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Lee Watson Swap Bust

Gilbert,

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I think what was said was very shallow, generalized and I took offense to it.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Good, I am glad you took offense to it.  It shows that you still have morals and ethics to serve and protect the way it was meant to be done.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">What would you do if a tragedy struck?</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
I already know what I would do because I have done it.  Ask the victims from the WTC how I helped out.  I am willing to bet it is far more than you did for them.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">You need to make a stand for what is right.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
I do, I vote every time an issue is up.  Especially when its time to vote on local officials that lead this ring of thieves.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I worked my a$$ off for an education and my badge.  If I have offended you.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Very cool and so did I.  But I took no offense to your post as you are stating your opinions and you and everyone here is entitled to.  




Ken,

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I know which incident you're referring to (California), and I really wouldn't qualify what took place as a beating, although the officer could have shown a bit more restraint. To begin with, the kid split the officer's head open just above the ear. Then, when he was handcuffed, the kid grabbed the officer by the family jewels. By no means am I supporting the fact that he struck him after the cuffs were on- that much is inexcusable. Once the cuffs are on, the game is over, and he should have just stepped back. What I am saying, though, is that there is more to that story than the little snippet that made it to the 11 o'clock news.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Ok lets add to the truth.  The cop split his head when he tackled the kid in the parking lot.  Who by the way has a mental impairment that interferes with the auditory input and translations to cognitive responses.  The kid never hit him in the head.  And wasn't this over a minor traffic ticket where Rambone had to get his way based on his Racial Profiling of the kid?  They where parked filling up with gas when Rambone pulled up.  I think youshould have said "The officer should have shown complete restraint." The kid was cuffed and Rambone clearly drilled him in the face.  One question remains though, will any of his fellow officers have the nads to say that in court to help rid the force of these kinds of riff raff.  Most likely NOT.  

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">What would you propose to deter folks from breaking the law? Or shall we just turn it into a free for all? Driving 50 in a residential, take a corner a little to hard, and wipe out a bunch of kids waiting for their school bus?...no problem.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
Hummm, why not start with all the unsolved murder cases, drug rings, robberies, car jackers, crack dealers, hookers, missing children, got the point or shall I continue with the list?

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Yes Tim, there are a few bad apples in law enforcement, but they represent a very small minority.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
So step up sooner and weed them out faster.  Say long before they retire.  What are YOU willing to do to stop them?  Would you be willing to be labeled a "Rat"?

Last but not least by far,
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Tim. Hopefully, you'll be able to understand my perspective, and why it got under my skin.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
I do understand and I do sympathize for the few honest ones left on the force.  But you must understand that I was being specific about the ones I know of and not you or the list of names you mentioned.
 
OK,

We're getting pretty far afield here, aren't we?  What has most of this to do with the herp community at all?  More specifically, what does any of this have to do with the business practices of anyone, or was this whole thread more properly placed in the General Discussion area?  After all, I don't think anyone has called Mr. Watson's practices into question here.

Even if it is moved though, do we really need to be arguing point/counterpoint about whether all police are corrupt?  My brother-in-law is a cop in Pheonix (just laying out all possible points of bias on my part).

I understand (and share) the passion you all have for this subject, but really . . .this isn't the place for it.  Of course, I'm a nobody, just one voice among many; feel free to ignore all of this at your leisure.

<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':D'>
 
Hello again,
       I will say a few more things and leave the cop issue alone.  Lee is a really good guy and deserves our support.  He doesn't deserve to get side tracked like this.  
 I appologize for the anger in a few previous post.  I am just a firm believer in good and hold on to what I believe in.  As far as a dirty cop.  I have spent alot of hours to take the jobs of dirty cops.  Nothing pisses me of more than a dirty cop.  I know they are out there because I have been a thorn in a few sides.  To answer a few questions.  If I were there and saw another cop violate anothers civil rights or break the law.  It is a fact, that I would arrest them on the spot at whatever force was deemed proper.  I would do this after the situation was under control.  If these things have really happened to some of you.  I think you should take it to a Federal level and I don't mind helping as much as I can.  
I think education, being in a good physical condition and proper raising from childhood are the keys to a good cop.
 I also think our job is to Protect and Serve.  I do this and have great pride in it.  I have been involved in things I still have nightmares about to this day and still will until the day I die.  A few know what I am refering too.  
I don't do this job to be a overwhelming power freak that gets off by pushing other people around.  However I know the types.  I do this job to do my best to make a difference.  I am the same man with the badge as I am without it.  I think it is very important not to forget where a man comes from.  I hope this makes sense.
Lee, I promise not to get on anymore speeches and stick to the issues at hand.  I just had to finish saying what lied beneath.
Thanks,
Gilbert Thompson
 
