Spectacular Radio Show on Keeper's Rights & Fights

Hi Everyone,
I don't usually post all of our shows (there are alot on our website) but I thought this one in particular would be of interest for those concerned with current legislative threats.

It's a 2-hr show so clean some cages or listen in the car but guests include Tom Crutchfield, Carl Person, Robbie Kezsey of "Swamp Brothers" and a hidden gem in our hobby Terry Wilkins. This is a "must listen" show for those concerned with our hobby, I promise.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/urbanju...om-crutchfield

Danny Mendez
UrbanJunglesRadio.com

Hey Danny,
Although I wanted to say I enjoyed the show, and everyone made valid points, and this Terry Wilkins sounds intriguing... I found some pretty extensive "Bad Guy" threads right here on the BOI, other various news articles, etc that don't paint him as the best character to represent us. At first I was all for him, and the passionate nature in which he spoke, until I ran a Google search on his name. I had NO idea who he was and other listeners are buying into him. It doesn't look good at all, given his track record with his animals and apparently the law.

I DO think some good points were made on all sides and that it is ultimately a combination of factors that will take us to where we want to be.

I just ask that you do more of a thorough background on someone you think would be a good person to represent the hobby. LOTS of people make good points and can draw a good debate, but that doesn't make them the best person to represent an entire body of people.

-Rachel

PS- I don't choose anyone to represent our hobby. I just provide a microphone and an international audience.

Rachel,
I am aware of Terry's reputation and I have no regrets putting him on the show. He is a vital ingredient to examining this issue from all angles as he brings up some compelling arguments, valid points, and has had a unique perspective on the hobby from a legislative perspective. Love him or hate him it's worth a listen.

There's no one out there right now representing our hobby that is spotless, for now it's a matter of getting as much info as you can and making a decision.

Danny,

You have to be aware that is being talked about having him represent at least a portion of us after the segment was aired. I do believe that everyone has a right to talk, but when I didn't know who this guy was- and I myself was even throwing him praises- and found some VERY damaging ammo that could be used against us, I had to eat that praise.

Perhaps if you have him on in the future you can inquire as to why his business seems to have suffered, and why those animals mentioned on the numerous threads here, and elsewhere by multiple accounts were kept in sub-par conditions.

Again, I think it is the combination of ideas and techniques in our arsenal that haven't been used yet that is going to gain us some ground. Not just one very motivated person who speaks charismatically, regulation, science, or self policing alone.

Also, I am well aware that you don't choose who represents us on the legal and legislative front. Fair enough.
However, you have a radio show with a very large base of listeners within the community and their credibility be taken into consideration. That is your responsibility, indeed!
I had to eat my words last night. He is a breath of fresh air to listen to, but after learning what I have about him through a simple search, I can also smell garbage downwind.

Once you throw your hat into the ring of politics, no matter what level, you then have to expect that all the doors to your closets with skeletons in them will be thrown open for public inspection. And certainly the opposition will use those skeletons as ammunition against you to try to strengthen their own position by weakening your credibility. The opposition will HIRE people specifically to dig into your past to find and USE those skeletons to their advantage.

In my personal opinion, I believe that it would be suicide for this industry to have anyone with a criminal record of any sort to act as a representative of EVERYONE in this industry. The presumption will be, of course, that that person IS representative of the majority of the people engaging in this business. In all respects related to personal, business, and LEGAL aspects.

And for God's sake, please don't choose anyone who has ever been a past winner of any of the tattoo contests that some reptile shows have run.

Originally Posted by WebSlave

Once you throw your hat into the ring of politics, no matter what level, you then have to expect that all the doors to your closets with skeletons in them will be thrown open for public inspection. And certainly the opposition will use those skeletons as ammunition against you to try to strengthen their own position by weakening your credibility. The opposition will HIRE people specifically to dig into your past to find and USE those skeletons to their advantage.

In my personal opinion, I believe that it would be suicide for this industry to have anyone with a criminal record of any sort to act as a representative of EVERYONE in this industry. The presumption will be, of course, that that person IS representative of the majority of the people engaging in this business. In all respects related to personal, business, and LEGAL aspects.

And for God's sake, please don't choose anyone who has ever been a past winner of any of the tattoo contests that some reptile shows have run.

Exactly. Thank you.

Don't get me wrong. I WAS all for what this guy was saying on the show. I agree that we do need to act more aggressively with these legislators. We elected them into office and they use our tax dollars to perform a job that is supposed to protect us and our personal freedoms. He is right about not rolling over when these AR activists feed our politicians their lies under the guise of being "experts".

I did a simple Google search on Mr. Wilkins and BAD things were on the top of the first page: several BOI threads, hints of a criminal background, money owed to the government, it goes on and on. It did not paint a good picture for me. He's a very good motivator. So what? Aren't most criminals persuasive in that aspect?

