There is a protest planned for Burton Snowboards in Burlington this Thursday. In case you missed it, Burton has a line of snowboards featuring some pretty racy pictures of naked women and another line with drawings of some serious self-mutilation. Even though the two lines are offensive for different reasons, the protest is about both.
I am posting the protest info as an FYI for my Burlington area readers. I am not planning to attend.
There are media links at the bottom of the announcement, if you want more back story.
Reprinted from Front Porch Forum:
Since Burton has yet to respond in any responsible manner to the hundreds of concerned citizens and organizations that have respectfully voiced their displeasure with the marketing of the Love & Primo boards, the next action will be a protest rally at Burton next THURSDAY, 10/23 at noon. We are checking with the police and the media about all the ins and outs of a legal, peaceful, effective demonstration.
We welcome any and all of you to please join us in asking Burton to stop marketing and selling these boards. We planned the protest for next Thursday knowing that kids are out of school, and encourage their participation as well. Please get creative with your protest signs! (Some suggestions so far: BURTON LOVES $$ NOT KIDS, LOVE DOES NOT = PORN, CUTTING’S NOT COOL, BURTON: NO SHRED OF DECENCY, DRESS YOUR SNOWBOARDS, PARENTS FOR PUBLIC DECENCY and PUBLIC HEALTH)
We will meet at Red Rocks Park at 11:30 and walk to Burton Headquarters at 80 Industrial Parkway. Here are the directions to Red Rocks: from Route 7 (Shelburne Road), from the south, turn right across from Denny’s onto Queen City Park Road. From the north, turn left onto Queen City Park Road. Go approximately 1 mile and take your first left onto Central Ave. Entrance to is on your right.
Here are some web links to help us be as successful as possible:
Expressing your views via civil protest is a time-honored means of social activism. This guide will help you to prepare and steer clear of pitfalls and problems:
http://www.wikihow.com/Stage-a-Social-ProtestAnd these articles are on how to hold effective demonstrations:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2073983_prepare-signs-political-demonstration.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2073982_promote-political-demonstration.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_2045608_legal-political-demonstration.htmlAnd of course, please share this information with your family, friends and anyone else you believe cares about this issue. Nothing beats word of mouth (or email) promotion. If we don’t want to see these boards on the beautiful mountains of Vermont, we need to have LOTS of people at the rally!
Any suggestions, advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Lezlee Sprenger
Suzie DeBrossePS: Here is a partial list of folks and organizations that have spoken out
about this:
- Spectrum Family Youth Services
- White Ribbon Campaign (men who speak out against Domestic Violence)
- Center for Media and Democracy
- Girl Scouts Council President
- Federation of Business and Professional Women
- Vermont Network
- Women’s Business Owner’s Network (individual members)
- UVM Presidents Commission on the Status of Women
- Private therapists
- Moms, dads and youth
- Facebook pages
- Feminist Peace NetworkAnd recent media coverage links:
http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081015/NEWS04/810150398
http://www.stowetoday.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=1034&show=localnews&NewsID=927967&CategoryID=19630
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/82422
http://www.essexreporter.com/EssexReporter/Home.html
http://7d.blogs.com/blurt/2008/09/new-burton-boar.html
http://www.7dvt.com/2008critics-burton-snowboards-request-meeting-company
http://www.wcax.com/Global/category.asp?C=139464&nav=menu183_5
http://www.shredbetties.com/articles/story/controversy_over_burtons_love_series/
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/NEWS02/81001048/0/NEWS02
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/10/02/moran.naughty.snowboards.wptz?iref=videosearch“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does.” – Margaret Mead
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:11 am
Charity,
Staging protests against Burton is playing into their marketing strategy. The bigger the controversy the more their brand will appeal to their target market. The entire purpose of the board was to stir things up and get a bunch of free PR – and yes, the controversy is good PR when you consider the ‘edgy’ brand their trying to maintain.
Besides that, the fact is you’ll probably never see one of these boards on the slopes anyways. Word is they’re not making very many of them and insiders expect all of them to end up in the hands of collectors. – Greg
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:41 am
Burton has the right to free speech and the free market will determine the success or failure of these designs.
