Violent Toys?

Once again the Lion and Lamb project, a group of concerned parents have put out their "Dirty Dozen" list of toys and games that they think promote violence among children by teaching them that violence is fun. Well guess what the top three are: Ninja turtles, Transformers and Power Rangers. When did we get transported back to the early 90's? I remember having Ninja turtle toys as a kid. My brother had them too, and power rangers. One of my good friends still loves the transformers genra. To say that these toys and games make children violent is abserd. If that were true then kids our age would be alot more violent than they are today.
But what about Columbine and all the other school shootings. Those were kids our age. People have tried to blame that on so many things that it should be a crime. Marylin Manson, rap, lax gun laws, Movies, TV, American History, black people, white people, South Park, etc. So why not throw in the toys that we grew up with? What difference could it make. None. Kids who don't understand that they're playing make believe or who's parent's don't teach them that are going to end up messed up anyway. Freud may not have been right about alot of the specifics of his theories, but he was right about the fact that sex and violence are huge pre-obsessions in the human mind. He should have gone into marketing instead of psychology, he would have made a killing. In fact, if you want to know what companies to invest in every year, invest in those which are getting this free publicity. How violent they are is only an indication of how successful they'll be.
People view this action group as playing a vital role in alerting parents to the hidden future risks that these play things pose. After all, as GI Joe used to say "knowing is half the battle." Informed parents won't want to buy these dangerous toys. Give me a break. Only an irresponsible parent who wouldn't care what this group would have to say would buy their kid a toy without understanding all of its potentially violent implications. If the kid says "buy me ..." and the parent does, what kind of parent is that.
So where does this leave Leonardo, Optimus Prime and the gang? These characters have been favorites for nearly 20 years. I know an engaged couple who is actually intentionally buying Ninja turtle toys so that their kids will be able to play with them in the future in the event that they are no longer sold. Heck, at least its better than the pacifying, mind numbing drivel that's on Canadian television.