Grassroots Activism Comes to Toy Nation

Toy Nation is and has probably always been pretty conservative. Maybe it’s because in many cases its family owned manufacturers selling to family owned retailers selling to…well…families.

In keeping with this outlook, citizens of Toy Nation have always looked to their institutions when problems, like the safety meltdown and the onerous safety legislation that followed arise. The only problem with looking to big institutions to protect us is that, in a sense, we are passing the responsibility, the effort and sometimes the buck up the ladder. If someone else is doing something, we don’t have to.

That’s why I have been pleased and pleasantly surprised to see the rise of some grassroots and alternative approaches to industry challenges. I am sure that you, as I, have received email messages from groups like The Handmade Toy Alliance which states on its website: “We are not some pretend group sponsored by big companies trying to appear grassroots. We are an alliance of toy stores, toymakers and children’s product manufacturers from across the country who wants to preserve unique handmade toys, clothes, and all manner of children’s goods in the USA.” You have to love that passion.

Go to Facebook, Linked In or any number of social networking websites and you will see a variety of groups that are emerging out of a desire to speak and be heard. Whether we agree with these people or their organizations, at least they are passionately trying to do something. 

I hope and I expect to see a lot more of this type of activism. So, if you are an organization that is trying to bring change to Toy Nation, write in and let us know who you are.