If people want to protest, they should protest the American Gulag in Cuba, the lack of Socialized Health Insurance, paperless voting machines that cannot be recounted, or the occupation of Iraq.
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:57 am
Greg, I agree that the protest is helping Burton. The people who would buy these boards will only want them more with all of this controversy. I am not sure what these folks hope to accomplish.
Haik, protesting is part of the freedom. Obviously, no one is suggesting that Burton hasn’t the right to make these. I believe the point the protesters are trying to make is that they have a responsibility to not objectify women and glorify self-mutilation.
The protesters are exercising their freedom as well here. That is how it works. There is freedom of speech and freedom to publicly oppose said speech. And free markets only function when the people are informed.
As Greg pointed out, though, the flip side of informing people is that it gives Burton more publicity.
And last I checked, people are protesting the war in Iraq.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:03 am
I just submitted a letter to Seven Days regarding this issue:
I’m quite surprised about the public outcry over the Burton snowboards that feature semi-nude Playboy models and other boards that feature blood and gore. Maybe the public woke up yesterday, but partial nudity and gore is prevalent in movies, videogames, Cd covers, and even Abercrombie and Fitch clothing catalogues. All one has to do is take a trip to the local mall or turn on the TV or internet to witness the encroaching “indecency.” Unfortunately, Burton has become the sole target of the purists in our society that would censor anything and everything deemed “indecent“ in the name of the children. Give me a break! My only complaint against Burton is that they did not feature Playgirl models on any of their boards.
OWEN MULLIGAN
Burlington
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:06 am
Haik,
Jake Burton has the right to free speech. His company has to comply with obscenity laws (if they even exist anymore!!). (And I don’t think there is anything illegal about the offensive boards.)
Ski resorts also have the right to not allow use the offensive boards on their premises. Since most resorts make the bulk of their money from families, I think we’ll be hearing about boarders crying censorship because they couldn’t ride their playmate board at, say, Smuggler’s Notch this year. Then the protests liberal’s prefer will begin.
That being said, these board designs are immoral and Burton shouldn’t have made them. Usually when a company (or a tv show or entertainer) goes down the oversexed road, it means they have run out of ideas.
It’s safe to say that Burton has jumped the shark and they’re looking for any attention they can get.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:11 am
OFF TOPIC:
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:19 am
Let me try that again…
American Gulag Haik??
If you took away the hyperbole, would there be anything left to a liberal argument?
The Russian gulags have a very well deserved infamy. To compare the prison at Guantanamo to a Russian Gulag does a grave injustice to the thousands of Russians who suffered and died there.
Guantanamo is not a good place to be, but it’s no Russian gulag.
October 22nd, 2008 at 11:19 am
If you took away the hyperbole, would there be anything left to a liberal argument?
There’s a little left. See Rasul v. Bush, Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, Boumediene et al v. Bush, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, et al.
Or you could ask that of Secretary of Defense Bob Gates.
Guantanamo is not a good place to be…
What are Amnesty’s concerns about torture and ill-treatment in Guantánamo Bay?
Interrogation methods include:
* prolonged isolation
* sleep deprivation
* sensory (sound/light) and environmental (heat/cold) manipulation
* prolonged stress positions
* sexual & other forms of humiliation
* beatings
* prolonged handcuffing
* hooding & blindfolding
* the use of dogs, mock executions and other threats to instill terror
******
And you think some designs on a snowboard are immoral!
The arguments against Guantanamo are based on American values Bob, not “liberal” values.
Don’t defend evil, Bob. Protest it.
October 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I love it, nobody gives two sh*ts about snowboarding until burton drops some “racy” board graphic. seriously guys, offensive? these boards are for shredding, who cares what they look like. sure it’s sweet to have some nekid bitty on the bottom of your shred-sled but in the end, its for getting us down the hill, not for “publicity” because burton has plenty of that. ever heard of shaun white? you score a rider like that and you never have to worry about publicity again. nuff said. everyone chill. burton gets no praise for their efforts to get inner-city kids to the mountain to ride, or for giving away gear to those of us not lucky enough to rock ‘09 gear.
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Nicely said Owen.
