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I just wanted to voice my disappointment with Leaf owner Brian Gray's decision to include the autograph of tyrant & mass murderer Adolf Hitler in its upcoming "Oval Office" release. In my opinion this is unexcuseable, and not only will I not be buying this product, I will never be puttting a dime into any of Gray's products. Adolf Hitler in an Americana product featuring great Americans? Are you kidding me?

Adolf Hitler was arguably the worst tyrant the world has ever seen, responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent human beings. Most tragically, a great percentage of these murders occured as the result of sheer hatred via Hitler's "racial cleansing" policy. I can understand wartime casualties from combat, but to kill for no other reason than hatred is an atrocity.

I recently raised this issue with Mr. Gray on an online discussion board, and his insensitive reply went like this:

" We are NOT making a cut of Hitler independently, but rather with FDR... we think that emphasizes the historical significance over individual celebration.... We make what our customers ask for... Do you quit watching a network because they air a single show that isnt your "cup of tea" or doesnt meet your "moral standard"?"

Not my "cup of tea"? Are you kidding Mr. Gray? If Hitler had murdered your relatives would you be comparing him to a cup of tea? That's possibly the worst & most insensitive response I've ever heard to a cunsumer relations complaint.And I'd like to see you produce a single request from one of your customers asking you to put Hitler in your product(s).

I'll end my rant here, I'm just disgusted that a card manufacturer would even consider putting a tyrant like Hitler in a product that kids can buy in this day & age. I'm sure I am not alone in my opinion.

Sincerely,

Warren Wolk
Owner, All-Stars Collectibles
Langhorne, PA

At $1500+ a pack, I don't think too many kids will be buying this. But yeah, I don't see why he would be in a set that's about US Presidents. If it was a World History set or WW2 set, I could see it.

100% agree i am outraged with this decision, this is the first time i've heard about it as im a hockey collector and stick to the hockey boards, but this is ridiculous. In a set that is made to remember and honor the greatness of america and our presidents, this is horrible. Adolf Hitler is probably a canidate for the most hated man by Americans as like you said took the lives of millions of innocent people just because of their religon and race. Completely disgusted by this, i hope i can get in touch with Mr. Gray to give him a piece of my mind, this is ridiculous.

Not going to lie though i obviously strongly dissagree with his actions i think it'd be cool to have his auto..

I don't see an issue with it. People know who Hitler was, they teach it in school, the children today aren't too sheltered from his name. Years ago they put out the serial killer cards, that seems just as bad (Dahmer, Gacy, and the like). But this stuff does hold collectible value. Search 'nazi' on ebay, or German uniforms, you see swaztikas, and all sorts of crazy stuff. I'm surprised it took a card company this long to include it. I remember even Topps did something in Allen & Ginter a few years back that included 'bad guys'. Some cards include cheerleaders, you could argue they are using sex to sell, but why boycott an entire brand, when you can just avoid one specific product.

If I pulled a Hitler auto, I would put it on ebay and expect about $12,000...just saying...

How about if Hitler killed a few of your relatives, would you have an issue with it then?

(01-18-2012 04:11 PM)scollignon Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see an issue with it. People know who Hitler was, they teach it in school, the children today aren't too sheltered from his name. Years ago they put out the serial killer cards, that seems just as bad (Dahmer, Gacy, and the like). But this stuff does hold collectible value. Search 'nazi' on ebay, or German uniforms, you see swaztikas, and all sorts of crazy stuff. I'm surprised it took a card company this long to include it. I remember even Topps did something in Allen & Ginter a few years back that included 'bad guys'. Some cards include cheerleaders, you could argue they are using sex to sell, but why boycott an entire brand, when you can just avoid one specific product.

If I pulled a Hitler auto, I would put it on ebay and expect about $12,000...just saying...

Personally, while I don't see how it makes since in the set, I've got no issue with this whatsoever...While he did do terrible things that should not be honored, they need to be remembered, or we are bound to repeat them. However, if you do pull it you better offer it to me for a LOT less than 12K lol heck a 1/1 lincolns on the Bay for 10 lol

(01-19-2012 11:22 AM)donwar Wrote: [ -> ]How about if Hitler killed a few of your relatives, would you have an issue with it then?

How would he kill a few of my relatives, he's dead!?

I agree,it would be cool to have.Yeah he was a bad man but so are most Presidents and other elected persons.As far as killing goes,yeah he did but he was also a very smart man,he made Time magazine man of the year.You don't have to like him to get rich off him haha

I agree with the OP. Maybe Leaf should donate some of the proceeds of this product to an organization that works against discrimination.