"Unfortunately true-the first time the humaniacs have found common ground with the mainstream environmentalists-and the scientists. And also, in my view understandable. Like it or not, invasives cause untold damage to ecosystems in this country, and we'll get nowhere by denying this. Biologists are deeply worried about invasives, and they are going to insist that something be done."

I know invasive species are a serious problem, and I don't for a second deny that they need controlled. I think that they should be examined, studied, and dealt with as such, so future invasive problems can be prevented. That is what the established routes that are in place are for. The ones that say no Brown Tree snakes can be imported here, or that no one can have a pet Mongoose. For groups like that to support a bill like they did, it shows me that they did not make the decision to support it based on science and reason.

I don't think that is understandable, or frankly "forgivable". I think its all part of the knee jerk responses fueled not by reason but by the scare tactics and paranoia that has been going on as of late. I wonder how many of those "old guard" groups have been/are being infiltrated by the very AR people who want to use them to push an agenda. I personally think what we are seeing is those groups - the environmentalists and the humaniacs becoming closer and closer, and more a single entity - The Enviro-mental-cases.

"But the mainstreams and the scientists, unlike AR groups, will listen and accept sound, science-based compromise. At least we'd better hope so-if not, we have no chance."

It seems at least in the case of that bill we "triumphed", but I am not sure that those groups are not now on board with the groups like the HSUS and so forth...I know I will not trust any of them anymore. After many years, I know I am no longer a member of Audubon.

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