MU's email system, undergoing strange and wonderful upgrades, is doing
very weird things.  My Ben Stiller post floated around the system long
enough to miss Bill's FML deadline from the day before, so was posted
later than expected.  I sent two other posts that I never even got copies
in my sent box, so I have no idea if they made it to Bill or not!  I'm
just happy my tax and tuition dollars are doing so much good.
[Nope, I received nothing from you that didn't get posted.  BIG]
 
Ben Stiller may have apologized, but similar remarks from Jennifer
Aniston have not been retracted.  WE CANNOT LET UP!  We have to leave a
nasty taste in their mouth, so next time they will whisper behind closed
doors "Don't piss off the ferret people!"
 
I suggest you write EVERYONE associated with these people.  Go after
Universal, BOMBARD Animal Planet, hit the press agents, the fan clubs,
the news media, E!, anyone and everyone who will beg them to take the
words back just so we will stop.  This isn't so much to correct mistakes
THIS time, but to stop the "next time." We are not working for today's
ferrets, but all the ferrets in the future.
 
I did get a single email suggesting my comments were "rude and might
cause resentment."  Thanks!  I appreciate the compliment!  That is
EXACTLY what I meant to do!  I don't believe politeness gets anything
substantive done with people who's IQ is lower than their ass in a deep
snake pit.  Well, not totally, so; I'll be polite to a point, but some
issues, such as censorship, prejudice, and cruelty cannot be subsumed
into the "turn the other cheek" category.  They MUST be faced head on,
fought tooth and nail, and done as forcefully and as rudely as required.
 
I will be stepping on political toes when I say this, but the polite
approach has not worked in California.  It might have worked in MA, but
in California, nothing has been done.  I think it is time to move up the
slope of the learning curve and take advantage of the current political
situation.  Tax dollar waste is a huge issue in CACA-Land right now, so
I would use the Freedom of Information Act, find out how much time and
money is being spent on this issue, then shove it up the Fishin'
Gestapo's hole where a ferret wouldn't even go.  It is time to take off
the kid gloves and kick political ass.  Start recalls for tax dollar
waste and political bitebiting on the senators and representatives
blocking legalization.  Get their attention!
 
But that is just my opinion and it is coming from a person who, for
reasons to benefit ferrets, has not tried to change the law in Columbia
MO that prohibits ferrets.  Why?  Because the law is mostly unenforced,
and more importantly, it keeps ferrets out of the petstores.  Columbia is
a college town and I already rescue 20-30 ferrets per year.  If they were
sold locally, I'd do that in a month.  If I thought for a moment the law
was hurting ferret owners or their pets, I'd be on them like stink on the
crap that came from the Ben and Jen Show.  The situation in California is
vastly different, and it is not a benign issue that can be ignored.
 
And WE cannot ignore the remarks made by Ben and Jen.  We must send a
message that hurtful remarks cannot be made or the ire of the ferret
community will be roused!  And if you think you have to be rude doing it,
I say, DON'T HOLD BACK!!  If you read history, you would know John Adams
and Patrick Henry were not especially well liked.  But they got the job
done.  FIGHT censorship!  FIGHT prejudice!  FIGHT the cruel remarks made
by unthinking, cruel, stupid people.  Make yourself a pest, make yourself
known, and make tomorrow a better day for ferrets.
 
Bob "Rude and Crude" C
[Posted in FML issue 4395]