 | mobile - desktop |
|
| mobile - desktop |
|
 |
 3 months for $50.00 |
News & Events:
|
Posted by ADAMS on May 10, 2002 at 21:57:14:
In Reply to: Here's some more. Take it as you will..... posted by Marty on May 10, 2002 at 17:45:43:
First of all, is this the Marty of Coastal Reptiles? If so I really dig your website. Great pics! If not never mind. But please understand, I mean no disrespect. From your posts, you seem to be very knowledgeable, probably more so than I am, so I hope you take no offense.
But back to Gigi, you keep pointing out that she needs to do her homework. I say she IS doing it by asking her question on this forum.
Chances are, she had no clue where to begin gathering information on her idea. So the first and most obvious step was to go to the internet which brought her to this forum. There is a wealth of knowledge here on venomous snakes. I would imagine that virtually any question conceivable on the subject could be answered within a couple of days by the collective knowledge of those that frequent this site as long as the answer exists at the present time. That is the beauty of this forum and that is the WONDER of the internet as a whole! The access to information on just about any subject, almost instantaneously. I think that the introduction of the internet into human history is THE MOST significant technological advance EVER and is playing a tremendous role in the evolution of the global population. I don’t take the sharing of knowledge nor the incredible potential of the internet lightly.
So my question to you is why be stingy with this knowledge? Why stifle the spread of accurate information and sound advice by withholding it? And worse yet, why talk down to these info seekers in all caps and try to make them feel unworthy of this forum, sending them running away with their tails between their legs to unknown sources for information that is readily available right here? Her post could have been answered in 2 or 3 well written paragraphs pointing out the drawbacks to her idea as well as your opinion on the moral issues. Chances are, Gigi’s ignorance would have given way to knowledge and insight, she would have abandoned her not-so-brilliant idea and that would have been that. Instead, after reading your post, she is likely still considering it (unless she reads all these follow-ups. If after that she still pursues the idea, I would have to say that Gigi is not very bright). Plus, she likely has a foul taste in her mouth and may have a low opinion of this forum and those who frequent it. I don’t think that’s the impression we want to make on visitors to this site…at least I don’t.
You said you find her post offensive because she plans to make a profit by exploiting wild caught animals without having invested any effort in doing research. I have just stated that she IS investing effort, and very wisely so, by posting her question on this forum. And as far as exploiting wild caught animals…one simply has to take a peek at the classifieds to see that she is not at all alone in her endeavor. Just because some of us, myself included, do not particularly agree with this concept, does not necessarily mean that we are right and everyone else is wrong. It’s similar to the dreaded venomoid debate…we all have opinions. (I’m against the creation of venomoids, by the way). This question of wild caught versus captive bred might make a good survey for the SHHS site…Where’s Chris Harper? (Excuse me if it’s already been done). But the point is, it’s a matter of opinion.
As far as Gigi’s lack of knowledge of state laws regarding her proposal, I would imagine she had no idea such laws even exist when it comes to native snakes…especially a species as common as the cottonmouth. As I am sure you would agree, the general public's knowledge of snakes and laws pertaining to them is pretty much non-existent. For example, here in Texas, Crotalus horridus is a protected animal. Yet every deer hunter I know will proudly boast about the 4-1/2 footer they blew away near their camp, and have no idea they have broken the law. One guy in Huntsville had his picture in the NEWSPAPER a few years ago proudly displaying a huge decapitated canebrake he killed while hunting. As soon as the proper authorities saw the picture, he was located and heavily fined, I heard...which I think is pretty funny. But is this guy an idiot? Maybe, maybe not, but he was certainly ignorant...and ignorance, or the lack of knowledge or understanding, is not the same as stupidity. We are all ignorant to some degree about lots of things (except Jaffo, he da man!).
Now that the dead horse has been adequately beaten, dressed out, quartered, and sent off to the glue factory, I hope I have made my point. I further hope that this argument might encourage those who frequent this site, to treat all non-offensive visitors with respect and dignity, and to try to positively steer them in the right direction.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
ADAMS
