Mark Bonokoski’s article, published on the website of the Canadian newspaper Toronto Sun, ironically reviews the Voodoo / The Ex knife set designed by Raffaele Iannello and suggests it as a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day.

However, the article is also very critical of the product. Although the journalist reports that it was designed by an “Italian design guru” and that he would see it well in the Bauhaus museum in Berlin, he says that there are also those who do not find anything artistic in it and think it is only propaganda of violence. He quotes their reader Terry Lera who is convinced it is misandry (hatred of the male gender) because on a British website he read that it is advertised with the slogan “All Men Are Bastards Knife Block”. So from Canada he even wrote to British Prime Minister Tony Blair to complain about it.

Evidently this person was not aware that the Blair government was dealing with that subject in those days, since the same controversy had arisen shortly before also in the UK, where that website is based. Controversy that was then crushed by the Advertising Standards Authority which bluntly stated that it is an artistic product that does not promote violence and is not offensive to anyone.

Mr. Lera, stating that he has never felt so angry in his entire life, receiving no response from Blair also wrote to Blair’s wife, Cherie. Receiving no response even in this case, he finally turned to the Toronto Police Chief, who however replied that he could not do anything. He then wrote dozens of emails to federal police agencies, police associations, various political leaders, lawmakers, radio commentators, and numerous editors of North American newspapers and magazines. In no case has he received an answer. He also turned to the company that had created the offending slogan and finally managed to talk to the public relations office with which he vented all his frustration.