After learning here in the FML that the Sierra Club is opposed to the
legalization of ferrets as pets in California, but not the WHY of the
opposition, I spent a very interesting day trying to find out why an
organization I have both supported and respected for years was opposed to an
issue so important to me.  At this point, I am convinced that good
intentions do not necessarily equal any kind of intelligence at all.
 
The first step in my quest was to contact the National Sierra Club office in
Washington, D.C. (where I normally send in my donations) and ask if the
national office had any opposition to ferrets in general or ferrets in
California and why.  The folks in the national legislative office weren't
even aware that the California branch had any reasons to dislike ferrets or
oppose ferret legalization.  They did, however, kindly give me the phone
number of the state branch of the Sierra Club so I could make the
appropriate inquiries.  To m amazement, the phone number given me had been
disconnected for quite some time (that makes me wonder how the national
Sierra Club folks are communicating with the California people and on how
regular a basis -- maybe being the good environmentalists they are, they are
using carrier pigeons).  A quick call to Directory Assistance gave me a
working number for the Sierra Club in San Francisco, where the sweet girl
promptly suggested I call Los Angeles in order to have my questions
answered.
 
The kind woman in Los Angles who was a former schoolteacher, quickly gave me
two answers -- the Sierra Club response and her own.  Ferrets are viscous
and can carry disease, the Sierra Club.  Her personal response was "they are
the cutest things I've ever seen!" She took my number and promised to do
some research on why the Sierra Club would be opposed to such cute animals
as pets.  In the meantime, she suggested, perhaps I should call the National
Sierra Club or Sacramento.  A couple of hours later this sweet woman called
me back.  No one in the Los Angeles office of the Sierra Club knew exactly
why Sacramento would oppose ferret legalization.  She did suggest that
ferret supporters send polite letters to Sacramento opposing the Sierra
Club's opposition.
 
A quick call to DA and then another to the Sacramento office of the Sierra
Club where I spoke with Mr. Bill Craven.  Mr. Craven was very polite and
explained that the Sierra Club's opposition to ferret legalization was
"historic." I guess that was supposed to impress me.  I asked why.  Mr.
Craven replied that "the Sierra Club has historically been opposed to the
legalization of ferrets." Again I asked why.  Finally, Mr. Craven admitted
that he didn't know exactly, but the answer was probably to be found in one
of 45 filing cabinets of Sierra Club support or opposition to legislation,
although he THOUGHT it was based on a very detailed report supplied to the
Sierra Club by -- guess who?  -- that's right boys and girls, the California
Fish and Game Department (wasn't that so kind of the F&G to share their
report with the Sierra Club).  He would not send me the information on why
the Sierra Club opposed ferret legalization unless I first sent him a
detailed proposal on why ferrets did not pose a significant environmental
negative impact on California.  Mr. Craven also pointed out that the Sierra
Club did not strenuously oppose the legislation earlier this month.  They
just sent a letter of opposition rather than send representatives to
testify, so their opposition wasn't really significant anyway.  He also told
me that the Sierra Club would continue its mild opposition to the
legalization of ferrets until they had a chance to study any pro-ferret
material that came their way -- of course, that would take quite a while (in
other words, much longer than the next vote on 7 May).
 
Now, I have never been a rabid tree-hugger type.  But, I have long supported
the Sierra Club and their work.  I have always been under the impression
that they carefully studied both sides of an issue before taking a firm
stand one way or the other.  WRONG.  It seems that the Sierra Club is
content to base their policy on only one side of the argument regardless of
how dubious that information may or may not be.  I have since made it clear
to the Sierra Club that I will no longer share my financial support with
their organization (maybe if enough people do the same, they will be more
willing to reexamine their policies regarding ferrets).  I think future
contributions to organizations will be to something harmless . . .  like
the Flat Earth Society.
 
Scott and the fantastic 19 fuzzies.
[Posted in FML issue 1913]