you know I've been in the reptile buisness for a couple years now, and by no way an authority on herp laws. but I have been out to the swap a few times to know what goes on out there and seen and heard the horror storys of people buying reptiles that are sick or die shortly after they bring them home. Did anybody take the time to read the newspaper article stating it was an ongoing investigation of poisionous snakes that all lead back to Lee's swap. I hate to see anyone buisness get hurt, and it was probably handled wrong the way the law enforcement handled it. but the peolpe who were busted and Lee got what they deserved.
 
Ken if you want to bail from this discussion go for it but I think youd be better to stay and read, I know it has gotten a little side tracked from the origanal topic of Lees swap, however I dont think anyone has missed any of the points nor is it any differant then everyday conversation, if you spoke to some of us about this over the phone the conversation probally wouldnt go much differant then it has within this thread,

in any event Ken and Gilbert dont dismiss what me and others are saying about our dislike for law enforcment as nothing more then a bunch of bigotry, we have our reasons, one of the problems within law enforcment is the denial that I am seeing alot of right here, you guys are involved in law enforcement one way or the other and say your all good guys I dont doubt that espacially you Ken I have known you for a couple years, its easier for you guys to make a change then us, when I had my little run down with the law I tried to do something but was warned to leave the issue alone and be happy with the fact that I have no trace or record of the incident and that if I didnt I wasnt going to be a happy camper for a very long time, this warning came from a judge, you guys have the power to make change instead of yelling how wrong we are, listen and learn, I wasnt born hating law enforcment, the cops I have watched violate the law they were supposed to be protecting taught me to feel this way, I was like many other white people was singled out after the bigot cops in NJ and there illegal search and seizures made national headlines, it was all hispanic and black people they were messing with I seen them pull over atleast 50 of them in the 5 yrs I lived next to the NJ border and rip everyone of their cars apart, make their children stand along side busy interstates while they shown them how the cops in NJ liked to treat minorities, women with infants forced to stand there for hours while the circus ripped through their cars and violated their rights, that finally made national headlines and guess what they did, pull over and did the same thing to every white person they could so they could run back to the papers and say look "were not a bunch of bigots we are harrasing and violating the rights of white people as well(now that it was brought to our attention we hadnt prior)" thats bigotry Ken, its easier for you guys to do something and for you guys to sit back and say take it to the federal level, one of us trys to go against a cop and well have every cop in the state after us, but in any event back to the topic at hand and I dont think theres anything wrong with getting side tracked a little because in everday life our conversatons would be no differant

Even as far as the hognoses go, I asked my g/f freind about it and the deal last year at the tinley show was the guy was from out of state and he was lagally allowed to bring them within IL and sell them, out of state residents could legally buy them however IL residents could not due to them being native, they took his animals and he got them back but the sad thing is its another case of the law enforcment not even knowing the laws, I had forgetton about it but at the Tinly show last year we spoke to some of the officers that were sitting outside the front door going into the show, we were asking them about restriction on retptiles and the laws governing them, they ONLY thing they were certain about was "its illegal to own or posses a snake over 6ft in length" that was it, and they are not even right there, its illegal to have a 6ft+ snake in a retail shop noyt private ownership beyond that they didnt know the differance of any species, the guy we spoke with wasnt even sure if crocs were illegal, it was a joke,

its a shame Lee runs a good show, hes a great guy and to have to see him go through this is sad, very sad, you know my email address anyway we can help Lee let us know
 
