How come no one hates Snails?

[MintySocks]

Well this discussion has really helped me understand the issue, to be honest. That's what I was going for, so thank you all for your heartfelt opinions. I don't personally feel Snails is an attempt at Canadian bashing, by the way, any more than it is when they do it on Veggietales. I was just surprised nobody had taken that up and run with it since people seem so sensitive about everything else.

I guess what crystallizes the difference for me is that Snips and Snails are kids, Pony is not. I kind of forgot that since Snails is a "tween" and Pony is so childlike. But I don't think we've seen enough of Pony to know what she's capable of...

My dream is to see an episode where Pony finally gets to tell her story and her REAL name (not the nickname " Pony" but what her parents actually named her), and that Dash and the other ponies show her compassion and understanding. That she is seen as a valuable part of the Ponyville community for who she is. That's my headcanon and that would do a LOT to redeem this whole issue in my eyes.

[SuniMoon]

.... I feel somehow like my post on the true origins of the word derp has been ignored. Ohhhhh weeeeeellll.

Anyway, on the note of her name.... What would have happened had they called her "Ditzy Doo"... Yeah, it wouldn't have catered directly to the bronies, and GASP, it wouldn't have used the word "derp"...

But someone would have still raged. Infact, I'm sure with one simple name change, the arguement would shift over to how that name is degrading to women, and how it's insulting blondes, or SOME such crap.... And I'm sure there'd still be the fair share of rage over her being insulting to the disabled.

The odd thing with offensive content, though... It's never the subject of the offensive content getting upset.

For instance... Speedy Gonzales. Ahh, that little stereotyped mexican mouse and his highly offensive brothers. Cartoon Network shelved Speedy in 1999. It was just TOO offensive. Too many stereotypes, too much misuse of language... He would get them in hot water! He would offend so many people!!

... Then the League of United Latin American Citizens GOT SPEEDY BACK ON AIR IN 2002. Hey. Turns out Speedy's popular in Latin America.

Also, I do believe a new user named Syri made a post on here about HAVING Pony's visual impairment, being a bit of a clutz, do her vision, and loving her.

Pony's should not raise children.
Parents should raise children.

Everybody is going to be offended by something...
I'm sure there's pleeeenty of content already in MLP that makes people raise an eyebrow.

I, for instance, couldn't for the life of me figure out whaaat message A Dog and Pony Show was trying to send.... I figured from the start that it was a feminist message... But at the end, I sat there staring at Rarity in awe thinking... "Okay... So the moral is suppooosed to be that with some brains, a girl doesn't have to be physically strong or bada** to handle herself in a sticky situation.... I think.... But I'm also getting another message here that says 'Complain, if that dun work, whine, if that dun work, cry... Just be sure to get those dumb men wrapped around your little finger.'"

... And I just didn't know how to feel bout that. Wasn't offended just.... Wasn't sure what to make of it.


Anyway, point is, there's iffy content all through the show, and if Pony was the last straw to not want your child watching it... Eeeeeeeh, oookay then.

P.S. I don't think the opening post was alluding to Snails canadian comment being offensive to them, but more wondering why people aren't getting allllll upset over that too, if they're going to worry about other silly things.

[stopxmotion]

Haha, well, I think that anyone who is offended by any of these characters is taking the show a little too seriously...

This is all.

[kmlv23]

Some people just need to find things to be angry about. I think people just need to chill.

Could not agree more. It's just a cartoon, people.

Post Merge: January 24, 2012, 12:38:35 PM

Haha, well, I think that anyone who is offended by any of these characters is taking the show a little too seriously...

This is all.

Also this.

[Malicieuse]

Some people just need to find things to be angry about. I think people just need to chill.

Could not agree more. It's just a cartoon, people.

Post Merge: January 24, 2012, 12:38:35 PM

Haha, well, I think that anyone who is offended by any of these characters is taking the show a little too seriously...

This is all.

Also this.

While i can't say i'm "offended".  Do you guys really need to give these sneaky stabs at people who don't feel the same way as you guys do? I don't think it's that hard to understand both views...

[kmlv23]

Some people just need to find things to be angry about. I think people just need to chill.

Could not agree more. It's just a cartoon, people.

Post Merge: January 24, 2012, 12:38:35 PM

Haha, well, I think that anyone who is offended by any of these characters is taking the show a little too seriously...

This is all.

Also this.

While i can't say i'm "offended".  Do you guys really need to give these sneaky stabs at people who don't feel the same way as you guys do? I don't think it's that hard to understand both views...

I'm not trying to 'take a stab' at anyone. It just worries me that everyone is so danged sensitive these days and everyone feels the need to be so politically correct all the time. It's a cartoon. They chose the name, and no amount of complaining is going to change anything, more than likely. What's done has been done and theres no changing it, and anything else is a waste of energy. thats my two cents on the subject.

