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I want to start by saying that I understand. It's hard to look at something from the outside when you were born and raised on the inside. We see it every day. It makes logical sense to let same-sex couples get married, but those who oppose it grew up in a system where that wasn't how things were done. "Are you telling me that I can't even complement a woman's breasts now?" Yes, we are telling you that, but I understand that you think that because women are second class citizens where you come from. I shouldn't be shocked when people still think it's okay to own an assault rifles because when you live in a world where you can buy them an aisle away from the baby bottles, you think that's the way things should be. This all goes toward my main point:
Stop putting Pokemon in Pokeballs!
"What are you talking about, Chud? Where else am I supposed to put them?" People have got in their head that it's okay to keep catching Pokemon in tiny containers just because you can stop by any Pokemart and pick up Pokeballs, great balls, and ultra balls. We all live in a Pokemon world that manufactures items specifically for use in collecting, battling, and storing Pokemon. Rarely people look at our world and ask why?
I'm not even getting into the barbarism of pitting Pokemon against each other in fights in order to show how big of a person you are. You can find articles posted every day about how this is no better than cock fighting. What I'm proposing is that we do away with the system that encourages and expects us to continue to collect, store, and ultimately even forget millions of poor creatures. A Pokeball is around the size of a baseball, and Pokemon the size of couches are being crammed in to them. While people can justify it by saying its a "safer way for them to travel" are only making excuses in order to protect their hobby. I know there are those of you who feel like you are too far gone because you are trying to catch them all. This seems like an obvious oversight as well, bu you can't. There is exactly one of several types of legendary Pokemon out there, and no more than one person can have them. Sorry.
Now, I know what you are saying. "Chud! I've seen you use a Pokeball a bunch on times, you hypocrite!" This is true. Like the majority of the population, I lived comfortably in a world that was fine with abusing helpless creatures until they can barely walk, only to make it easier for me to throw a Pokeball at it, trapping it inside. I was young and naive until very recently, and I can admit that. I can also (like I hope you will too) commit to change.
"But Chud! I saw you use a Pokeball yesterday!" Well, I can not talk about the use of Pokeballs without discussing the Rhyhorn. Living in the LA area, I am blessed to witness several of these gentle creatures wandering in the area. Rhyhorns are wonderful wild creatures, but they are also very large, extremely heavy, and made of rock. Some of them can cause earthquakes when provoked. This was their land before we took it over, so the least we can to is to catch them with a pokeball, and release them into a safer area. Pokeballs do have uses, but not to trap or collect animals indefinitely. They can actually be used as safety tools for these creatures.
Most children are drawn to Pokemon by one specific avenue. They have followed the adorably yellow Pikachu. Specifically, children have been drawn to the Pikachu documented on the television show who belongs to Ash Ketchum. I am not against having Pokemon as pets, for many owners are quite gentle and understanding of a Pokemon's needs. My Politoed eats extremely well and stays happy. When children are asked what specific Pokemon they were first introduced to, they say Pikachu. Which one specifically? The one that refused to go inside of a Pokeball. Oh, the one with all the freedom? That cool guy? Why can't they all be cool just like him? Why indeed.
I don't expect this to change the world overnight, but I do hope this will open your eyes to the suffering and pain that we are inflicting on these wonderful animals. It is not because we have an instinctual desire to abuse them. It is simply because that is the culture we were raised in. If you start to look at your collection and begin to think they would be happier if they were freed, only then will you begin your journey to be the very best.