(HOST) Commentator Mark Redmond is executive director of Spectrum Youth and Family Services in Burlington – and he’s concerned that a new line of snowboards sends kids a potentially damaging message.
(REDMOND) Our work at Spectrum is in two specific areas: reducing domestic violence against women, and helping homeless, foster and at-risk teenagers. So I was considerably taken aback when one of our state’s most well-known companies, Burton, recently introduced two snowboarding product lines which I and many of my coworkers find to be extremely offensive. The first series of boards features photographs of Playboy models in various states of undress. A second line features scenes of self-mutilation – with blood galore.
My colleagues and I provide counseling to thousands of young people struggling with mental health issues; we know all about self-mutilation. And there is nothing funny or amusing about it. It’s a very sad and tragic condition in which young people feel the compulsion to cut or harm themselves, and it is extremely difficult to treat. It is beyond comprehension that any company would use self-harm as a marketing ploy.
In defending these new products, a Burton spokesperson says that the boards will be wrapped and sold only to people over 18. And of course there is the old standby, the right to free expression.
Well you know what? I have some rights too – like the right to get on a quad chairlift at Bolton this winter with my 6-year-old and not have him exposed to any of these scenes if someone who has foolishly purchased one of these boards sits next to us.
I also have responsibilities, so I’ve made a difficult decision. For the last several winters, homeless, at-risk and foster youth from Spectrum have taken part in Burton’s Chill program, in which Burton staff have driven our kids to Bolton Valley, completely outfitting them with snowboard, boots, gloves, goggles and anything else they would need for the sport. Once there, Burton provided free boarding lessons. It’s a great thing Burton has been doing.
But until Burton discontinues these two highly offensive snowboarding lines and pulls them off the shelves, we won’t be participating in the Chill program. And, hopefully, we’ll find some other way to get our kids out on the slopes this winter.