I definately agree with you on your last comment. I definately cannot control your actions-especially several hundred miles away on the other end of a telephone line.
I also agree that currently florida has a lot of public image problems that texas has avoided(not just the invasives, but amount of scammers, and number of people with poor quality control).
But I think the public perception issues are wide ranging and we have seen new legislation from new york to alaska. Most of it driven by soccar moms, and people who have no idea about the industry. Even though the real threat of the kid getting spit in his eye was very very very slim, and you probably felt very comfortable in the situation, soccar moms across the u.s. would be horrified that you were within 5 feet of a cobra nontheless actually handling it.
And even if we all stuck together, venomous guys, nonvenomous guys, gecko guys, and everyone with a herp as a pet, we would still get out voted every time on the "ban all harmful animals" bill. That is what I am really worried about.
Last night at a public hearing about 40 herpers, some hobbyist, some industry guys like Eugene Besset, Bob Guerrier(spelled wrong probably), and Bill Brant, home breeders, retailers and publish scientist from Dr. Lillywhite, to people with over 30 years of naturalist experience all talked about the negative impact pit tagging baby venomous would have, and the problems of record keeping on animals that may switch hands five times in five weeks. Then a quite lady in the back was called up to speak and she quicjly proposed a ban all potential harmful animals no matter the species coldblooded or not, and a petition of over 3000 people and over 1000 letters and emails with her.
no matter how much you and I don't see eye to eye on the spitter pic, or everyone else in this industry sees each other we need to get together and fight for our civil liberties. It is NOT a right to keep snakes(there is no consitutional clause), it is a privileage. And I can guarantee that if key port states like florida, and california fall, and states where there is no biological issue like alaska and upper new england all enact laws against exotics Texas will eventually follow suit.
Again I am not trying to make you agree with me, make you say I was right, or stop being you, I just hope you can appreciate where I am comming from, and hope you will do whatever you can to protect this liberty that we share.
thanks
ben
