American Girl and Girls, Inc. have come out swinging against the recent criticisms of their collaborative “I Can” campaign.

"We are profoundly disappointed that certain groups have chosen to misconstrue American Girl's purely altruistic efforts and turn them into a broader political statement on issues that we, as a corporation, have no position," the statement said.

...American Girl, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc., said the "I Can" initiative supported three specific Girls Inc. programs: building girls' skills in science and math, developing leadership skills and encouraging athletic skills and team spirit.

"All of these aims are appropriate to our 7- to 12-year-old American Girl fans," the company said. "

...Joyce Roche, president of Girls Inc., said the New York-based organization had never before been targeted by a protest campaign.

"We were taken aback," she said in a telephone interview Friday. "Our programs are well respected. We're all about helping girls see possibilities and dream big dreams."

Girls Inc. takes positions on public policy issues if it believes women's rights and opportunities are at stake, Roche said. "Our philosophy is that women should have the right to make decisions about themselves," she said.

Well that’s the problem, isn’t it?