New York, New York –-(Ammoland.com)- The New York-based Empire State Consumer Project has asked the Hasbro Board of Directors to stop producing “assault-style” Nerf guns.
One of the Nerf blasters the group is targeting is the Ultra One. It is a drum fed toy gun holding 25 soft darts.
Empire State Consumer Project Director Carol Chittenden thinks that parents that buy these toy guns are bad examples for their kids.
“It’s a matter of this being a very vulnerable consumer group. Children buy what they see, and we’re not sure this is driven by market demand for assault weapon toys by children or the industry creating the demand,” said Chittenden.
One of the main issues the group has with Hasbro is a commercial that shows a child’s family giving him bigger and bigger Nerf blasters until the child’s Grandmother shows up and gives him the Ultra One. The family is impressed with the Nerf gun and the commercial ends.
The commercial is comical, but the group thinks it is horrifying that Hasbro is using comedy to sell its “machine gun.” The consumer group plays on emotions by trying to guilt the toy company to stop selling the Nerf gun. The Empire State Consumer Project brings up mass shootings at schools and tries to tie them into Nerf products.
“How does promoting play with huge automatic weapons create joy, creativity and connection around the world, and across generations, and make the world a better place for children? ” The group asked the Hasbro Board of Directors in the letter.
The Empire State Consumer Project asked Hasbro, with a straight face, who the child will be shooting “with his huge cache of assault weapons.” They want the toy company to make nerf products for a child’s “peace-filled imaginations.” The group also states that children don’t really like Nerf guns, but Hasbro, through their advertising, is pressuring the kids into playing with them.
According to the Empire State Consumer Project, children do not want Nerf guns because they are afraid of school shootings. The organization doesn’t supply any data for their accusation, but it does call into question any data that Hasbro has determined from their internal marketing studies.
Toy companies like Hasbro spend millions of dollars into researching product viability. They are in business to make money. If children didn’t want Nerf guns or if parents were not willing to purchase them, they would not be selling them. Parents vote with their pocketbooks.
The Empire State Consumer Project seems to know that there is a massive market for Nerf Guns that they cannot defeat. It is a rite of passage for a lot of dads and their kids. The group appears to be trying to guilt the toy giant into stop selling their very successful and iconic toy line.
The consumer rights group goes even farther and accuses Hasbro of praying on the “most vulnerable group of consumers.” They also say that the toy company is launching an assault on children’s “dignity and their worth as human beings.”
Being a parent, I can tell you that kids love Nerf Blasters and do not require manipulation to want toy guns. I spoke to my six-year-old son Matthew about why he likes Nerf guns and if he liked them because of the Hasbro commercial.
“The commercial is stupid,” Matthew told me, “But it looks fun to play with.”
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on leftist deplatforming methods and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, on Facebook at realjohncrump, or at www.crumpy.com.
I found it odd that the speech therapy place that I take my almost three year old grandson to every week has Sponge Bob playing on the TV in the waiting room, which has children in it, and the commercials are almost all some type of “Nerf” style guns. I haven’t seen anyone complain about it yet but then this is Oklahoma. That same grandson and his father, my youngest, were almost severely injured this morning by a low life puke who chose to lead numerous police agencies on a lengthy high speed chase. Fortunately my son was able to… Read more »
My first “guns” were a set of “Have Gun Will Travel” cap guns including belt and holsters, with silver horse heads on them, with business cards. This would have been Christmas 1959 shortly after I turned four years old. I also had a Gunsmoke sweatshirt mustard colored with Matt Dillon’s likeness on the front. In 1962 I got a toy pistol (revolver with fixed cylinder) that had a barrel that took a “cartridge” that had a projection of the front of it where you slipped a about .35 caliber plastic bullet over it and then placed a cap on the… Read more »
RoyD, Sorry about the comment from x39aesthetics, I just caught it.
I haven’t the foggiest idea what you are talking about. Did I miss something important?
