Reptile & Amphibian Forums

All,

What are we all supposed to be doing to expose Hilderbran, get sections 41 and 44 of HB 12 rescinded and stop implementation of the "White List"?

I just spoke with a friend in FL and he suggested a massive email, letter writing, phone calling and faxing campaign aimed at exposing Hilderbran and TPWD. If media outlets, our Representitives and TPWD get several hundred or more correspondences a day everyday they will take notice.

The media outlets and our Representitives need to see www.logojoe.com.

TPWD needs to be asked where are we supposed to herp? Are they going to let us on Wildlife Management Areas? They are mandated to provide us with recreation opportunities.

The TPWD Commissioners need to know why the "White List" is a bad idea and how it did nothing to conserve herps. And how it has banned captive propagation of many species including most of the turtle species.

In the next few days I will be working on gathering contact info for media outlets, TPWD and the Commissioners. I will also be drafting sample letters but feel free to write your own.

I have to agree with Jeff Barringer that we need to start kicking ass and taking names. We can mount this campaign with tact but we must mount this campaign.

Thoughts?

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

A campaign is already ongoing. We have an organization being formed and already have begun talks with TPWD and legislators. The next meeting will have both interested ligislator reps and TPW in attendance. Believe me, nobody is ignoring this situation.When Joe Forks gets back this week, I expect he'll have more details to provide.

Brad Chambers

Indeed. What is this organization? How are they going about it? Since I apparently do not belong to this organization nor nave I been invited to join it nor have I seen anything made public about it, I do not know if they are representing my interests or not.
If they are depending on the kindness of strangers then they don't have my interests at heart. And if they are concerned only with HB12, they don't represent my interests. These laws are basically unconstitutional. Why should we have to register our snakes and give TPWD the right to enter our homes at their whim? Why should we take bones thrown to us when HB12 takes away our rights without any consideration?
A disadvantage of being older than most is that I've seen my rights abridged year after year. Legislators love to pass laws; It doesn't matter that they abridge the rights of the many on the whims of a few.
We ttried to work with TPWD ten years ago and got nowhere. Do you honestly think you will do better this time?
Also, what has come of contact with Texas Monthly? Or have you given up on that because it will irritate the legislators and the governor?

Imagine how Mr. Hilderbran is going to feel when he learns that people from all over the country are donating thousands and thousands of dollars to the campaign of the next viable candidate that runs against him.

>>Imagine how Mr. Hilderbran is going to feel when he learns that people from all over the country are donating thousands and thousands of dollars to the campaign of the next viable candidate that runs against him.

This talk about Hilderbran is exactly what Joe referred to in a post below. He asked for it to Stop. If everyone keep it up I wouldn't blame Joe one bit for just saying "screw it" and leaving you guys out on your own to fend for yourselves. Maybe most of you don't remember when collecting was totally off limits in texas. Keep it up and pi$$ off enough people with power and it can happen again. You sound like a bunch off little kids sticking out their tongues giving each other rasberries. Grow up use your heads and come up with something constructive instead of revenge.
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Steve W.

I applaud Joe for the work that he is doing. I hope he is successful.

If Hilderbran and his boy are just stroking us, they need to know that they probably bit off more than they can chew.

"Speak softly and carry a BIG STICK"

The idea that thousands and thousands of dollars may end up in the coffers of Hilderbran's next political opponent, constitutes a BIG STICK.

>>I applaud Joe for the work that he is doing. I hope he is successful.
>>
>>If Hilderbran and his boy are just stroking us, they need to know that they probably bit off more than they can chew.
>>
>>"Speak softly and carry a BIG STICK"
>>
>>The idea that thousands and thousands of dollars may end up in the coffers of Hilderbran's next political opponent, constitutes a BIG STICK.

My point is that Joe asked to be given a chance to make something good happen and someone like yourself is still making waves.
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Steve W.

Hilderbran has already proven to everyone what sort of morals and ethics we works under. He needs to know what sort of freight train is heading his way if this situation is not resolved.

I will bet you a nickle that HH isn't worried about us in the least.

At least not yet.

I will also bet you a nickel

You are right. HH could care less about us and he is not worried in the least. We need a multi-pronged approach that attacks on all fronts against all co-conspirators. And we can do it all with tact and sound logic. And we can create our own agenda and get it pushed through using our Representitives.

