I've followed this current attack on our rights very adamantly, rallying as many people who actually have nothing to do with the reptile world together to fight this, and I, from the bottom of my heart, hope that everyone is doing the same. This is just one more example of the government attacking our rights, and the fact that average American citizens who have their rights taken away daily would be willing to compromise is just a total shame.



What has happened here? What happened to personal responsibility? Why do people feel it necessary for the government to "Protect us from our own stupidity"? Do we all see this for what it really is? As many others have pointed out, it's just one right at a time. Baby steps toward the big picture. I'm sure that each and every gun person here, who follows gun laws and gun rights, knows exactly what I am talking about.



It boils down to this with reptiles, just as it should with guns.....Actual numbers! No hysteria, no hoopla, but numbers! How many problems have we actually had? How many bites from venomous reptile pets happen each year? How many venomous are owned? They are dangerous, no doubt, but if the numbers are astronomically low, as I would bet they are, why take them away? Why even call for the need for a permit? Here's a better question, "How many venomous pet snakes have escaped to bit someone else?" The number may not even register in the grand scheme of things.



These questions translate over to the large constrictors. Aside from Florida, name another large constrictor problem in the states? Florida has taken action to curb that, so why should any other state, or the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT for that matter, take action? How many "Big Five" snakes are out there as pets? How many incidents happen involving the Big Five? Again, probably not enough to make a blip.



I guess it's a bit of a rant, you could write a book on the American public's disappearing rights, as many already have been. The government was originally designed to serve the peoples interests, not "Protect us from ourselves". To hear any herper willing to give up anything without any good reason that's backed up with facts is just disheartening. It just seems that perhaps people have been "protected from themselves" for so long that perhaps they have forgotten how to be responsible for themselves. We herpers, overall, have done a great job in our industry, with minimal incident. Can we actually all say, in one united American voice, No to any regulations? Please tell me, without the "I knew this one guy" story, a good reason as to why the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT needs to get involved, and why we should compromise?



Jason Royer



RoyerReptiles

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