G.I. Joe scares me

I am fascinated with boy dolls and GI Joe is a little scary…
A lot of people seem to have issues with letting their boys play with “dolls” but playing with “action figures” is OK. Hasbro overcame boys' dislike of dolls by making G.I. Joe a military figure. G.I. Joe was everything Barbie was not: rugged, bearded, and with a scar on his face to let everyone know that G.I. Joe was a man of action. Like Barbie, Hasbro offered countless accessories for the G.I. Joe dolls. G.I. Joe drove a military jeep, carried guns and grenades, and wore combat boots. In this way, Hasbro made the G.I. Joe attractive to boys and overcame the stigma of playing with dolls. G.I. Joe was not a doll, Hasbro said, but rather an "action figure." Hasbro kept interest in the action figure by introducing ever more elaborate accessories, including other military vehicles, space capsules, a talking version of the doll, and a "kungfu grip" that let the figure hold things in its hands more easily.

I have written about Ken before and my frustration with his refusal to come out of the closet. GI Joe seems to be the opposite extreme. If Barbie was my daughter I would MUCH rather she come home with Ken then GI Joe. I think I myself would rather see my son playing with Teaparty Ken then G.I. Joe with a big scary gun! Is G.I. Joe a nice guy or a gun-toting maniac? If kids HAVE to play with military action figures can they at least look ike they give a damn about life? There is a line of G.I. Joe's called the Real American Heroes. Ummmm...oooookay. So does this mean if you are handy with a bazooka and have a name like Sargent Savage that you are a hero?

I am concerned about toys like GI Joe. I am not sure they are a positive influence on our kids. I am REALLY against guns and don't like the idea of kids pretending to kill anything. So Ken- bring on the tea!