Hello Everyone,
 
I have put on my fireproof suit and am stepping into the arena....
 
I am not happy about the response to the Cowherd column.  I have read both
of his columns, the original and the rebuttal.  They were obviously written
as humor, a very low form of satire.  I did not find them funny, I thought
they were rather mean.
 
BUT..the columns were his opinions and do not come under any journalistic
standard for accuracy.  That is what columns are, opinions.  He can write
anything he wants.  Period.  That is his job.
 
Responding to his columns is ok.  Sending in a ton of emotional email does
nothing but hurt the efforts of ferrets everywhere.  Writing POLITE and SANE
letters will get much better attention than writing ones ranting and raving
about how mean it is, how wrong it is, etc.
 
This is the same problem with Marshall Farms.  We can go politely, ask them
to help us out, look at what we have to say or we can yell at them for what
they are RUMORED to do, say they are cruel and get them into a defensive
position.
 
The only way to change either is by a careful use of public
relations/advertising campaigne.  How?  Well, think of ad and pr as being a
salesman's job, you have to MAKE your target WANT what you are selling.  You
don't go to a car buyer and tell him he is stupid if he doesn't by your car
and that what he has is a piece of junk.  You don't threaten him if he
doesn't change instantly.
 
I am all for people writing and stating their views, it is important.  What
I am not for is ranting en masse.  Save that for private discussions.
Ferret owners have to come across as sane and reasonable people, if not we
hurt ourselves.  Being beligerant and opinionated won't help.
 
That is why I am making up a press packet.  So the ferret community can send
out CORRECT information, in a quiet and logical manner.  A few letters that
are sane and intellegent will change minds faster than a few hundred of
screaming mad letters.  Fact of life.
 
And those of us who support a more calm and quiet approach to these problems
are not supporting the "enemy." We are just in favor of being responsible
for our own actions.
 
Maggie Mae, en guard
[Posted in FML issue 1990]