New American Girl doll has unfortunate name association

I read a news brief in the latest issue of Audubon Magazine (a fab mag BTW that the kids and I read cover-to-cover every month) about the new American Girl doll, Rebecca Rubin (from a Russian-Jewish immigrant family), having the same name as one of the FBI's most wanted. Her name is also Robin Rubin and is believed to be an eco-terrorist wanted by the FBI for allegedly setting fires in the name of the environment.

Apparently the American Girl company didn't know anything about the real-life Rubin and said the reason for choosing Rebecca as a first name for the doll was because it was a common name in New York at the turn of the century (the doll character books are set in NYC in 1914).

A $50,000 reward for the real-life Rubin's capture is being offered by the FBI and the bureau is hoping the new doll might assist in her capture.

My favorite part of the brief in the magazine was the ending. It had me chuckling long after I read it.

Rubin, the person, is considered "armed and dangerous." Rubin, the doll, is armed, too - with challah bread (sold separately).

I do enjoy a little snark in my news, especially when the story is already on the odd side to begin with...