With regards to differing strategies to legalization in California...
 
I believe the ultimate litmus test is whether or not the strategy or action
hurts or helps the cause.  Clearly, an incident involving a bite that was
caught on video and passed around the Capitol is about as damaging as it
gets.  I too feel very badly for Pat, but there is simply NO EXCUSE (short
of falling comatose) for having a nippy ferret in the same room with a TV
cameraman!  Pat could have said no, he could've used a different ferret, he
could've caged Rocky, he could have had the cameraman film from a
distance... Those of us who work for legalization bring up this issue NOT TO
ATTACK PAT nor to divide the "movement" but to highlight the fact that a
moment of poor judgement can have serious effects on the legalization effort
and that in this arena we MUST NEVER BE IMPULSIVE.
 
The easiest way for ferret supporters to become marginalized is to be
perceived as kooks or extremists.  Violent rhetoric does not help.  I think
we need to remember that extremism/civil disobedience generally works only
when a substantial part of the population is ALREADY on your side.  We have
little active, broad-based support outside the ferret-owning community.
Even so, we have made clear progress on the issue by maintaining sustained
pressure on the powers that be.  Lets be careful not to roll the progress
back by hasty words and deeds.
 
Pocha in California
[Posted in FML issue 2193]