i have a question...
Lee, how could you not know that people had venemous animals at your OWN reptile swap?  i don't mean to bust your chops, but come on!!  and baby turtles??  i know it's difficult to find a turtle that is 4" and is swimming in a big tub with a whole slew of other <4" turtles on top of a table (or even underneath it).  lee, i don't know you, have never been to one of your shows and have only merely heard about it and i'm not trying to come across all high and mighty, i'm just questioning what no one else has.  do you walk around your own reptile swap with your eyes closed?  or do you turn the other cheek?  or are your vendors just that good at being deceptive?  and another question, if they are that good at being deceptive, will you invite them to vend at your swap ever again?  and if they aren't deceptive directly to you, then i guess they will be at your swap.  and the question is, will they be breaking the laws again (no matter how ridiculous or stupid they may be) and if so, will you eventually be responsible for their illegal actions.
sorry to pose all these questions and i don't have the time to make them all politically correct and less standoff-ish (i have a butt-load of school work to do).  but i would like to know your take on them.
thanks lee, jb
 
Darin,

you are right, I wasn't trying to place judgement on the appropriateness of the law, just to point out that sometimes we try like heck to make conections on things when in fact no connection is really needed.

Evan,

Are you saying that no state has the authority to require you to have any permits to sell any CB non native non threatened animal? because thats the way I read your post.

Steve Schindler
 
Okay guys. I am no expert. Just a guy who loves reptiles and enjoys buying them and even sometimes selling a few. My major concern after reading all the posts in here is, shouldn't we be sticking together. If teh laws are bad or unfair, then we should be looking at ways to change them. I do not live in Il, but do have friends who have told me horror stories about their herp laws.One friend who can legally catch snake in Texas (venomous) has told me he will not come to WI through IL. He says even though he is traveling through the state, if he is stopped with any venomous he will be fined and the animals confiscated. I think Lee could possibly make the laws available to those who sell their because many do come from out of state. It would only take a simple sign stating the herp laws in IL and everyone would have to sign a form when they buy a table saying they will abide by Il laws. This would show that Lee is trying to stay above board and that he is making an effort to be certain that those vendors have been informed. I do feel that the enforcement people who busted the show were way out of line in their tactics and that the entire situation could have been handled much more tactfully.
I also think that there times when you have to break a law if you want to have snakes. Some cities have such strict laws that even having one corn snake breaks the law. I would never get rid of my animals. They are family and I have had most of them for many years.

Oh well just some of my thoughts, whether you agree or not.

Thanks
George G
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (jbuncc @ Sep. 19 2002,22:20)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">i have a question...
Lee, how could you not know that people had venemous animals at your OWN reptile swap?  i don't mean to bust your chops, but come on!!  and baby turtles??  i know it's difficult to find a turtle that is 4" and is swimming in a big tub with a whole slew of other <4" turtles on top of a table (or even underneath it).  lee, i don't know you, have never been to one of your shows and have only merely heard about it and i'm not trying to come across all high and mighty, i'm just questioning what no one else has.  do you walk around your own reptile swap with your eyes closed?  or do you turn the other cheek?  or are your vendors just that good at being deceptive?  and another question, if they are that good at being deceptive, will you invite them to vend at your swap ever again?  and if they aren't deceptive directly to you, then i guess they will be at your swap.  and the question is, will they be breaking the laws again (no matter how ridiculous or stupid they may be) and if so, will you eventually be responsible for their illegal actions.
sorry to pose all these questions and i don't have the time to make them all politically correct and less standoff-ish (i have a butt-load of school work to do).  but i would like to know your take on them.
thanks lee, jb</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>
I am under the impression that turtles under four inches are legal if sold for educational purposes.  There is no reason a dealer/breeder couldn't have them there then!
 
OK, limit the discussion to the raid and let the general discussion on law enforcement fade out here.

