>>From: Sukie Crandall
>>... When folks became too afraid to go to shows due to possible ECE that
>>DID destroy some show groups, completely.  Nailed a few clubs, too.
 
Zen:
>None that we can think of.  Those clubs that went under died for >other
>reasons.
 
Me:
I don't know about any of that from personal experience, but I'm surprised
to learn that zen knows every ferret club in the world & the reason they
disbanded.... Suki didn't specify any particular ones so how would you
know?  Just picking on your choice of wording, zen, & specific knowledge
when there were no specifics referenced.  You made it sound like you live
next door to Suki and know everyone she knows so you can tell everyone
she's wrong and expect to be believed.
 
Zen:
>Now there was an effort by some to use ECE and distemper in the same way
>Aleutians is being used now to beat "rivals" into submission.  Oddly
>enough by the same people.
 
Me:
On this one, I'd like to add that it's not completely the same people...
I'm one of those now and was never before... nor do I have anything at all
to do with promoting events or showing ferrets, so it's not like I have any
rivals to beat down.  So, it's misleading as well as an ommission of fact
to comment "Oddly enough by the same people."  Which leads us to understand
that either
a) you ommitted that fact or
b) your knowledge of the facts is not as extensive as you might have
   thought or
c) maybe you were just making an inflammatory innuendo or
d)all of the above.
 
Zen:
>We've been right in the thick of things.  Even seen behind the scenes
>the nastiness that goes on with in some organizations.  Most of you would
>be very surprised at how over seriously some people take this whole show
>thing.  No one at all wants diseases to be spread from shows.  But
>hysteria and doesn't prevent diseases from spreading.  Nor does misleading
>information from one group about how evil everyone else is.
 
Me:
All this is very true (Especially the part about being in the thick of it,
LOL).  Most organizations (of any kind) have members with political agendas
that are not in the group's best interest.  But it's really tough to find
unbiased officers for any organization.  And the need of some to have "the
best" whether it's the best ferret or the best arguement is something we're
not likely to ever eradicate.  Here, I'm afraid we'll have to settle for
trying to civily disagree until one or the other proves itself.
 
Hysteria, misleading information, and ommission of facts, serve no useful
purpose.  They only stir up debates... did you know debate students are
taught to win a debate by presenting only the facts that concur with the
side of the issue they are presenting... as well as omitting the facts
that prove them wrong?  (It's definitely not scientific method!) So what
do we really want: to win the debate... or have safe and healthy ferrets?
 
Unfortunately, the facts on ADV are few and instant perfect test results
(without re-testing in a few months) are still years away.  I'm glad that
groups are at least trying to be safe, regardless of the politics that
prompted the effort.  Each and every effort is an improvement over not
trying at all.
 
It's a personal choice that I make to not take my ferrets to ferret events.
I'm just one of those that has not yet been convinced there's a safe enough
way to do it.
 
No guts, no glory.... that's me.
 
Debi Christy
Ferrets First Foster Home
[Posted in FML issue 3428]