Was Anyone Even Thinking?

Ellen Goodman of the Boston Globe is one of my favorite columnists. I don’t always agree with her, but that’s okay. It isn’t a columnists job to write only what people will agree with — if that were even possible. A columnist’s purpose is to stimulate discussion and civil debate — the operative word here being “civil”.

This past week, Ellen announced the Equal Rites Awards “to those who have done their best over the last 12 months to set back the cause of women.”

One item in particular had me put down the paper, look at my husband and ask, “Are you believing this?”

The Fashion Victimizers’ Citation went to Barneys in New York “for the store’s display of battered and bloody mannequins posing as upscale assault victims. Ah, yes, blood is the new black, and violence is soooo chic. “

I thought I was beyond being shocked at the crazy ideas some people will act on, but this one shook me to the core. Was there not one person in the marketing department of the store who stopped and thought, “Gosh, maybe we shouldn’t do this.”?

Not only does it glorify violence, it debases the people who are victims of that violence.

It’s a good thing I don’t live in New York City. I would have been arrested for breaking and entering and vandalism.