Nothing is banned. This is a longstanding LEGO company policy that they were sort of stretching, until consumers called them out on it.
We have to draw the line some where and stop this nonsense. Brushing reality under the carpet doesn't and won't change anything. Are we to now pull every toy used as a means of expression for children? How many dolls fight? How many transformers are military vehicles? How many kids have water guns and balloons?
People need to relax and get worked up over real issues facing the world like, literal ongoing slavery, child exploitation, human trafficking. But instead because those are hard, they focus on something like this to get their feel good dopamine kick.
Star Wars licensed toys are OK. Military aircraft are not, because they kill real people and the licensing money goes directly to the aircraft manufacturer.
Is the argument that the Boeing association will make Children / Adults more violence prone because of the relationship of this Craft? What about Nasa and the space race, fueled by the Cold War? What about Jurassic Park where we are perpetuating an un healthy understanding of science... Star Wars where the exact goal is to defeat the empire with Blasters, Light Sabers, and other destructive means.... Everyone and anyone can make any argument as to why every one of these things is bad. Kids need to play, toys allow them to work through emotions. Proper parenting can easily address this if it's really a concern.
It's plastic toys, designed to foster excitement and respect for engineering. It's a cop of out for Woke Culture and it's yet another example of extreme views alienating not only the right, but those of use that are realists on the left.
Let's get ahead of all this and just stop using the internet and all the luxuries of modern life because most are related to empirialistic behaviors and benefactors of military might and conquest.
But that's not what Lego did. You said you have to draw a line, and they drew a line to the left of military vehicles and to the right of Star Wars and allowing themselves to use the internet.
I grew up playing with a lot of realistic toy guns and WWII era tanks. I hardly ever see kids play with that. I don't think Lego is the only company who decided not to make war vehicles, and I think many toy companies made this decision long, long time ago.
They have chosen to draw a line. They don't produce toys that represent real military vehicles. You just don't like the line. I suppose you will have to purchase your toy military models elsewhere.
They didn't chose to draw a line, they let a mob draw it for them.
> The basic aim is to avoid realistic weapons and military equipment that children may recognize from hot spots around the world
The Osprey unequivocally is captured by the above standard.
We regularly found pre WWII Era weapons in Afghanistan, Iraq, and throughout Northern Africa.
In this instance "Realistic weapons don't apply". The argument must stand on equipment children might recognize from hotspots around the world.
There are hundreds of Jets, Police vehicles, Helicopters, Cars, Trucks, that are all based on vehicles in use by the military. The only variance with the Osprey was the branding. Lego recently pulled Police and Firemen sets for the same arguments. So lets say I agree.
Why did Lego remove promotion for the White House Architecture set? It doesn't represent weapons or military equipment? They did it because someone decided that it was a symbol of oppression. It's pure lunacy.
All of these sets were manufactured after 2010. The only commonality is that someone felt offended. In fact, I can't find any historic evidence of either of these situations having ever happened in the history of Lego (one that is long and varied). It all happened within the past couple of months.
You can't say it's not complete hysteria over nonsense. Forcing all these brands to bend to your unique opinion is horrible. The fact that they're bending is just as deplorable.
Thankfully some brands like Redbull are pushing back.