Listen I am reading all the back and forth, there are many variables here and for some people compromise is seen as a negative, but let me suggest that I believe one of you who know the area or several of you who know the wardens and the issues call the San Antonio Newspaper and put in an article about this, get this into the mainstream no matter what your opinions are. There are standard facts that have come out about this, so talk about that and I work for a small local newspaper in my area, I believe that this is probably newsworthy. So lets start with some action that is going to put the people who made this happen on notice by publishing their names and how the dirty bill came about and weather knowingly or un-knowingly the effect this is going to have on the herping,hobbyist, and researchers in Texas. Now we are now criminals because we drive down a dirt road to catch a legal reptile. Listen a wisely put together article calling out the players properly but not mean spirited but the facts as they stand will get not only thier attention, but don't you think the paper is looking for something lke this to publish about our legislators? I would also try the same thing in Austin as well. Can some of the local herpitological societies in the areas sign on to this if its done properly?
Last of all I am a lizard man and not a snake man, but I do research on the dirt roads out in Carrizo and Chrystal City which may not be the same areas but the effect is the same, so someone needs to write an article and get this on the Kingsnake forums. All of them so people can know what is going on. Had I not looked at this forum I would not have known all this that was going on. For me as a citizen this has to do with the etching away of our rights little by little, and unless there is a real intention to make appropraite changes we are going to be dong our herping in pet shops.
If I knew the issues and was a real snake person I would help lead this, but let me at least say this--I see two things that need to happen and could happen, if there is one focused attempt by all of us to follow through with this:
1. Get this on the kingsnake forums, they have often out special legislation or like when Steve Irwin Passed and such on all the forums.
2. Contact the San Antonio and Austin papers and write a truthfull but wise article calling out the issues and naming the dirty dog politicians and their tactics but keep it mature and respectable, and last of all include the Goveners name in this as well. This in my humble opinion could be a start.
Last of all perhaps wait until Wendesday as it was suggested as to how this might come down, but in the mean time some of you guys that know one another or are more familiar with this forum, could certianly put something together....Cheers!!
Should we consider sharing e-mails or phone numbers?
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www.phrynosoma.org
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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]
