EDITORIAL – Proof that Valentine’s Day not about love

Mental health advocates, especially the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance for the… Mental health advocates, especially the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, claimed a victory over insensitivity and tasteless marketing yesterday.

After weeks of protests, Vermont Teddy Bear Co. has agreed to stop manufacturing and distributing the “Crazy For You” bear, which was wrapped in a white straitjacket with a red heart on the front, commitment papers and all.

In a letter to the teddy bear company, Jerry Goessel, executive director of the Vermont chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill wrote, “A straitjacket is not a symbol that we want to associate with the sales of a teddy bear for loved ones over Valentine’s Day. And the use of commitment papers, legal documents committing an individual to involuntary treatment, is not something to be taken casually.”

In response, company spokeswoman Nicole L’Hullier said the company recognizes “this is a sensitive, human issue” and sincerely apologized for any offense that may have occurred.

Even so, the bear was only to remain on the market until Feb 14. It was a Valentine’s Day special, not a permanent addition to Vermont Teddy Bear Co.’s product line.

Although the bear is no longer for sale, it still remains on the Vermont Bear Co.’s Web site, with no mention of the protest from mental health advocates. Customers looking to buy the “Crazy For You” bear will find no apology from the company and no explanation of the bear’s unavailability. The bear is merely “sold out.”

If the bear were really a factor in the stigmatization of mental illness, a public statement to the offended and a note on the Web site would have been in order. It’s obvious the company was not trying to offend anyone, particularly the mentally ill.

But discontinuing the bear doesn’t affect the stigma and stereotypes associated with mental illness — contrived notions that can hinder the diagnosis and treatment of those with actual mental illnesses and serious conditions.

“Crazy,” however, is not even a real medical term. And the bear’s “commitment papers” were obviously fraudulent. In fact, the company’s description of the bear notes that the bear comes with a “Commitment Report” — not papers — that reads: “Can’t Eat, Can’t Sleep, My Heart’s Racing. Diagnosis — Crazy for You!”

It’s not a crazy bear; it’s just a sign of the insanity that is consumer culture in the midst of a pseudo-holiday. It’s what happens when there is an opportunity for people to express their love for another via product consumption. Isn’t that crazy?