A Challenge - Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

[Skiploder]

I've made no bones about the fact that I was not a fan of Andrew Wyatt and his approach to USARK. But with him stepping down and with some people I actually trust at the helm, I'm going to reevaluate where I stand and reinstate my support.

In any war it is important to properly recognize a victory and at times a defeat, for without a realistic view of events and their meaning, people can be easily lulled into false senses of failure - or success.

The 112th congressional session ran from January 3, 2011 to January 3, 2013. As of the end of the session, only 219 of the over 4300 bills that were introduced were passed.

For the rest, a small few were voted to defeat but the majority just expired.

So when we take into account that less than 5% of bills pass, and when we also take into account that HR511 was not killed, or defeated, but expired with the end of the session, do we really want to call the expiration of HR511 a victory?

Before you answer, remember that a bill that is defeated is very different than one that expires with the end of the session. Expired bills are more often than not reintroduced in one form or another.

Moral of the story - USARK is an extremely underfunded organization that has not had the political clout to do more than "claim" a handful of victories - many of the big ones directly attributed to bills expiring with the end of a congressional session.

Until people stop posting USARK banners in their sigs and begin contributing to USARK in a meaningful way, we won't see a string of REAL defeated legislation in a long time.

This week was an eye opener for me. Despite all of the talk of support in the reptile community, I learned that over the last four+ years, USARK took the majority of their donations in from big business - a third from one donor. Actual donations from private individuals has been absolutely pathetic.

If the goal is for USARK to be a real and vital political force, one that can operate toe to toe with HSUS, they need less big talk from their constituents and more money from people like you and I. Only that way can this community claim real wins and focus on local issues as well as Federal.

If this rubs some people the wrong way, so be it. But I think celebrating one of thousands of bills that just expired (many with no real organized opposition) is just not right. In my eyes , it illustrates how low our expectations have been set.

Here's a challenge. Anyone who wants to take a shot at me for my views on this - go right ahead - I'm cool with it and I'm a big boy who can more than handle it.

What I would ask is that you first donate $10 to USARK. That donation will serve this community alot better than big talk and no action.

I'm going to donate $10 a month this year to USARK. Anytime someone questions my resolve our my commitment to this fight be prepared to prove that your resolve is at least up to par with mine.