The P.O.O.P. Campaign
(Ponies Out Of Plastic)
Picture a pony.
Here's my picture: a pony grazing in a quiet grassy meadow under a blue
sky. Or a pony tucked up snug in her stable for the night.
Here's what I don't picture: a pony enclosed in a plastic cage, more
constricted in movement than a battery hen. A pony who has never smelt
fresh air, only a preservative atmosphere. A pony whose nose has never
nuzzled wet grass. A pony who has never been played with.
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| Pity these poor baby princess ponies in their plastic
prison. |
Now, I am not one to say what other pony collectors should do with their
ponies. If what gets you going is MOC MLPs, then good luck to you.
But
I know I could never put a MOC pony on my wall, where s/he could see all
my other ponies playing freely. To me, it just doesn't seem right.
Ponies
are for playing with - they are toys. And people who remember them as
toys, as I do, and who collect now to link back to those early childhood
years, are beginning to forget why they were so great in the first place.
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| "Help! Let us out! We can't breathe in here!" |
Can you imagine how it would feel to be created as an object that would
bring happiness to a child, and then spend the rest of your long pony
existence (let's face it, Hasbro plastic will outlive all of us!) looking
at the world through a distorted window, wanting to join in?
I believe
this is cruel. Ponies should be free to run around when we leave the room
or go to sleep at night.
I know there are many collectors who will disagree with me furiously
over this. And I know that the thrill of finding a MOC pony is great.
Being the person to open the packet feels wonderful, like the pony was
meant for you. So searching for MOCs is very understandable to
me.
However, the silly prices that MOC ponies now go for mean that buyers
have to think before opening that packet. MOCs are decreasing all the
time, and as soon as that plastic bubble is burst, a large part of the
pony's cash value vanishes instantaneously.
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| Now the sisters can nuzzle hello whenever they
want! |
But how can a pony's happiness have a cash value? I would reach out to
all pony collectors, and say,
"Come and open your pony. S/he's yours now."
If done carefully, the packaging and accessories can still stay pristine,
and can be stored separately. It isn't even necessary to detach the bubble
totally from the back card.
And then you can see your pony properly, groom them, stroke their hair.
And introduce them to the rest of your ponies.
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| And the grass and flowers smell oh so sweet! |
Now, as I've said above, I do respect pony collectors who
collect MOCs. And I would urge any collector to consider very carefully
the implications of opening a MOC.
But, if you feel the same way as I
do, and I know not everyone does, feel free to join the P.O.O.P. Campaign.
 Copy
the P.O.O.P. image, put it on your website, link it back here, and help me raise
awareness. P.O.O.P. - Ponies Out Of Plastic!
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