[Calico_Star]

While I agree that everyone is going way overboard when it comes to political correctness these days, and am just as exasperated as the rest of you with it, I don't think Pony's situation is a case of people going overboard. In this case, I think it's a perfectly valid concern, and I think a line was crossed in the most recent episode. Before, Pony was clumsy and wall-eyed. A little questionable, but she was cute (until she became overused and annoying). But then they gave her a dumbed-down voice and manner of speaking. So now besides looking somewhat physically (and possibly mentally) handicapped, she now SOUNDS like she has mental problems AND she's a walking disaster...yeah, I can definitely see how that upsets people. I don't like to read between the lines too much at all, especially in a cartoon, but Pony is just over the top now. The "special" look OR the walking disaster/slow voice would be forgivable on their own, but combined, she just comes off very strongly as a stereotypical "special" person. If I were a little girl with a mental OR physical disability, I don't think Pony's portrayal would be making me feel good about myself at all, whether I understood her new name or not.

I'm also with Malicieuse on the whole acting condescendingly towards people who are offended by Pony. Come on, guys, let's respect each other's opinions. I'm actually quite taken aback by some of the members who are doing this, I expected a little better.

I also think the fact that one person has a similar impairment and thinks Pony is funny shouldn't automatically mean she's not offensive to anybody and that the people who do worry about her being offensive are wrong and just "need to chill." 

[creedence]

I actually don't know what you're talking about BUT...The "Over A Barrel" episode offended me...It was only the second episode I watched besides the pilot but now I won't watch it at all and come to think of it, I haven't bought any g4s since then.   

[ashes]

This is an early warning to please be respectful of others opinions.  If people continue to feel the need to tell each other to be respectful, then the thread will be locked.  ~ashes

[stopxmotion]

It just worries me that everyone is so danged sensitive these days...

This right here is what bothers me too. There are a lot of things in this world to be truly concerned about - a cartoon character isn't one of them.

[StarDapple]

I think they could have handled it better.  It's fine to have a girl character with a low voice, but the way the voice was, I thought it was too much.  I didn't mind her clumsiness or anything like that, but I thought they could have done much better with a voice for her, so it wasn't stereotypical mental handicap voice.


I can understand both sides, however, I just think they should have put more thought into her.

[lovekangaroo]

it's probably just people that like Pony wanna defend her because if enough complaints are made i'm sure we'll probably never see her in the show again, or have hope of seeing a toy of her... and as for her voice. as i said in another post it reminds me of some of the earlier care bears voices.

[Vintergatan]

Hmm, don't know how to delete this message, but everything i´d like to say has already been said.


I would like to remind that on the old forum, in a thread with a similar topic, someone did mention knowing a little girl who got really upset when people started calling her Pony (in a lovable way) because she reminded them of her. I am trying to say, again, that there are many sensitive kids out there who might get upset over this. So this being "just a cartoon" doesn't really make the issue go away ^^

[kmlv23]

What I want to know is how this always seems to come back to just stroking the bronies egos. Maybe the people in charge of the show liked the character the bronies headcanons created enough to make her a character because they wanted to? Yes, I understand how it coukd be taken in an offensive standpoint. I've even made a string attempt to stop using the term 'derp' in my own life. But it was a few minutes of cameo and didnt even have any real importance to the main plot, apart from destroying town hall, leading to the Mayor needing money to fix it. They thought of a cute, physical comedy way of providing that plot point, by way of Pony. I thought it was odd they didn't call her Ditzy, but whatever. That was their choice. All I'm trying to say here.

[babymoondust]

The Pony controversy reminds me a little of the Family Guy - Down's Syndrome - Sarah Palin controversy:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Family_Guy#Sarah_Palin_controversy


Can you imagine if the voice actress for Pony herself actually had the impairment, and found people being offended by her character? >.<

It is not an exact comparison by any means, these two issues, but every time I see people being offended by Pony I think of this story, so I just figured I'd throw it out there for general interest.




Also I wanted to give Lyra kudos for pointing this out:

I think it is more 'expected/accepted' to have goofy man characters in media who are lovable (and FORGIVEN) for their shortcomings - but women are expected to be perfect?
Homer Simpson - lovable idiot, Marge - pretty much 'perfect' wife. Same in Family Guy and maaany other cartoons and sitcoms (rash foolish husband, sensible wife).Daisy and Minnie - Perfect, but wheres is Mrs Goofy NOW? I know the older cartoons had more characters, but how popular are they now compared to the 'core' bunch we see everywhere now.In what I observe from my personal experiences, family, academic and work it SOMETIMES feels like if mistakes are made by men, others MAY (not always) be more ready to forgive them 'cause their just men afterall' but women should know better because they are 'expected'  to be more sensibleI think girls should be allowed to be goofy and much as the male characters.

Completely agreed.