This whole thread will likely get moved to the GBD forum anyway, so be prepared for it when it happens.
 
oh, a quick note on the cop issue...
i think criminals deserve to get the $h!+ kicked out of them.  especially if they are running from the cops.  i say pull out your gun and shoot them in the leg!  or ram their car and make it do a couple of flips into a ditch!  cops should use whatever force is necessary to protect their own lives and the lives of the law abiding citizens in this country while upholding the laws they have sworn to enforce.  yeah, i've been profiled too.  a few years ago when i was still in high school, i had a few stickers on the back of my car and i was always out late at night with my friends.  we'd go catch a late night movie or just run out to taco bell and grab something to eat.  well, because i was young, had stickers on my windshield, and was out late, i was pulled over at least once a week and searched about 1 of every 3 times.  i was always polite and extremely respectful ("yes sir", "no sir", and i was never condescending "i pay your salary").  also, the cops never found a thing, know why?  because i've never drank a drop of alcohol, never tried a single illegal drug (and never used a prescription drug or OTC drug in a manner other than what i am supposed to) or even smoked a cigarette.  hell, i didn't even eat meat at the time.  but i was still searched at least once on a monthly basis because of how i looked and how i presented myself.  but do i have a distaste for the cops, no!  personally, i'm willing to be pulled over for nothing and searched in exchange for the knowledge that once in a while, they'll actually catch some @hole that thinks the law doesn't apply to him/her.  my time isn't that precious that i can't spare 15 minutes for piece of mind.  oh, and once i grew up a little and scraped the stickers off of my car and started buying clothes that fit, i don't get pulled over anymore because i don't fit the "delinquent" profile any longer.
another scenario, our place was broken into about 2 months ago and we had cops all over it pretending to be looking for this and that.  there was a perfect set of finger prints on the window and we had to beg to have them lifted and the guy came out and did a crappy job on it and WE had to follow up on it and find out if they had a match.  they said the prints were smudged and so an ID would have been impossible (again, they were perfect and we suspected that the work involved to catch the SOB that broke into our place and stole a few thousand dollars worth of stuff wasn't worth their time).  an obvious crock of __.  but do i hate them for for it?  no!  because as crooked, lazy, arrogant, and stupid as some are, that does not incapsulate all of them (or even a majority of them).  know how i know that?  because if you stop and have a conversation with a cop, or buy their meal when you see them in a restaurant when they're on break, or just stop and tell them that you appreciate what they do, it's easy to see that they are good genuine people who care (in general).  i also know that because i wore big clothes, a backwards hat, listen to loud music and go to the ever dreaded "raves" that the media likes to make sound like something they aren't and i'm still a good person.  just because someone holds a membership in a group that is perceived as good or bad, doesn't make them automatically that way.  we should all know that general perceptions and biases are asinine and unfounded and are generally fueled further into the realm of ridiculousness by the media.  shouldn't we?  i mean, we do all keep snakes, and all snakes are poisonous and have giant fangs.  and of course, the ones that aren't are the cute little ball pythons that reach 10ft and strangle kids and eat them, right?
take this and run with it, rip it to shreds, poke holes in the argument, i don't care, it's how i feel and it's what i know.
peace
 
sorry webslave, i was busy typing that loooong quick note while you posted that.  my appologies...  jb
 
I want to address a bunch of these topics that people have addressed.

Jason- what you are talking about is Chad Fuchs at last years Tinley Park show who had improper paperwork and had his hognose seized. He got the animals back after straightening things out with the authorities. The reality: Western Hognose are native and protected in the state of Illinois. Easy problem to avoid, just don't bring them there to sell or arrange for correct paperwork in advance. Permits for hognose are free of charge in Illinois and take about a week to get.

Compaq-first off post your full name. Second, we don't need you in the animal biz with that attitude. "They got what they deserved" what a lousy thing to say. I'm sure that you have never made a mistake in your life and never wished that you were given a second chance. The kid who was arrested and will probably end up jail is 21. He was not a vendor, not selling venomous and not a bad kid. How would you feel. Wouldn't you want a chance?

