Lack of humor may just drive us crazy

The Vermont Teddy Bear Company manufacturers and sells the cuddly little creatures that consumers buy for their kids or their sweethearts. They sell a Cheerleader Bear, a Doctor Bear, Rocker Bear, etc. You get the point.

This year the company produced for Valentine's Day a special "Crazy For You" Bear that said "Can't Eat. Can't Sleep. My Heart's Racing. Diagnosis: Crazy for You."

And now, mental health "experts" are up-in-arms saying the teddy bears offend those with mental issues and they have called for the company to withdraw the product from the market.

"Even though it has that kind of cutesy flavor, it brings up issues about corporate behavior and how corporations should be sensitive and interact with society," said one so-called expert.

I think the mental health experts are far too sensitive about a simple toy. You'd have to look long and hard to believe this teddy bear somehow is demeaning to the mentally challenged. It's nothing but a cute and clever message delivered in a creative manner.

Now we're asked to ban the word "crazy" from our vocabulary because some over-sensitive "expert" believes it offensive. Well I'm offended that some "expert" is trying to impose his lack of humor into my dreary life.

If taken to the extreme, you can find offense in virtually any aspect of life. But goodness, when did we become so politically correct that we can't find humor any longer? Are we honestly being asked to ban the phrase "Crazy About You" from our everyday language?

I believe some people simply have too much time on their hands. And given that lack of purpose, they seek to find fault around every corner. Why, given the myriad of problems facing society, would these learned individuals seek to impose their odd will on others?

I hope the Vermont company sells a million of the teddy bears. I hope it propels them to new business heights. But even that success won't stop the critics.

In a way I agree however. Someone is indeed CRAZY in this story. But it's not the manufacturer or the consumer who buys their product. It's some "expert" who has nothing better to do than to seek offense where none exists. And that should be grounds for commitment!