWAT practicing for an animal escape. I don't live in a military community or a large city, but guns aren't that uncommon in my life.

[Garga]

My take:

Toy soldiers on cupcakes is nothing to get upset about. Ludicrous that the principal made such a scene.

 

I've only seen an officer with a holstered gun about twice in my life and each time it gave me a little frissure of fear because it's so outside of my norm.

[LibraryLover]

And yes, I do believe a super majority would consider your thoughts on this issue hypersensitive.

 

 

I agree with this. Everyone has certain hot button issues. I believe it's a bit 'out there' that some fear Harry Potter books, but I accept it, and wouldn't give one to a kid in such a family. I also realize that Toy Story army guys are not meant to be looking military grade. :) My thoughts headed over to some toy weapons I've seen, although I wasn't clear in my post. Given the current fear people have about guns/schools, I think being mindful about toy guns etc in such a setting is prudent. (However, I do not think the principal's reaction was correct.)

[RemsMom]

After reading this thread I am beginning to think I live in the twilight zone. I was in the parking lot of Starbucks last week while DD22 went to get coffee. Two police cars pulled up next to me and three officers got out and went into Starbucks. Later that day I was in Target and saw a soldier in fatigues doing some shopping. Yesterday I was with DD22 and we stopped for lunch and as we were getting out of the car a police officer ran out of a sandwich shop with his drink in one hand and lunch sack in the other to his car. My daughter said she felt sad for him that he wasn't able to just sit and eat his sandwich. While waiting in line at Chipotle there was a police officer in front of us and three soldiers in fatigues in line behind us. I really did not think this was unusual until I read some of the posts here.

[Dandelion]

After reading this thread I am beginning to think I live in the twilight zone. I was in the parking lot of Starbucks last week while DD22 went to get coffee. Two police cars pulled up next to me and three officers got out and went into Starbucks. Later that day I was in Target and saw a soldier in fatigues doing some shopping. Yesterday I was with DD22 and we stopped for lunch and as we were getting out of the car a police officer ran out of a sandwich shop with his drink in one hand and lunch sack in the other to his car. My daughter said she felt sad for him that he wasn't able to just sit and eat his sandwich. While waiting in line at Chipotle there was a police officer in front of us and three soldiers in fatigues in line behind us. I really did not think this was unusual until I read some of the posts here.

 

Yep, it's been an eye-opener for me too reading this thread.... But then I live in a city with a very large military presence. We have a very large Army post, two Air Force bases, and the Air Force Academy. Everywhere I go, I see military folks. And the police officers in our town visibly carry their weapons. Plus, my DH is an officer in the Army Reserves (and was active duty for a long time prior), so I see his uniforms in our closet on a daily basis. ;)

[Joker]

I was thinking of this thread today while eating lunch. We live in a fairly rural area and there is a large military presence here. We were eating outside and all of a sudden soldiers started walking out of the trees. They must of been taking a break from whatever they were doing back there and were all splitting up to go to the various fast food places in the spot we were eating. I thought some on this thread who never see armed officers or soldiers often might of freaked out, which made me wonder about all the tourists here. We smiled and waved at the men and women and kept on eating. It gave me a chuckle though.

[MiniBlondes]

Oh goodness. I take a few days off and come back to this.

 

I think had the parents just stuck to the original WTM idea of 'No cupcakes allowed in school.' then we would not be having this conversation.

 

'Nuff Said.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

Soldier and police with guns are seen almost on a daily basis around here if you pay attention to such things. So, I can't wrap my head around this whole cupcake incident.

 

It must be the local culture. Where I live, we have low-flying black helicopters (FBI Hostage Rescue) and military aircraft (Ospry) fly directly over my house on a regular basis. The artillery range is so close, I can hear automatic weapons being fired. It must sound like a war zone to some, but as we like to say, "it's the sounds of freedom!"

 

K,

Proud neighbor to the FBI and Quantico Marine Base

[TXMomof4]

When we lived in KS we went to eat at Cracker Barrel. Every single party in the restaurant had at least one person in camo. It was deer season and if they weren't military they were apparently hunters. I'm sure there was a full arsenal in the vehicles in the parking lot. It was pretty funny to me after living in N. Dallas and seldom seeing anyone in camo (except dh of course).

[TXMomof4]

When we lived in KS we went to eat at Cracker Barrel. Every single party in the restaurant had at least one person in camo. It was deer season and if they weren't military they were apparently hunters. I'm sure there was a full arsenal in the vehicles in the parking lot. It was pretty funny to me after living in N. Dallas and seldom seeing anyone in camo (except dh of course).

[Mrs Mungo]

And a lot of them don't even have guns:

http://www.amazon.com/Green-Army-Men-Piece-Bag/dp/B000ID1B2K

 

Very true! Some have flags and such. We have owned quite the variety of green army guys in our day.

 

After reading this thread I am beginning to think I live in the twilight zone. I was in the parking lot of Starbucks last week while DD22 went to get coffee. Two police cars pulled up next to me and three officers got out and went into Starbucks. Later that day I was in Target and saw a soldier in fatigues doing some shopping. Yesterday I was with DD22 and we stopped for lunch and as we were getting out of the car a police officer ran out of a sandwich shop with his drink in one hand and lunch sack in the other to his car. My daughter said she felt sad for him that he wasn't able to just sit and eat his sandwich. While waiting in line at Chipotle there was a police officer in front of us and three soldiers in fatigues in line behind us. I really did not think this was unusual until I read some of the posts here.

 

I live in the same sort of town as you, lol.

 

Here is a funny thing about that-kids were always a little scared of my grandfather. He was raised a farm boy, was a waist-gunner in WW2 and was later a blue-collar business owner. He was loud, gruff, a straight talker, not kid friendly...UNTIL my kids came along. A large percentage of the men they knew their whole loves were big (some could be described as mountainous), gruff, loud and all of that. Prbably scaryto some. But to my kids? These men were the pushover teddy bear jungle gym "uncles" who fed them ice until they got sick. So, my kids *loved* my grandfather. They followed him around, asked him to help them change clothes, helped him with chores, watched him work on the car, all of that. He was so cute with them because he had never had kids be that way with him.

 

So, my kids don't see any of that as scary. We see soldiers on a daily basis. They have helped decorate tanks with Christmas lights, "fired" M-16s on a virtual range, encouraged the guy showing them the Stryker simulator to crash off the highest cliff he could find, they watch them jump out of airplanes and helicopters, they hear field artillery shaking the house about once a week, etc. The kids in my neighborhood play nerf wars. They are *all* military kids. The woods behind our house is full of fortifications, camo nets, firing positions and such. My kids didn't even freak out or cry when we *did* witness a police shoot-out that resulted in the death of a criminal who ran over a cop near a restaurant where we were eating (close enough that my dh ordered everyone down, and we had to give statements after the fact). It is SO not scary to the kids we know that I can totally see someone not thinking twice about it. My kids don't soldiers or even all guns with violence toward children. They just don't.

 

If it upsets some people, I can respect that, but I don't really *understand* it, anymore than you truly *understand* where I am coming from. This post may give you a idea, but isn't remotely the full picture.

 

I think had the parents just stuck to the original WTM idea of 'No cupcakes allowed in school.' then we would not be having this conversation.

 

There was never a consensus about that, lol (points to title).

[MiniBlondes]

There was never a consensus about that, lol (points to title).

 

 

Haha. I know, I remember. (points to my own)

[Mrs Mungo]

Haha. I know, I remember. (points to my own)

 

:D I just could not resist point out our almost total lack of consensus on almost any issue. The handful of times I have seen everyone agree have been memorable.