For those of you opposed to these boards, honestly, get a life. Have you nothing better to do with your day? You want censorship, than maybe you should consider that replying to a blog is freedom of speech and that your “argument” is flawed with your posting. Censor yourselves and F’ off. Read a book, go shopping, take a walk there is so much more to do in a day. This is art, bravo Burton, for pushing the envelope and contracting so much free publicity.
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I’m going to protest Cheerleaders and Bubblegum at the rally.
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Joey Lawrence’s brother, Matthew, Tried To Get Into Someone Else’s Car last night, can you believe that?!!!
October 22nd, 2008 at 1:49 pm
If I had one of the Playboy snowboards I would chop my fingers off and change my name to Harvey!
October 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
No one wants to listen to your protest – no one cares! Sex sells. Just because it’s new to the industry it does not warrant a protest. Burton is a great company and they do a lot for the community – especially for my school. Our entire class looks up to Burton and aspires to work for a company like them one day. Stop living this stubborn lifestyle, you will feel a lot better!
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Charity: “And free markets only function when the people are informed.”
Well, that explains a lot. A hell of a lot.
October 22nd, 2008 at 4:32 pm
“I’m going to protest Cheerleaders and Bubblegum at the rally.”
Is it a Palin rally?
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:29 am
I feel that Burton has gone too far with this one. I don’t want to be enjoying my day on the slopes and waiting in line to get on the chair lift then glance down to be forced to see a naked woman. Children are skiing and snowboarding too, they should not have to see these images either. Shame on you Burton!
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:34 am
really?
much bigger problems going on to worry about, seriously!i get a kick out of church groups getting involved considering there have been several priest who have done some pretty horrible things to children.
if people would parent children they would know right from wrong and truthfully i would have a hard time explaining what is wrong with these graphics to my children, they see it in magazines, on tv, in video games and hear it in music.
get a life people!!!!!
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:38 am
haha,
love how the protest website does not offer an email address for people to complain to them about the horrible things they are supporting, like not letting kids get involved with the CHILL program because of some big-headed exed at the non-profit organization who thinks he can change the world. the only ones that are going to suffer is the inner city burlington youth who will never have the opportunity to snowboard, thanks to this guy (forgot his name)
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:39 am
Notice those who are in favor of these silly boards are mostly males. Look, women are sick of seeing naked female bodies everywhere. Besides, there’s nothing “edgy” about Playboy imagery. It’s tired. (As for the mutilation design, that’s just gross.)Burton’s taking cheap shots for publicity.
Having said that, my issue with female exploitation has more to do with the fact that it’s usually so one-sided. We like eye candy, too. I agree with Owen- why doesn’t Burton put out some designs with naked Playgirl men? That would be much more “edgy”, and show that they actually have some regard for their female customers & employees.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:59 am
Mary Z,
I don’t know if you really have a right to not see things you don’t want to see. If we give people the right to free public expression, that’s going to entail that a lot of the time we see stuff we don’t like. Free expression is more important, I would think, than emotional comfort.
That’s not to say I dont think you have a right to be protesting. All the power to you. It does seem a little trivial, though, like maybe this isn’t really even hurting anyone? We’ve had sex and violence in the media for decades, and soceity isn’t in shambles yet. If you don’t want them to be silenced, and you shouldn’t want them to be as that would be inconsistent with the liberal values that are motivating the protest, then what’s the point? What can you accomplish? Yea feminism, but maybe we should focus our efforts on something that really needs changing or risk seeming too authoritarian.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
The models are semi-nude…You’re not going to see much.
Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with the naked body.
Maybe you should just stay home and lock yourself in a closet and do the world a favor.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Hey Blue, FYI you have no “right to free speech” on my blog. I pay for this thing. I own it. I make the rules. I am not the government, and therefore I cannot violate your constitutional rights (those are protections from government.) If you want me to approve your comments, clean up your potty mouth, sir.
And that goes for all you other kids who googled “Burton protest” and found my blog.
Curse you, google, curse you.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Remember the Teddy Bear with the straitjacket????? I guess VT Teddy Bear isn’t as “edgy” as Burtons. Maybe Unilever can learn by this and give Hooters girls part time jobs scooping ice cream into Jason Voorhees cups!