Dear Collective,
 
There is a saying that "a few bad apples spoil the barrel".  In this case
the barrel being spoiled is not just Modern Ferret.  The FML is being
spoiled.  The Ferret Community is being spoiled.  The Ferret cause is being
spoiled.  The bickering goes on--like so many spoiled children complaining
to Mommy.
 
Bob writes:
>I am reconsidering my long-standing decision to assist strangers at great
>cost of personal time, money and effort.  I will most probably quit the
>FML because of this disgusting and repugnant act by a few people.
 
Bob C is perhaps one of the most valuable resources the FML and the ferret
community have.  Not to say that there are many others who contribute--
vets, shelter owners, and us little guys with just one or two ferrets.
However, Bob has proven himself over and over again to be selfless in his
pursuit of helping Ferrets and Owners.  He has made some of us laugh and
some of cry in his bull-dog search for truthful and useful information on
ferret kind.  Bob, I implore you to not leave the FML.
 
Once again a few bad apples start decomposing the solidarity that this
community has enjoyed.
 
Bob is absolutely right when he talks of censorship.  Having a magazine
pulled from the shelves because you are unhappy about a picture is
loathsome.  If YOU don't like the picture, then make the personal choice
to not subscribe to the magazine.  YOU make the choice to not pick it up
of the the newstand.  But don't make that choice for everyone else.
 
I have personally put off purchasing all the back issues of the magazine.
Folks, if you out there want the back issues and want to help support Mary
and Eric through what could well be a bad time--BUY THE BACK ISSUES NOW.
Not only will you help keep cash flow running, but you'll have some good
reading.
 
If you want your choices taken away, don't make a stand--quietly allow
Modern Ferret to be forced off the shelves.  But, when we all find
ourselves reading some milk-toast bland magazine published by Fancy, look
in the mirror and be honest about WHY it happened.  Fancy is indeed
chuckling about this.  A few bad apples have unwittingly helped Fancy
succeed.
 
Bob writes:
>I beg those of you who share my outrage to do what I will be doing: I will
>buy extra copies of the issue, use a felt-tip marker to write on the front
>"I WILL NO LONGER BUY FROM YOUR STORE" and mail the issues to PetCo.
 
Add a letter of outrage to the package so PetCo doesn't get the wrong idea
and assume you are asking them to pull the magazine from the shelves.  Mail
the issues to the PetCo corporate headquarters.
 
Over the last three years that I've been a subscriber to the FML, I have
seen compassion, love, solidarity, and a sharing that gives one hope that
people are basically good.  We have rallied around issues, people,
shelthers, and of course Ferrets in need.  Occasionally, I have seen close
minded idiocy.  This takes the cake.
 
FML, I offer this challenge.  Show PetCo, Eric and Mary, Bob, and the
narrow minded censors what we are made of.  If you believe that free
speech is a right that should be protected despite liking or disliking some
content--write letters of support to Modern Ferret and of disgust to PetCo.
 
And Bob, please don't leave us.
 
Matthew in CO.
 
"We have to work in the theatre of our own time,
with the tools of our own time" --Robert Edmond Jones
[Posted in FML issue 2787]