CPTNet
Chicago IL--VIOLENCE IS NOT CHILD'S PLAY: 500 CONGREGATIONS CAMPAIGN
November 18, 1999

Today Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) launched its "Violence Is Not Child's
Play: 500 Congregations Campaign". The goal of the campaign is have 500
North American church congregations and meetings engage the management of
violent toy stores in their communities calling on them to remove violent
toys from their shelves.

This campaign will complement the work of the United Nations General
Assembly which has declared the years 2001-2010 to be the "International
Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the World's Children".
Studies indicate that aggressive play leads to acts of real aggression and
desensitizes children to violence. CPT's Training Coodinator Kryss Chupp
says, "Engaging the local distributors of violent toys is one way to break
the cycle of violence."

After a tour of Chicago-area toy stores, CPT staff found video games to be
the most violent in content and the most accessible to young customers. For
example, while promoting the new video game, "Resident Evil 3", a sales
associate enthused, "It's really cool. You can totally shoot off their heads
and see the blood spatter, and it even leaves stains on the rug." Chupp
noted, "Most stores completely ignore the ratings system for video games.
They stock 'mature' games directly next to games meant for young children,
and sell 'mature' games to anyone, regardless of age. Toy manufacturers
appear to take little responsibility for how their toys are marketed."

Violent wrestling figures also have a large share of the toy market with
names like Lex "Torture Rack" Lugar and "Viscera" and "Undertaker" from the
"Ministry of Darkness" tag team. Some stores still carry a wide range of toy
guns which look and sound like the real thing.

CPT offers an organizing packet with a step-by-step guide for congregations
preparing to witness to toy store management that "Violence Is Not Child's
Play". For a copy of the packet contact...