> How could we counter this agenda?

The only way to counter all of this is to be everywhere at once
and the only way to do that is to use force multipliers to spread the message and train groups of locals how to respond to these initiatives. Marshall Meyers, Andrew Wyatt, and Adam Wysocki can't be everywhere at once no matter how much we need/want that to happen, and frankly in most cases the locals are better equipped to deal with the state and local issues.

USARK, NatPet, PIJAC, none of these organizations is equipped funded or built to address so many issues at once at the federal state and local levels, and the answer is not sending in out of staters to resolve local issues when the flames flare up. The answer is to start the work now before there are even warm embers
IF you have the opportunity.

In a perfect world, there would be an organization at the top (PIJAC or USARK) dealing directly with International/National herp issues that has a grassroots infrastructure that assists local herp clubs and organizations fight the local and state issues on their own. Right now I don't know that we have exactly that. PIJAC is probably closer to the ideal, though more through accident than through any intentional design, but their traditional methodology precludes them from moving quickly or working outside their paid membership base, and their industry focus makes it problematic to work directly with pet owners.

USARK is probably the best positioned to take this role but they have chosen a different path, instead of working to get the local orgs activated they have taken the initiative themselves in some way.

We need to engage assets we already have, better, and the way we do that is tools, training, methodology, and communication. If we work to those ends we (the reptile community) will be more successful.

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