Jonathan Brady- Like you said, you have never been and don't know. So you can stop bashing Lee, who has done more for this hobby and business than you likely ever will. You try running a show with 40-50 vendors, 100 tables and 1000-2000 customers in an afternoon. Do you have any idea how crazy things get? Give me a break! Do you think he can look at every single thing? Not to mention the fact that the one venomous snake out of thousands of animals in discussion was not on the table! It was hidden! Get your facts straight before you go insulting people. You were not there. I was.

Steve- unless a state authors and adopts a law in specific regards to permiting how can it regulate non native non endangered animals. And even so I am talking about "exotic" species from outside the USA. The USDA regulates native animals. The USFW regulates import and export. The FDA regulates public health and welfare. When all three agencies came and looked at my captive bred non native and exotic snakes, they dismissed me from any permit or license needed and told me I was all set and in no violation of any laws, state, local or federal. I talked at length with agents of all three agencies as well as the state herpetologist who told me he was very sorry to have to conduct this type of raid but due to the lack of self regulation by dealers he had no choice. He was a very nice guy, complemented me on my animals and was on his way.

George G-Lee is not responsible for the vendors or customers at his show knowing the laws. Every person that conducts business is responsible for knowing the laws that apply to said business. Lee goes out of his way every show telling dealers if they need to remove animals from tables. He has also made available on every occasion that I am aware of when somebody asked the law concerning said topic. This is his business, he does not want this to happen.

Ken-Lee was privy to the alligator cases in court as he was involved and followed them through. He told me that eventually they were dismissed and the law is no longer applicable to those animals. Also, as of several years ago, when Florida began allowing hunting permits again on alligators and recinded their status, they are no longer an endangered species at the federal level. They are protected in other states where they occur, but to be federally protected means that an animal is protected within it's entire range.

To all of you who are reading this thread. The posts about police and ethics are not what we are talking about and inapropriate. The whole point is, this happens all over this country of ours. We have a business/hobby/love, of something that the majority of the population finds distasteful or neutral on. It is because of this lack of concern that it is very easy for any agency of government to go after us as they know we have no popular support. Nobody wants a pedophile on the streets of their neigborhood. None of us want a drunk driver to kill our loved ones. People have passion on these subjects and pursue them. We are involved in an industry that the majority does not care about and because of that each of us needs to work harder, yell louder and make ourselves be heard before we lose all of rights to keep any animals. I hope somebody will see the light. I am now done with this thread too. Thanks for listening. Anyone who needs to contact me can feel free to email me. Evan Stahl
 
Tim,
   Thank you for the email.  I appreciate that and it makes me feel alot better.  I also appreciate what you do as well.  I am glad we got it cleared up because you have some nice animals.
Thanks,
Gilbert Thompson
 
hi even, i can appreciate your rebuttle and i see that your position is a firm one.  but the fact still remains that one of the vendors had "in excess of 600 baby and undersize turtles".  how do you not notice that and the other violations that were cited?
and when i was referring to the venemous animals, i wasn't necessarily referring the one person who had one venemous snake, i was referring to the insinuation that the vast majority of the venemous animals that the paper mentioned were reported to have some tie with lee's reptile swap.  he has had to have seen that (if it did indeed take place).  and you answered that, you said he walked around and asked people to remove animals, so that has been taken care of.  but now i'm wondering about the turtles and whether or not lee will invite back the vendors that knew the rules and decided to break them anyway, either blatantly in front of lee's face (challenging his rules and the written law) or secretly under the table behind his back (thereby risking his livelihood and reputation).  personally, i wouldn't want those people back, but i'm not lee so i'll have to wait and see if he responds and if so, what he says.
thanks for your input evan and i meant no harm and intended no hard feelings, just had a few questions.  have a good one man, jb
 
Jonathan,

Unless I'm mistaken, and I may well be, I thought the implication being made was that vendors were using Mr. Watson's show to make deals for animals that they then dealt in at other times and places, thereby making the swap meet a clandestine conspiring place to make illegal trades.  Again, I could be wrong, but IF that was the case, just exactly how is Mr. Watson, or ANY show sponser/promoter supposed to stop that?