RoyD, Yes, bad language and Terms of Service violation. I trashed their comment.
The “pussification” of America’s youth continues unabated.
Threatening to ban something is the best way to sell more. Every time the Dims propose more gun control, sales go up. Just this week I got a brand new Bear Creek Arsenal 350 Legend upper and mated it to a AR lower from another AR. Borrowed a scope from another. Magazine today and ammo by UPS tomorrow.
And right now Wal-Mart is getting rid of their ammo. I bought 2000 rounds of Rem 223 fmj yesterday for a total, including tax, of $305.00. That is fifteen cents a round.
This group is DISGUSTING that they want to take away a CHILD’S – – – – – – T O Y !!!!!!!!
Laddyboy: These types of people want to take away the child’s minds too.
What’s next, New York City — banning “Lazer Tag” arcades?
I just saw a sawed off double barrel powder/paint ball shotgun. It was on Guns & Ammo. CO2 powered, looks like a blast. The other announcer had a 6 shot powder/paint ball revolver. By Umarex. When my 2 year old Granddaughter was walking all over, we taught her to NOT touch guns should she see one laying around (yeah, like THAT would happen!). So, I set out my 1851 revolver, unloaded, on the couch. She and our Belgian Malinois, Knight, came into the room and the moment she saw the revolver she grabbed Knight’s collar, said “no touch” and led… Read more »
When I was 5-6 sitting on Santa’s lap I asked for a set of paladin six shooters. Santa (and my mom) listened cause that is just what I got. But then Paladin was a good roll model, not like lots of the crap in tv now. Course now I have a nephew 4 years old that ask for a Barbie cause all they have to play with in day care are dolls and kitchen sets. That raised mom and dads eyes brows. These groups are turning our kids into pansy’s while mom and dad are trying to work hard to… Read more »
Plus, their paychecks are being used to feed and clothe those who never work and get lots of free stuff and complain that they don’t get enough free stuff. What will all those getting free stuff do when the gravy train stops?
Hopefully soon, so the moms and dads can have more of their paychecks to use for their own family.
Going to walmart to get a few for the grandkids….oh snap, no grandkids, they are fore me!
There is a video of a young man who receives a used older truck for his first vehicle. Mom & Dad are rich, so the little spoiled brat has gotten anything and everything he wants all his life. When he sees the truck, he goes into a screaming rage, goes into the garage, comes out with a baseball bat, takes a couple of swings at his dad then attacks the truck. He turns around and goes after the dad, again. All the while the mother and father, obviously gutless democrats of the ‘don’t spank or discipline your kids’ Dr. Spock… Read more »
Isn’t that the language of “political correctness?”
Remember the Menendez brothers? Spoiled sons of wealthy liberal elites. They used a shotgun on their parents, and then went on a vacation and spending spree in Europe.
Hasn’t been a problem for 100 years, why suddenly now? Has to be an outside influence. Toy guns do not, and have never, bred mass killers. New York City based anything needs to have a giant cup if STFU.
“Murders spike 8.7% in 2019 as other NYC crime rates tumble: NYPD”
https://waronguns.blogspot.com/2019/12/we-aint-seen-nothin-yet.html
NYC has every “common sense gun control law” you can think of, so it’s GOTTA be the Nerf guns.
When is it a better time to start teaching firearm safety and proper handling of firearms? A child knows the difference between a toy car and a real car. Whether it is a squirt gun, cap pistol, or a “Bang, Bang” finger pointed gun, children very quickly learn he difference between play weapons and real weapons.
