These are my personal opinions after 4 days of cooling off.
 
Bill Gruber, who lost Sophie, chose to bear his grief quietly.
 
Bob Church lost Simon and most of us shared tears with him.
 
I'm sure both gentlemen suffered equally.  And, as they are gentlemen, they
will go on determined to make life better for fuzzbutts.  I heard Zip -
Zero - Notta complaint from either.  Only humble thanks to those who showed
sympathy and positive offerings such as Daffynitions and Q-N-A.
 
True GENTLEMEN, both. I'm blessed to share the earth with them.
 
On the same day there was a post from "Edward Lipinski (The Champion of
Truth from Ferret Joy Land)".  His words.
 
I have some observations regarding his posts, but first some history.
 
"Santa" Claus has been the definition of a kind giving person.
 
"Adolph" Hitler invented and defined "Nazi".  In 1936 he had Ferdinand
Porsche develop the "Peoples-Car" (Volkswagen ins deutsch).  He believed
in selective breeding of animals (especially the human "master race").  He
believed in government regulation of all business activity.  And he believed
that the best way to silence people he didn't agree with was to slanderously
blame them for all the ills of society and try to exterminate them.
 
On 6/27, "Georgia - the left coast one..." wrote: <Eddy "the lip"
Lipinskinsnapper a Nazi?  No way!  Eddy is Santa Claus in a summer weight
beard trim!  No pillow needed either.  Twinkling eyes, pink cheeks, and
after too much Fat Weasel, a pink snozz too!>
???  Really ???
 
I'm not judging.  I'm making observations.  Lets analyze comments made on
the day that Bob was mourning the loss of Simon who was born at Marshall
Farms.
 
<...can we simplify this by concluding that purchasers of Marshall Farms
ferrets are essentially traitors to the ferret...>
Santa or Adolph ?
 
<"One can only wonder if THOFER-ni had been instead a puny Marshall Farms
fur bag instead of a Hob Horribilus, would he have survived?  I have my
doubts.">
Santa or Adolph ?
 
Apparently he doesn't believe in neutering :
<"...Marshall Farms and their production of millions of butchered
ferrets...">
<"...American Ferret Association, in their understandable, but notoriously
flawed philosophy of required neutering and spaying, are essentially
coconspirators...">
Santa or Adolph ?
 
He wants the general public to purchase the ferrets represented by Laurie
Long's post:
<"Can I please come & get these ferrets (3) they are OUT OF CONTROL.  They
have bitten everyone in the store & are biting customers. ...2 whole boys,
1 whole girl - maybe 3 1/2 - 4 months old.  Clay litter embedded in their
feet - stuck in their fur & tails.  They are babies who have not been
soicalized.">
Santa or Adolph ?
 
<"So you see, it's been a good day here in Frettchevergnuegenland, Jawohl!">
Step up to the mike and tell the world how wonderful you are.
Santa or Adolph ?
 
Is it too much "Fat Weasel" that allows a person to find joy in verbally
abusing MF ferrets, their purchasers, and the AFA all in the short span of
48 hours?
 
I'm not judging Mr. Lipinski.  I'm asking him to assess his approach and
determine if it is winning him support or alienating those he wishes to
impress.  Even his supporters find him "hard to defend".
 
I'll ass-u-me that Mr. Lipinski is a nice person and truly wants to do the
right thing for ferrets.  Why else would he be a breeder?  His vendetta
against Marshall Farms couldn't be his wanting to eliminate the price
competition a large scale breeder creates.  Adolph wasn't a bad fellow
either.  Why else would he have invented the Volkswagen?  Or murdered
6,000,000 "inferior"s?  It had to be done to better the "master race".
He was another who believed the ends justify the means.
 
As for me, I betting on the Santas of this list.  Santa Killian, Santa
Sukie, Santa Goodhart, Santa Pam, Santa Holowicki and many others.  I
especially point to Santa Church freely giving information, jokes, and love
for ferrets (yes, even Marshall Farms "butchered fur-bags") and Santa Gruber
who freely gives hours of his life to keep this list on track and has the
patience to read some of the drivel our wonderful freedom of speech creates.
Thank you BIG for your quiet, but so important efforts to help the
defenseless ferrets regardless of their pedigree.  Pedigrees were much
more important to Adolph than they have ever been to Santa.
 
And once again I publicly proclaim that I love my Marshall Farm ferrets.
And they love me back.  They have each been gifts from God bearing
blessings.  I don't believe God creates bad stuff.  Even when His tools are
Marshall Farms, Path Valley, etc.
 
I apologize to any person I have unintentionally offended and for taking so
much valuable space for this long post.
 
To anyone I intentionally offended, you're no "ball-less sissy", Adolph was
hardheaded enough to not need a metal helmet, so you can certainly handle
it.  You found at least one guy who does: <"even give a damn">.  Frankly I'm
tired of holier than thou self appointed dictators telling us peasants we
should be ashamed of loving a specific kind of God's creatures.  I subscribe
to this list to share knowledge about and the joys/pains of living with
wonderful characters called ferrets.  I tire quickly of politcally-correct
anti-business self-serving do-gooders who have nothing better to contribute
than hate.  It just doesn't play here in Peoria.
 
Sissy Santa would publicly apologize to the kids whose feelings he hurt.
(I am over 50, don't get my feelings hurt, and don't need apologies from
anyone.)
 
Der Fuhrer Adolph would consider how he could attack in a deadlier fashion.
 
(I live in Pekin, suburb of Peoria, in Illinois, heart of the USA and
spreche kleine Deutsch.  From the left coast, look to the east and aim your
weapons for [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] and we'll play private
word war if you want.  BUT LET'S KEEP THIS FORUM CIVIL and focused on
positive ways to encourage large breeders to benefit ferrets health.)
 
[Moderator's note: A few weeks ago I asked for volunteers who could help
decide which questionable posts to allow.  With ferrets being sick and
all, I haven't revisited the replies, but it's definitely due.
 
Certainly, I agree with John's bottom line: it's a good thing to keep this
forum civil and positive.  But I also think that people get their messages
across in strange ways.  Some people will identify with Ed Lipinski, some
with John Gordon.  Maybe most people, myself included, will shake thier
heads, knowing these messages are from dedicated and ferret-loving
individuals, and trying to learn from alternative viewpoints, we will at
least scan the post.  I'm too busy shaking my head over this exchange to
figure it all out.  Under most circumstances I'd reject the post, but Ed
has stated he doesn't mind the controversy.  I do ask that it be taken
private though, once we start taking about personalities of people rather
than that of ferrets.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 2380]