Gillian Gibbons And The UN Convention On Teddy Bear Names
IN light of news that British teacher Gillian Gibbons has been spared the lash and sentenced to 15 days in a Sudanese choky for naming a teddy in an improper way, Anorak looks at the position of teddy bears in society.
The Sun focuses on ten-year-old Georgia Leyland, who bought her teddy in Harrods and named it Mohamed, in honour of Mohamed al Fayed.
“She’s just a little girl and she doesn’t understand,” says her father Mick. We should not rush to judge. Says Georgia to Gillian: “You’ve done nothing wrong. It’s just a teddy and you should be allowed to call it Mohamed – just like I’ve done.”
Why Miss Leyland should name her bear after a business leader is odd in only that more children don’t follow the convention. Teddy bears are, after all, so called in honour of President Theodore Roosevelt, who was fond of a Square Deal and once advocated war with Spain.
Other toys - the Gonk, the Troll and My Little Pony – are rarely if ever named after world figures. It is the teddy bear that occupies a special place.
As such we need clarification on what we can and cannot name our bears. The UN Convention of Teddy Bear naming has yet to reach a consensus. And to be on the safe side all new teddy bears bought this Christmas should be named “Teddy A”, “Teddy B” or “Boutros Boutros”.
Children should resist all urges to name their Barbie doll Hillary or their Bratz collection after Al Qaeda’s leaders…
November 30th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Everyone should call Teddies Mohammed from now on.
What a load of tripe, these ‘religious’ fools get worse and worse!
November 30th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
I have been slightly miss quoted by the sun in as much as the only real reason we decided on Mohamed or Momo for short (as the teddies name) after Mr. al Fayed was because it is a Harrods teddy with the embossed logo and the company colours around its neck , bought on a weekend break to London at Harrods.
Georgia is now horrified that she has had her picture in the paper and still cant really grasp the significance of it all.
November 30th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
i’m just off to pick up a pot bellied pig with my neighbour, he’s buying it for his mother. As soon as i suggested we should call it mohammed he stopped at the locksmiths and got a nametag made.
thanks for making us laugh at your expense Mr. Islam
November 30th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Nutters, the lot of em…ban religion and put these simple folk out of there misery.
November 30th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
These people are just DEAD STUPID.
If this is the world’s fastest growing religion, there is really no hope at all. NONE.
And we don’t even have the right to SAY this. NO HOPE.
December 1st, 2007 at 12:16 am
Especially when beheading is a family sport!
December 1st, 2007 at 12:28 am
Poor Gillian, she has had to be moved to a secret location because the religion mob are after her execution! What for. There has been no firm evidence, only the kids telling their parents, if they did of course. Personally, it is an excuse to get back at the westerners. That country has problems with all aspects of life. The religion that is followed surely is not Christian, but an excuse for the masses to do in life what they like best. Cruel the lot of ‘em.
December 1st, 2007 at 6:52 am
4
Cob Of Cheese Says:
November 30th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Nutters, the lot of em…ban religion and put these simple folk out of there misery
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Religion is fine just as long as you stick to yours and I stick to mine ( metaphorically speaking ) and don’t try to impose your beliefs on me, BUT - by the same token, the old adage “When in Rome , do as the Romans do” is as true now as it ever was, you MUST observe local customs and traditions when in a foreign country. Just imagine what chaos would reign over here if the people from the Ugga Ugga tribe ( made-up name ) who are used to walking around stark naked in their own country, came over here and did the same down any High Street !! We would be up in arms and they would probably be slapped in the pokey for indecent exposure etc etc which they wouldn’t understand because - as far as they are concerned - they are not “indecently exposed” !! If anyone is travelling to a sensitive area, then you MUST read up on local customs and requiremenst and stick to them, but I also have to say, how come these seven year olds got to be that age without being taught by their parents, that the name Muhammed, Mohammed or whatever, is so sacred that you can’t call your Teddy Bear that name ? and if it is SO sacred , why is there a kiddie in the class with the same name ? seems like double standards to me
December 3rd, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Square Deal was Franklin Delano, not Theodore, Roosevelt but hey what’s in a name?
December 5th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Mick - how did her picture come to be in the paper?