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

Right now, HH thinks he has won a huge victory, when in reality he has actually won a large bag of political rope, that will eventually lead to is undoing if this issue is not resolved in our favor.

I wish Joe luck, but it is incredibly naive to think that HH and his cronies are just going to reverse something that I am sure they look at as a major political victory.

HH and his posse are likely going to him and haw and jerk us around, draw out time and hope that the issue just goes away.

Give Joe a chance, I have never meet the guy, but he has been around much longer than myself, and he has spearheaded opposition to HB 12 and HH. Now he is spearheading a resolve to work with HH. He has said on more than one occasion, that if HH sticks a knife in our back again the wrath that would be poured out on him would be worse than HH can conceive. Have some faith and trust in Joe. Wait it out for a while. Have some patience.
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South Texas Herps

We agree.

I am sure I support most of what Joe is doing but I just don't like being kept in the dark and not being invited to participate in the "Secret" organization and the meetings that are happening.

I also don't want my right to sustainably sell common wild caught animals to be bargained away to get road collecting back. I think we should be shooting for a conservation minded approach that restores all of our rights.

Mike Welker
El Paso, TX

"I also don't want my right to sustainably sell common wild caught animals to be bargained away to get road collecting back. I think we should be shooting for a conservation minded approach that restores all of our rights."

Face facts-ALL of our rights are not comming back. Too many with too much power are against it. Whatever results from current negotiations will be a compromise, sad but true.

Brad Chambers

And a compromise that you can live with, if you only take orders for herps. If commercial collecting has to go to get recreational hunting back, I say so be it. Mike, I see your point, and respect your fight. That is why I encourage you to form a group dedicated to putting YOUR message out there. When you have enough support, your voice will be stronger, but I assure you, we are on opposite sides of this issue. If we were hunting a cut from opposite ends, I when I saw you, I would not rail against you if you told me what you were doing. But if I found an animal and didn't want it, I would not offer it to you knowing you were going to sell it and not do the leg work to produce offspring from it. I would let it crawl back into a crack and watch it go to safety. My choice. I will not buy w.c. animals but prefer the right to catch my own stock, trying to assure my customers of lineage. I would only sell the c.b.'s and keep my stock. You may consider me as no different than yourself, but I do. I put in the time, money, and use all my resources to gain legally what I want from our resources. I do not or will not sell adult w.c. animals. Ever.
Todd Hughes
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Todd Hughes

As do I. You guys want to shoot first and ask questions later? Were any of you there back in the days when it was illegal? A few people got it back, and now you want to screw it up without giving him a chance? Applaud all you want but I will add my voice to Joe's, sit back and zip it and he WILL get'r'done! You have no idea who you are talking about. When the time comes, all will be revealed, not before.
Todd Hughes
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Todd Hughes

And yet, the "negative" info on logojoe is still up...hypocritical?

The site will come down or be updated as relevant changes come about with the office of Hilderbran and Estes.

Or at least that is my feeling on it... Are you ready to take it down and cuddle up with whatever comes of the efforts so far?

This whole thing is just beginning.

Also, keep in mind that people in office have staff members that do legwork, draft items, research issues and so on. HH is the figure head in that office and responsible for everything that comes through, but that does not mean he "planned" this whole thing.

Lance

I'm not of the opinion HH "planned" anything at all...I'm just saying it's an inflammatory (at this stage) site. Not much different from what others are posting on here. I'm not sure that HH's feelings are that hurt by what people are posting anyway. Hey, I'm for whatever works...in the beginning, I wrote emails, made phone calls, alerted the media, etc. If at this point, it's best for the "masses" to hang back, send in "membership" fees, etc., I'll do that as well.

The site itself may not have changed much since the meeting and Joe's call to back-off on attacks. HOWEVER, the BIG change is that the site is no longer being agressively promoted.

Prior to the meeting, a multi-pronged campaign was being waged to get the word out and promote the site. That campaign was tremendously effective and hits to the site were amazing.

The site still serves as a record of events, facts, and opinions. However, the campaign to promote it and number of NEW hits is dramatically reduced. This seems to be in keeping with Joe's promise to try and reduce the level of personal attacks.

I don't think anyone ever promised to forget, ignore, or hide that past. We're just not throwing it in their face at every opportunity like we were before.