First off, I wonder how any of you would fare having to try to listen to 20 people that you do not know, making judgements that may or may not hold air, and then trying to keep your thoughts together to write a coherent sentence in order to defend yourself for something you did nt do, but people wanted so badly to throw stones that instead of this forum and its supporters realizing this was not a witch hunt, but a thread that ran astray. I have read many of the posts here. I have seen the great pontificators tell people wha they were saying and where they were saying it was inappropriate. But get a group hungry for blood, and all the rules for all the people claiming to be the upholders of the law not only go out the window, but the very people tasked with making this forum what it is supposed to be get angry and do the very things they have so many times said were wrong.
John Schmidt, I will give you the straight answers. In fact not only will I give you your answers, I will also say that had you come at me like Mike Greathouse came at me things would have been civilized. Put yourself in my shoes John and tell me you honestly think it is ok for 30 people to jum my bones and stone me to death while I am the only person on the other side, and I did nothing worng in this particular situation. You really are a wonderful bunch. And, you are wrong Laura. I will give you the reason why in a little bit.
OK, John, no Riverdance, just straight answers. I hope you are not too disappointed, since I have alreeady said them 100 times on this forum.
"You have stated that you knowingly sold the boas with one eye to the public at large on Reptile Auction. I think everyone reading this thread as well as any reputable breeder in the industry would agree that this is an unethical act. Would you care to explain how this fits into your repeated claims of being an honorable ethical person?"
I bought the boas knowing they had a problem. At the time I was going to use them to pursue a theory I had. I never intended to sell them. I was prepared to grow them out and see what happened when they bred. As one of the people who posted put it so eloquently, there is NO RESEARCH proving that the bad eyes that turn up once in a while in albino to albino breeding are genetic. There are many theories, but nothing that is substantiated. NO WHERE. Look for yourself. All the articles brought up to me outside this forum were just theories. No body had or has ever substantiated.the theory, so it remains a hypothesis at best. Secondly, All the people that waded in and talekd about ethics and honor, are the same ones that have infected every gene pool in the reptile world with their attempts to come up with the next new morph, no disrespect, John, bt you have done it, too, for te almighty buck and for the money it brings in. So, as I said in an earlier part of the thread, please do not judge me for what you think I do, unless all you have ever bred was same species to same species and have never once thoguth to make a hypo hogg, a candy cane corn, a blizzard. It may seem as thought what I did is disgusting, but you must also take responsibility for thigns yourselves. I believe it to be unethical and dishonrable to point a finger at someone without first realizing if you are part of the problem or part of the solution.
So, I bought the one eyed albinos and the person I bought them from is one of the best people I have ever met. Do not take him to task for your perceived problems with me. Let the blame stay with me.
I have said this at least 10 times in my posts, but let me say it again. I have had the worst three years of financial problems I have ever experienced. I ask for no sympathy, just an understanding. When my deal with Chris went down, and he called me to tell me there was a problem, I was unaware what a prolapse was. I had no clue. I know that at many times after I got the albino, it would piss and shit all over me when I picked it up. It had pushced out its ??? many times and had always retracted it back in. I thought there was no problem. When Chris bought the animals I did nt sell them to him thinking there was a problem. I told him about her pissing and shitting on me and walked away. I would never have mentioned it if I was not trying to be honest with Chris. At that same point in time I was a graduate student at USF and I was teaching Freshman/Sophomore English there as well. I had an assisstantship that was paying me a few bucks and depending how many classes I taught there was always the times where I had a few extra bucks.
I had gotten into an argument with a professor about one of his students that came to me with a problem. That rgument led to my getting dismissed from USF. I had done nothing wrong except ask a few questions, but I lost my assisstantship, I had to drop out of Grad school, and the problems with Chris all came at the same time. I will apologize to everyone here, bt I am the type of person that internalizes personal problems and I crawl into a shell and close myself off from both family and friends and anyone else because I am humilated that at my age I have nothing due to a 17 year drug problem, which I have been sober for 15 years this month. I never intended to run from Chris, I only intended to crawl into a hole long enough to get back on my feet. I read all the posts about coming to my place, going to the cops, etc. I also knew that if there was something really wrong with the boa that Chris would take it to a vet and have it taken care of.
When I went to Bill Leverton, I went with the honest intention of talking to Chris and finding out what really happened. Why would I contact Chris if I did not intend to see what was what? I spoke with Billy many times about it. The one thing that kept comin around and around wa the fact that Chris told Billy he had no proof. He told Billy he had thrown the snake out after not resolving things with me. That I could understand. He also told Billy tht he had also deleted all the pictures of the dead snake. I was also willing to accept that. I was THE ONE THAT TOLD BILLY I really wanted to believe Chris so I told Billy to make the suggestion that he must have some doctor bills, but he told Billy he did not have any of the bills. So I AGAIN< TRYING TO BELIEVE EVERYTHING SAID TO BILLY, Bill, tell Chris to call the vet. I am sure they keep records. Ask them to go to their archives and get him a copy of the bills. Chris then told Billy that he had not taken the snake to a vet. At that point I felt like something did not add up. If the snake was really sick, why not go to a vet with it. Even if you had a problem with the guy at the other end, why make the snake be punished and "die" I would never do that. I am not trying to impugn Chris in any way with this part of the story. But here is what I understood at the point. Chris bought the snake on April 22. He said the snake died in early May. Let's say May 10th. That meant that Chris had the snake, thought it was sick, and watched it die without ever lifting a finger to try to help it. Why? Because he was mad at me? So he let the snake die? At that point I was pissed. I had told Billy what snakes I had and told him to tell Chris that he could have whatever he wanted. This was before I became mad about Chris not taking the snake to the vet. Chris told Billy he would never buy or have another snake in his house from me. OK. well that meant the best I could do was to give him a few bucks here and there. Then I told Billy there was a chance I was going to have possession of a pastel ball python. All of a sudden the doors opened up. Chris would take pastel ball pythons, albino boas, albino Balls, he would house top shelf snakes from me and everything would be fine. OK, so now I begin to think something is funny. That is when I began asking Billy to tell Chris to call the vet and get them to get their archives ready, only to find out that Chris had never done anything to help the snake, at least that is how it came off to me. So, I am more than willing to make good to Chris for what happened. What I want to know is why it happened? I have seen there are many ways to take care of a prolapse. Different methods that sometimes work, and different methods that work everytime. My question is why Chris? Why not get it fixed? Why let it just die? I am asking these questions because you would not talk to me. You wanted to go through Billy and I was the one that had asked Billy in. But I never did find out when the boa died? When you realized it was sick, why not get it taken care of? If it was because you were mad at me, then I am not responsible for its death and I owe you nothing. Billy was a witness to ur conversations. Though whether will tell the truth or not in this situation must come into play. It seems that many of you who threw stones at me have less than perfect pasts. Ain't that right Wes, Billy, etc.? But you are all so willing to throw down with me.
OK, John. I have not yet answered your questions, but save them I will. I want first to clear up the Chris thing once and for all. I hope that is ok with you.
On another point, John, I am sorry for dragging your name through the mud last night. Johnsonlink and Wes, you can both go to Hell, but John, I have never heard a bad word about you. I just felt isolated and violated. I am sorry. If you al had just come at me like Mike Greathouse, things would have been different. So, I leave it up to you all. I am going to bed. Tomorrow I will write to answer any questions you have. Make a list. LOL.
Finally, You are right, John, I have had three names here. I listed them all within the last month or two so that I could work my way back into the mainstream here without getting blindsided like I have been the last two nights. This is my name now, for better or worse. I am not running anymore. If others take responsibility for their slights, I will, too.