<img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>
 
I have been talking about the legitimate offenses, like venomous animals and native wildlife. I would remind you again that the baby turtles were not a violation of any animal law and that the dept of agriculture and fish and wildlife could care less as it is not in their jurisdiction. The baby turtle citations were nothing more than a joke. It is a 25 year old law that has never been enforced and is still not being enforced. There are plenty of pet stores in the state of IL that did not have their baby turtles and were not ticketed for having them. It is an example of the worst kind of selective enforcement, again, being used to damage this industry and Lee's show. Nothing more. Salmonella? Over 2/3rds of the chicken in the grocery store you shop at has potentially lethal levels of the bacteria on it and they will harm you if you do not properly cook the chicken. That is the government telling us that. When was the last time that there was a recorded case of a human being getting salmonella bacteria poisoning from a turtle? The sponge on your kitchen sink has potentially lethal levels. Meat in this country that is improperly handled kills us every day, but they can't give one single incidence of a reptile related case! FACT! I am tired of 25 year old myths! It has also been common place, as suggested in court cases on the very subject over 10 years ago, that baby turtles could be sold with disclaimers outlining the law and the proper uses for them. Every vendor at the Streamwood show had this info posted by these turtles. The government has been satisfied with that for the past 10 years. They fail to mention that in the info posted. The vendor you keep mentioning with the "600" turtles is a friend of mine. 99% of those turtles are sold wholesale to pet shops and others vendors. None of these resellers have been cited or harrassed as he was! Selective enforcement is just as illegal as any other criminal act! Enforce a law evenly or not at all. Evan Stahl
 
cool, questions answered.  thanks!  <img src="http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>
jb
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">When was the last time that there was a recorded case of a human being getting salmonella bacteria poisoning from a turtle? The sponge on your kitchen sink has potentially lethal levels. Meat in this country that is improperly handled kills us every day, but they can't give one single incidence of a reptile related case!</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

Evan, I'm sure you meant well with that line of comment and while the point is essentially true, the specifics are not.

"Facts Shmacts, you can use facts to prove anything even remotely true."- H. Simpson

It is entirely possible to get a salmonella infection from bacteria that originated in a turtle. The bacteria is a naturally occuring gut fauna  and it is much easier to spread in a liquid or moist environment.

It is also a much MUCH weaker strain of the bacertia and still in lower densities than can be found in many raw meats, chicken especially and the usual clinical effect on a healthy adult is so slight as to go un-noticed. Usually just a slight feeling of nausea and loss of appetite occasionally a little bit of vomiting, very mild- far less severe than most flus.

However, the fact it is not generally life threatening is not identical to it being non-existant. And simply because it is weaker and doesn't get reported as often as more severe sources- or is easily overlooked in favor of more severe sources (medical proffessionals seem to look to chicken and other meats first and foremost, if you've eaten any in the last week or so, it's usually listed as the cause, asking if you drank some turtle water while siphoning a tank doesn't even occur to most of them) does not mean that it is impossible that a human death could potentially  happen in the future. Take Brown Widow spiders- they rarely produce anything signifigant but there was an occasion where an individual on a 24/7 dialisis machine was envenomated and died... extreme circumstances but it is a human fatality.

By changing "mild and uncommon" to "non-existant and impossible" you are performing the same type of action those government  officials responsible for that rediculous twenty five year old law did... Slightly and subtley altering facts to signifigantly alter the mind-set of the reader.

If one person dies from X disease one year... and two die the next... That's a 100% increase. It's easy for specific numbers to be lost in a sea of ratios and percentages.

However your point was substantially correct. There is little if any reason to continue the enforcement of this law (especially because it virtually never happens) but changing it would be difficult. It 1) Would be an admittal that it may not have been a decent resptriction to begin with and 2) it is still used today in order to add additional charges onto the list of people being penalized for other actions (it's most common useage that I have seen, much like laws prohibiting sodomy are only enforced when rape is an issue).

The laws surrounding it should  be corrected... as should the individual laws of virtually every state when it comes to herps... Most the time the competent individuals working for the state doing field studies or in the position that you mentioned of "State Herpetologist" know this very well... but try and get a legislative body to  do anything about it... That's the hard part.
 
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