>From:     E Mead <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: OT Help Me Stop Sarah Palin's New Show; also, anti-freeze
>petition

I don't post here often, but I do read everything. I have many
emotional thoughts traverse my kindred mind as I digest the writings
assimilated and imparted within this spectrum. I laugh at the antics of
the ferret stories; I cry with the loss of a beloved little one; I'm
amazed at the medical knowledge imparted here and the surgical skills
being honed by the Veterinarians who care for our fuzzies; the research
into medicines and vaccines that will make our ferrets lives healthier,
longer and happier; I'm saddened by the reports of ferrets sitting in
'Kill' shelters because there is no home for them, and the little
ones waiting in a shelter until money can be raised for their needed
surgery; etc, etc. We all do this I'm sure. I cannot be the only one
who feels all these emotions as we read this forum. I usually don't
get mad at ferret owners, especially the new ones. We were all new
first time ferret owners at one time. However, there is the occasional
exception in every case. The abusers of this forum!

This is a 'Ferret Forum', not an Animal Rights or Political pulpit!
The petition to require additives to anti-freeze is "fringe" as this
product could effect our ferrets and is plausible in that sense. The
production and airing of a wildlife show, with the exception of the
Blackfoot ferret, might also be informative to many as an 'Off Topic'
entry on this forum; however, this Animal Rights based anti-Palin
Political post does not belong here. There are forums specifically
for those agendas.

Again, I must reiterate that this Forum was not created nor intended to
be used as a platform for either Animal Rights nor Political activists.

In that this diatribe was allowed to be imposed upon us ferret
enthusiasts, I feel that it is not only my right, but my responsibility
to speak against such posts ever being allowed on this forum now or in
the future. This ferret forum is here for us to exchange information,
to learn new medicinal and surgical applications and techniques that
benefit our ferrets' lives. Let's keep it that way.

Thank you BIG for moderating and posting this forum,

"God, Please help me to be the kind and loving man that my animals
think I am."

Rick White

[Modertator's note: I didn't view the post primarily as a political
statement about Palin but rather as a general pro-wildlife statement
which might be of marginal interest to this group. That said, I feel
Rick's remarks are pretty much right on-target regarding the "rules"
of the FML.

It's a rather thin line between to lenient and too strict though, and
lately I've been letting in more off-topic posts. Some of these posts
would never have been allowed even a year ago, but the nature of the
FML continues to evolve a bit and since digests have often been short
I've let in a bit more fluff. The big difference is that the "fluff"
is always at my discretion and attempts at ongoing debate about things
like wolf hunting in the Artic would quickly be terminated.

Rick may feel the mention of Palin was not incidental and viewed the
post as anti-Palin rather than pro-wildlife. I can see how the post
could be taken that way -- I guess it depends what you want to read
into it. For what it's worth, I have no plans to turn the FML into a
political dicussion forum unless ferrets are directly involved. So,
ex-NYC mayor Giuliani's stand on ferrets would qualify for discussion
on the FML while his position on almost anything else would not. I
MAY let occasional bits about general "animal-related" news be posted,
space permitting, but I encourage posters to keep it politically
neutral. Posts which have heavy political or similar undertones are
likely to be rejected if I feel the intent of the post is to make
an unrelated political statement instead of one of general interest
to FML readers.

So Rick, your point is well-taken. Apologies to readers who were either
offended or elated by the Palin references. By allowing the post I did
not intend to give EITHER group a thrill!  BIG]

[Posted in FML 6654]