>>Jeff,
>>
>>They have "not given the community a chance to respond"? Who >>>has not given the community a chance to respond?

The mainstream press

>Who in the community is trying to respond?

I know that I have tried to respond and have been ignored
as have others

>How are they trying >to respond? Are people contacting media >outlets trying to >counter this and being ignored?

Yes

>Surely, the big commercial breeders and businesses could get >some attention from placing ads and/or using their power, money >and contacts to get our side out.

Buying ad space won't allow us to counter negative media stories and all the money in the world can't counter bad press.

>>
>>Can the herp community at large be doing anything to help >>besides joining PIJAC and commenting on the USFWS request for >>information?

Yes - they can participate in our Reptile Law Resource Center by submitting local laws, they can contact their local herp clubs and organizations and help them develop their responses, they can contact the offices and the agencies and the players involved in this and make them aware of their displeasure, they can contact the media on their own and offer rebuttal. They can do all of this while they are gathering their own data to write their own response to the USFW request.

>Is the community planning on doing anything or is everyone >waiting for PIJAC?

I don't see anyone waiting for PIJAC, I see lots of people doing stuff on their own every day


>>The papers written by the Barker's should be released as press >releases. Is that happening? Do we need to make it happen?

The Barkers wrote the papers they need to be the ones to make it happen

>>I have heard very little from the industry about what we are supposed to do about this. I am just wondering what I can do to help? I don't keep boas or pythons but I recognize that we all must band together and fight.
>>
>>Mike Welker
>>El Paso, TX

I don't know what to say Mike, I know that I have attended meetings, teleconferences, participated in chats, launched a whole new law dbase, launched a mail list, am speaking at an ETHS
meeting tonight. I think that the message from us and from PIJAC has been pretty clear that right now we are all in data gathering mode and that the responses need to be held until late before being delivered. I know that we plan on releasing data and comments to be used for submissions later in the month. If other people or organizations would care to respond with what steps they have taken or will be taking to respond, feel free.

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