The problem with having him speak on the show isn't so much of what he said, but that by giving him free reign to speak without many people knowing who he was, there was this wholesome picture painted of him. A picture that sounded very nice to a lot of listeners (including myself) that made us think "Hey, what about THIS guy? Apparently HE gets results! He might be great to represent us!" If you knew as much about him before hand, I think you at least hold the responsibility of not letting your listeners know the background of Mr. Wilkins so his statements could be judged and weighed more clearly.

While I know that you can't please all your viewers with the guests you choose, because ultimately, they are not all of a "squeaky clean" background. Many dislike certain people in this hobby and I agree that has to stop. However many of those others have been in this industry long enough to lend a good degree of credibility to their statements. I did NOT see that kind of credibility from doing a check on Mr. Wilkins. I saw BAD advice given to customers on repeated occasions, the criminal record, you name it.

Sometimes, it's not about what we WANT to hear, and the truth can be cruel. Myself and others had to eat our good statements that we made last night upon seeing the background of this person- which hurts YOUR credibility as well.

Rachel,
If you take a look back on the roster of guests we've had over the years...I think you'll agree they are the TOP names, there are also many names that were unheard of and some I'd like to forget. Overall, I think I can easily say that none of our shows are boring. There's a reason for that, we like to hear everyone out and offer varying perspectives with no agenda.

Last night's guests offered us unexpected and welcome insights that many of us welcome not having. But they are important none the less. Tom Crutchfield has watched this industry evolve, you say he fathered it. Terry Wilkins has seen the legislative side from all angles both as someone working for the government and someone working against it. These gentlemen offered incredible and sometimes opposing insight but overall they came to the same conclusion. We need to do something NOW, and we need to do something TOGETHER. If I ruled out criminal pasts we would have missed out on both these gentlmen's moving testimonies and so I have no regrets in choosing my guests for the show regardless of their backgrounds.

At a time when our hobby is dying, I need to put as much information our there to arm you with. I try to provide facts and first hands accounts and you then arm yourself to go to war. Choose whatever beliefs you have but just choose something.

And if you agree with anyone we have or have any other information to offer you are always welcome to leave a message on our voicemail at 847-UJR-ROX5

We like to hear everyone out, then weed out all the crazy people.

**And if I excluded bad reptile tatoos Rich, the show wouldn't have a host and a good portion of it's top guests.
I was 17 ok?

Originally Posted by urbanjungles

**And if I excluded bad reptile tatoos Rich, the show wouldn't have a host and a good portion of it's top guests.
I was 17 ok?

I don't think it is relevant for a RADIO show, but if you send a representative to speak to our legislators IN PERSON, well, think carefully about how THEY will perceive YOU. In my opinion, you have to think of the IMAGE that you want to be portrayed to the average Joe and Jill on the street as well as the representatives that you plan to approach with your message to try to win them over to our side. You WILL be judged by them in many ways. The livelihood of many people may hinge on how your appearance, mannerisms, and attitude are interpreted by people that do have to power to terminate this industry based on nothing more than their OPINION.

The average Joe and Jill on the street probably just thinks reptiles are "yuchy" and why the heck would anyone ever want to have one around anyway? We NEED their support, like it or not. We do NOT need them seeing someone who looks like what their mind's eye view of "snake keepers" probably already is anyway and then have them feeling like they have a good reason to get them out of the business that propagates "these" kinds of people. You know the old saying, I'm sure, that you only get ONE chance to make a good first impression. All I'm saying is DON'T BLOW IT when a "representative" of this industry first walks into an office, or gets their picture posted in the local news rags. Appearances DO count.

Heck, I worked for the Florida Legislature for several years and saw our state level representatives first hand. Quite frankly, they FIRMLY believe that they were voted into Godhood. If you come into their offices spitting fire and brimstone and being abrasive towards them, do you REALLY think they fear you? They are in the office because of the WILL of the public! Who the heck are YOU? If they were tottering on the fence about our issues, that sort of presentation will most definitely get one more vote into the enemy's camp for certain.

My point here is, think VERY carefully about what steps you take and how you choose to take them. Mistakes made at this point could be very costly for a lot of people.

If you want my opinion, find people who are already giving reptile shows to schools and other events and institutions and encourage them to be ambassadors for this industry in as many levels as possible. THEY are actually already on the front line talking to people on the street who probably have no firmly set opinion about reptiles, and can easily be swayed to our side by people who already display the knack of showing others the positive side of reptiles as pets. Quite frankly, THIS is where candidates for representatives should come from. They are already in the business of doing what we would want representatives to do anyway. If they are successful in that business, quite possibly they could be just as successful talking to legislators.

So who do you think would be more likely to get a positive reaction from a legislator? Someone who tells them "I give reptile shows to children's hospital wards and grade schools" or someone who claims to know the ropes because they have been on the wrong side of the law?