Hello everyone,
 
I didn't really want to get into this on the FML but I think some things
have to be said about FA and Pat, both in defense and as criticism,
hopefully constructive.
 
I understand Dayna's frustration over Rocky's death.  I too believe it was
avoidable and unnecessary.  It was avoidable by simply not allowing Rocky to
interact with a stranger and it was unnecessary because our State Health
Department didn't follow the NASPH recommendations and apply a quarantine.
This kind of incident is one of the reasons why I've never supported marches
that include ferrets in California.  I wouldn't endorse something that may
lead to the confiscation of a ferret let alone to its tragic death.  Others
disagree and that's fine, but I cannot in good conscience call for people to
"come out" with their ferrets and I've made that position clear to all that
have asked.
 
On another note, I want to thank Dayna for her endorsement of the activities
and behavior of Californians for Ferret Legalization.  I hope to move this
issue forward whenever possible and try very hard to ensure that the efforts
made by CFL are positive rather than negative.  While I am very distressed
by some of Pat Wright's activities, let's not forget that he has created a
very legitimate organization with over 20 chapters state-wide.  Each and
every month Ferrets Anonymous produces a newsletter.  It can be counted upon
to reach people that care about the ferret issue in California and I've
supported FA in the past by referring literally thousands of Californians to
FA, by donating product for FA fundraisers, and even by helping to start
several FA chapters including Fresno, Marin and SF (the latter two still
need help).
 
There is no question that some of the tactics that FA (or Pat, if it has
been his determination alone) has used are a negative for this issue.
Harassing Dick Floyd over the comments he made about ferrets has turned him
into an active opponent, something beyond his simple no vote on this issue
in the Assembly.  Assemblymember Floyd has now written the Senate
Appropriations Committee expressing his opposition to this bill.  Dick Floyd
has also ensured that the tape of Rocky biting the cameraman has made the
rounds at the Capitol in Sacramento.  The only saving grace here is that
Dick Floyd is considered a bit waco by most of the other members, but what
if he turns one vote?
 
Assemblymember Floyd has also made legislation written by our author a
target and I have to wonder if any other legislator will help ferret folks
when Jan leaves office.  They'll have to weigh the plusses and minuses and I
don't know what they'll decide.  We've done unintentional harm even to
people that support us.
 
My counsel on the Dick Floyd issue was to let it go, to ignore it because
anytime we create an enemy in the legislature, we also end up with this
enemy's friends as opponents.  But I have little effect on the FA
newsletter.  My hope, however, is to see FA (Pat) change.  I hope he will
drop the activities that set this issue back and concentrate on the kind of
positive effort he has made in the past (the campaign letter surveys asking
candidates for their stand on the ferret issue, is just one example).
 
I've made two trips to Sacramento already this month and will go again on
26th to meet with Senator Alpert.  Californians, please help give this issue
a better face, a more mature face.  Drop the angry letters, don't write to
legislators that don't represent you.  Put that kind of energy into
spreading the truth about ferrets and our efforts to legalize them.  Make it
a personal goal to get 50 letters from new people to your State Senator.  I
know the weather is lousy but manning tables at Pet stores has resulted in
hundreds of letters, a great effort made by the members of the Golden State
Ferret Society.  Contact [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] if you want more
information on how to go about this.
 
Now, regarding the comment by Dayna that all of my profits from the calendar
go to legalization.  This is not true.  In fact, I don't use any percentage
of profits for the legalization effort.  Frankly last year, there were no
profits, rather a loss, but even if, and when, the calendar makes money, I
would not direct a percentage to legalization, but rather to The Ferret
Education Foundation.  In fact, when the legalization efforts are over, that
is what I intend to do with one or more cards in my line of greeting cards.
But the public will see a statement that details the exact percentage of
profits, or the exact dollar amount that will go to the foundation.  If you
buy an HSUS calendar it states clearly the percentage that goes to HSUS.  I
frankly don't feel comfortable with a blanket statement from a business that
profits or proceeds go to so and so, and you should be careful of this.  In
my opinion, a much more accurate statement, if someone won't detail the
percentage of profits and proceeds that goes to a cause, is that your
support helps them do such and such, and leave the words profit and proceeds
out of it.  Federal tax exempt corporations are a different matter because
they are held to standards by the IRS.  They can't make a profit and will be
held to that by the IRS.
 
Finally, this might come as a surprise to some of you, but I'd rather not
spend the kind of time I'm spending on legalization.  I would much rather
spend it marketing my products, developing new ones, working with ferrets,
or working on the foundation (and flyfishing!!).  As long as I can afford it
(and that's where your support for The Ferret Company helps), and, as long
as there's no one that the author's office or the CVMA prefers to work with,
I'll continue to offer what help I can.  If there comes a time when I can't
afford to spend so much time on this issue, that's when I'll have to quit.
If it were simply a matter of being tired, stressed or of whether or not I
enjoyed the legalization effort, I promise you I'd have quit some time ago.
I suppose if it gets to be really stressful, that may also determine what I
do with my life since unlike my brother's cat, whose lived through at least
seven of them so far, I only have one.
 
I hope this clears up the question of profits, I really don't want anyone
under the impression that I give any profits to legalization.  I already
give considerably of my time and money, and my business so far allows me to
do that, though it's becoming apparent that I won't be able to give both
time and money to legalization for much longer.
 
P.S.  If anyone has a specific question or comment, please e-mail me
directly at [log in to unmask]  And remember to bookmark the CFL website
for the most up-to-date and informative source on ferret legaliztion in
California.
 
Jeanne Carley
Californians for Ferret Legalization (CFL)
410 Mountain Home Road  Woodside, CA  94062
(415) 851-3750   <[log in to unmask]>
http://www.ferretnews.org-- CFL Website
CALIFORNIANS, YOU CAN FIND OUT YOUR STATE SENATOR BY VISITING THIS SITE!!
CALL AND WRITE YOUR SENATOR AND GOV. WILSON--DON'T LET OUR BILL DIE!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For pure ferret fun, check out http://www.ferretcalendar.com
[Posted in FML issue 2189]