I think Hasbro should add a line or two to the commercials and tell the parents to teach gun safety. Even a rubber dart can/could injure an eye. Shoot for the body! Not the head. [i.e. center mass]
DF
It won’t surprise me that the Liberals will do anything to kill Christmas for the youth of tomorrow. It is totally a shame what this world and country is turning into today. Nerf guns are now dangerous, gee, I purchased a pellet gun for my son at 4 years old, and I have done the same for my two grandsons. I believe in teaching them safety first. In my city, our Rec. Dept. has a shooting program for anyone 8 years old and older. We do it in the basement of our police dept. Next ever had any accidents in… Read more »
Nerf has done a great service to the second amendment. I hope they continue to produce whatever they want. Screw these gun banners.
I guess we will all have to restrict our children from watching TV as most shows are filled with sex and violence and might give them a bad idea. You’ll have to home school them lest they interact with someone else’s child and become satan worshippers. Can’t let them get a job as their co-workers could taint their perspectives on the world. When does it stop?
Actually, the home schooling is a good idea. The smartest kids I’ve come across have been home schooled. They also understand the free market, I guess because they haven’t had public school indoctrination. Interesting that this group opposes the toys but not the violent video games and movies. Shows where the lobbying money really comes from (hint: NOT NRA.) As to jobs, I think we’ve already seen the last generation interested in working. Millennials want a day’s pay for half a day’s work. Gen Z is going to want a paycheck for just considering work.
Hillary already did that with cartoons there was to much violence in them, when We Willy was the president!!!!!!!
Thats the biggest pile of BS I have heard in a while.
I wonder,sometimes,how much stock the leftists own in gun&ammo industries.Every time they push their nonsense,sales go up.
I AGREE WE MUST BAN NERF GUNS! Next will come tracer Nerf ammo., then the dreaded green tipped cop killing Nerf bullets of the 1980s. This Nerf violence must stop! These deadly sponge rubber killers are not protected by that Second Amendment thingie.
We have got to stop this Nerf violence before it goes further. Never once has a 4473 been filled out to purchase one of these killers–just another gun show and federal loophole. Stop the violence now, ban Nerfs before they kill more.
@jh45gun, Good humor! Merry Christmas and a Happy New pistol to you.
Jim, Wait, What? Are you saying that unserialized, Ghost Nerfs are being supplied to our innocent children?!? Shannon, Oh Shannon….
Not only that, but bad boys and girls are avoiding background checks by arranging “sponge purchases.”
Ghost Nerf LOL
Jim, you are correct, since the 2A protects arms, and I can’t see where that toy meets the definition. Neither have I seen them sold at gun shows nor gun stores. I have seen ping pong ball and marsh mellow guns sold at gun shows, though.
I know it’s NOT POSSIBLE to educate the populace, due to STUPIDITY, or knowingly using the term to scare the IGNORANT among us by using the term ASSAULT RIFLE. Americans can (if they can afford them own ASSAULT RIFLES) usually from $10k-50k each,tons of paper work, FBI background checks and at least a 6month wait own one. The MSM (left wing scare tactics) media loves to call AR CLONES, and AK CLONES “ASSAULT RIFLES”,they are not and never have been ASSAULT RIFLES. PLEASE understand the TRUE definition of what THEY ARE:. Here’s the TRUTH of what a TRUE ASSAULT rifle… Read more »
I just bought my 7yr old Grandson his first Red Ryder BB gun as one of his Christmas presents,He has with NO pushing him towards them loved toy guns since he knew what they were, he never watches violent TV shows or Westerns of any kind it’s innate and in his blood.He has no clue Dad, and Grandad have weapons,nor will he until he is old enough to learn proper marksmanship and GUN safety. My Grand daughter will get her first.22LR at 12,if she wants one, she loves shooting a BB Gun, even though she’s as girly as they get.… Read more »
@Doszap – About your granddaughter “even though she’s as girly as they get.” I don’t understand, are you suggesting that shooting is not a “girly” activity?
@Finky, Girls have to use the teacup hold and extend their little pinky.
WB, Aw Jeez, don’t tell my daughter. Her USMC teacher says she needs to start taking lessons if she wants to go pro. I can’t afford this stuff. I told her to get the 8 gun safe (she figured that 4 or maybe 6 would be plenty) when she got her first one, now she’s trying to find room for more safes.
