No offense, but you have got to be kidding me. Blaming the media is wrong? In this specific instance blaming the media is absolutely correct. Sen. Nelson and all of the "biologists" that are involved with the Florida Burmese Python problem are playing the media like puppets and the media is allowing it. The Everglades needed a rock star to gain attention to bring back lost money, and with the Burmese Python, a rock star it got.

The truth is, the media just regurgitates what the biologists tell them to. They could tell journalists whatever they want and the journalists will run the story. I've personally contacted multiple Florida journalists on this subject to try and steer them towards more correct information, all the while asking what the source was for their current info, and every time they told me it was the "biologists", or Sen. Nelson's people. To be a truly good journalist, don't you think that a topic should be researched before a story is printed, especially one so damning?

The big thing here, and everyone should here should already know this, is this: Has anyone in Florida ever been caught letting go of a burmese python? With all of the law enforcement around the everglades (county sheriffs, park police, state police, local cops, whatever), shouldn't they actually have some sort of real proof of people letting their animals go, like actual!y catching someone in the act, before the likes of CNN, that's right, CNN goes and runs any story like this? They are making you, YOU the snake keeper look like an irresponsible individual without a shred of proof, clumping you, YOU with all of the actual irresponsible keepers. Not cool in my book, and I as well as most other responsible herpers am completely offended by what the media is doing. You should be too.

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