U.S. set to approve python ban

[youbeyouibei]

At the risk of ostracizing and completing infuriating everyone on this forum, owning snakes is not a right, it's a privilege. The talk of armed revolution and uprising is frankly ridiculous and plays right into the image that those who oppose this hobby are attempting to paint on all us as a bunch of drugged out, tattooed, pierced idiots hell-bent on breeding the next super snake to unleash on suburbia to eat Kitty and Puppy and the ankle-biting toddler snot from next door.

Instead of talking insurrection and armed revolt, think for a minute. The legislation that is being proposed has an excellent chance of succeeding for a very simple reason: it strikes at people's emotions. Politicians are masters of spin and bull, along with creating demons where there are none (WMD's and purchases of yellow-cake uranium, anyone?). Let me be clear in that I am NOT attacking the military as I thank God for each and every one of those selfless individuals; I am attacking and pointing the finger at the fat cats in Washington who sent them on wild goose chase.

Back to the topic at hand: the proposed snake ban is no exception; they create hysteria, fear and then offer hope and salvation through proposed legislation to "protect" everyone (McCathyism and the "red scare", Patriot Act and terrorism, etc.).

Rather than react emotionally, in spite of the: _________ (anger, fear, hate, loathing, etc. fill in the blank) the proposed legislation evokes, be rational. Oppose the legislation, educate the public and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! We, John Q Public, elect the idiots that currently "serve" (themselves!) in Congress, to represent us. Well, make them work for the moronic amounts of money they pay themselves and make them know that you won't stand for them to sit idly by while the industry and hobby we love is being attacked for nothing more than emotionally-based reasoning that is built on faulty "evidence" and in some cases outright lies. Write letters, join USARK and do SOMETHING.

I know it's easier to go with the gut-check "Damn the torpedos, full steam ahead!" attitude but from someone who has done that more than I care to admit, the rational, well-thought out and reasoned approach has far better results and doesn't ostracize those who haven't made up their minds yet in terms of making a decision for or against this current debate/proposal and where they stand on the issue. Play into the image that we're being painted with by acting the fool and you've won the fight for the opposition without them ever having even tried. Just my two cents...let the flaming begin, lol!