@DiF, That is terrific! Don’t worry about affordability … it is just paper with pretty pictures on it. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Pistol.
Don’t discount them girlies…
https://www.wickenburgsun.com/news/article_aa5cab8c-787d-59e7-ad83-9f62f6fc47b9.html
Maybe we should require universal background checks before the kids or parents can purchase nerf guns? Maybe even a data base with finger prints and LEO approvals… (end sarcasm)
“The New York-based Empire State Consumer Project…”
Without even looking, I’d put money on this group being brand new and with no history of activism prior to this issue.
And owned by Bloomberg
i want these left wing socialists to stop peddling their BS
My grandsons and I have had many hours having battles with nerf “assault” guns. Soooo much fun, but those who think they are grown ups in the political world don’t know anything about having fun.
Vern; Your right most grown ups forgot how to have fun and laugh, if you listen to any news it is all bad, turn it off for awhile and go have some FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most “grownups” don’t realize the kids are the future, what we invest in them now will surface when they need it. I love my grand kids, and they know it. Having fun with them is worth every moment invested.
Have a great day and a Merry Christmas.
It appears my niece will be getting a couple for Christmas. Thanks Empire State Consumer Project for the gift ideas.
Honestly, does anyone here give a rat’s patutie what the Empire State’s Consumer Project Director, Carol Chickenshit, says or does?
I do! And so should you! Because what successfully happens in New York, California, and other states, will soon be at your doorstep. My bet is that Hasbro will cave to these demands!
Valid point … thank you.
Given that they’re headquartered in RI, I’m surprised we don’t see them flying the white flag already.
really, assault style toys? I suppose if you pick it up and beat another child about the head and shoulders. children do not buy their own toys, adults do. how do they create joy, creativity and connection? have they ever played with one? they get kids to use their imagination and work as a team. hell, we used to have bb gun wars on schoolground property when I was a kid and no one I know has killed anyone much less been a mass murderer. my mom told us we shouldn’t do it because someone was going to get his… Read more »
When I was a kid, I wanted a Matel Thompson submachine gun just like Vic Morrow carried on Combat! I doubt that real boys are any different nowadays.
When I was 8 my granddad handed me my first gun. A single shot 22.
Guess what I got my kids…
Just have them registered after their background check and 10 day waiting period. And don’t forget the trigger locks and gun safe. And parents, no straw purchases allowed.
You see, in The Land if the Left, everyone that is not an enlightened nanny stater is an irresponsible moron incapable of making intelligent decisions about everything from how to dress for the weather, what foods to eat, to generally being what they consider a responsible consumer. Parents, in the liberal-approved role as their kids’ buddies, can’t be relied on to not buy things for their children. The Nanny staters must do that for them.
Beeroy, and those same people probably can’t comprehend where their food actually comes from. Well, it comes from a factory, right?
You cannot “Un-Stupid” people like this. Lacking all common sense and intelligence is at the very core of their thought process.You cannot possibly have a brain bigger than a pencil eraser in coming up with this kind of nonsense.. Good grief………………
Consumer COMMUNIST GROUP GO TO HADES and wait, God will pick you up shortly.
The only thing that bothers me about the commercial is the adults act like stereo typical “gun crazies.”
Drop the word “gun”. They do act like indoctrinated crazies though.
Here is my .02 WHy don’t the left go live in some states on the west coast and make up all the B>S> they want to live by, and let’s see how it all ends up working for them. Stop telling the rest of us RESPONSIBLE PARENTS how to live our lives!!
lol….screw them! I don’t care…i bought all 3 of my children their first .22 when they turned 3. Showed them safety and responsibility and how dangerous a gun can be if they aren’t careful. And ALWAYS have to be with us before they can shoot.
I do have a question, Hasbro gave the blessing for the movie Battle Ship based on the game????