Let me preface this post by saying that I no NONE of the people involved here on a first hand basis. I have never met any of them, and I do not even know what they look like (a fact that may be readily apparent to some reading this thread!). I have no axe to grind, nor a side to support. I dislike the practice of making venomoids, and see no reason for having snakes cut up in order to make them more "user friendly."
In short, I am truly a disinterested third part, who claims for himself a mild degree of interest for the purpose of trying to be fairminded here:
Ken,
I think that Bret ONLY posted that as he did to link NERD to the views expressed by the young man shown on the link. He said that he would not write about how he felt about what the link contained, but then he went on to "warn" everyone about how they might feel from the contents. He then went on to express his opinions concerning venomoids (still under the heading of the aforementioned warning, mind you).
Since there is nothing in the linked page that attributes ANY of the statements, which Bret found offensive, to NERD, one can only surmize that Bret is purposefully trying to paint NERD and the young man in the link with the same, broad brush. Should he? I don't know, because I am not aware of NERD's stance on venomoids. But for Bret to suggest that his post was simply an internet FYI, and not a slap at NERD through the veiws of one of their patrons, is silly.
Bret,
You said that Dr. Jay had on page 9 of this thread, by his own definition of the word "physician," implicitly agreed that he was not one. However, that is not what he said at all. He was giving the definition of a "licensed physician," which he is not by his own admission. He has not (at least not to my knowledge) yet completed the licensing process in the States of KS or MO, and so, he is not a "licensed physician." My hunting license expired at the first of the year, here in MO, and so I am not a licensed hunter. I have several rifles, shotguns, pistols, and kinves in my home, and I have about 30 dressed quail in my freezer. Am I not a hunter anymore? Silly again.
Oh, you also said that you could not find any definition of the word "physician" that would allow Dr. Jay to call himself one. Wow! You have a real dearth of dictionaries where you are, I suppose! Here ... let me provide you with the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (hardly an obscure referrence source!) definition of the word: "physician"
Main Entry: phy·si·cian
Pronunciation: f&-'zi-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English fisicien, from Old French, from fisique medicine
1 : a person skilled in the art of healing; specifically : a doctor of medicine
2 : one exerting a remedial or salutary influence
The highlight was a touch I provided so you would not easily overlook the definition provided there, Bret. I hope it has been helpful.
As to the venomoid issue, I essentially agree that there is no valid reason (in my mind) to put an animal through that process. However, I do not believe that you, nor I, have the right to attack others for having veiws different than our own in such matters. Bret, some think that we are ALL inhumane for having what are essential "wild animals" in relatively small glass enclosures.
Even so, if you were not trying to take a poke at NERD by posting that link, what WAS your immediate intent? If you were trying to get at NERD, why try it THAT way, when there was NO reference to NERD anywhere on the page, except for a link back to the NERD site?
Finally...
B.W.,
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, as are we all. But I have to disagree with you when you say that Ken was merely trying to start a flame here. Bret's proclivity to attack individuals without regard to accuracy and/or fairness has been seen too often to go unnoticed, in my opinion, and such a post in this thread is justified, according to the BOI rules, it seems to me. Again, you are absolutely entitled to think and post that Ken was merely trying to start a flame on Bret here.
However, to be fair, Ken DID say:
"Then again, I've been taking a prescription narcotic since yesterday morning, so perhaps I've simply misinterpreted what Brett said. The more I sit here and think about it, the more I end up second-guessing myself and believing that I very well might have overreacted.
What I'll do is quote Brett's post here. If those of you who are in full possession of your faculties tell me I overreacted, then so be it. I'll have no qualms about eating some crow, publicly admitting I was wrong in my interpretation of what was said, and apologizing."
I've seen my share of flames on the internet in general, and on the BOI in particular, B.W., but I have never seen one started off like that! Have you?
Ken may have a sore spot in relation to Bret because of his past antics, but that's what having a reputation for being a character assasin will get you, Bret! Bret really needs to be able to admit when he's wrong in relation to Dr. Jay and his qualifications to call himself "Doctor, physician, healer, etc."
And B.W. and I are merely expressing our opinions on the matter as was requested by Ken in the first place. Mission accomplished.
