>[Moderator's note: As promised about a month ago, "sillygirl" would be
>allowed a final rebuttal to some FML responses to a post of hers where
>she implied perhaps some of us took things too far when we refer to our
>ferrets as our "children."  I'd really rather not start the discussion
>again but feel we do owe her the chance to respond.  I understand she
>could not respond sooner due to her father's poor health.  BIG]
 
Bill, I need to correct something you stated when you posted my message.
I never said that people went too far by calling ferrets their
"children".  As I pointed out in my reply, I have also referred to many
pets as my babies and so forth.  My sister and I were referring the baby
flying squirrel as our baby and calling ourselves his foster mothers.
The point I was trying to make before, but obviously failed miserably,
was that some of the same people who say they love ferrets so much and
refer to them as their kids are also some of the same ones who openly
admit that they don't like human children.  It was all the comparisons
that bothered me, NOT that people love the animals in their care.  And I
was upset by some of the very insensitive postings where a few members
were graphically describing feeding LIVE mice and rats to their ferrets
and going on about it in more detail than many of us cared to know about.
Many told me to scroll past things I don't wish to read - and believe me
I do that a lot!  But I could say the same thing, that people could
scroll past my message and also ignore it.  Right??
 
I seem to have offended many people on the FML and I truly feel bad for
hurting anyone by anything I said.  But my point is that many of us have
also been offended, even hurt by some of these unfeeling postings about
mice and so forth.  I cannot tell anyone else what to post and would not
want to.  All I'm asking is that some members be a little more sensitive
to the feelings of other members before they post such things.  Keep in
mind that many of us also have rats and mice as pets, such as myself.
The main point I was trying to make is that we should have equal respect
for all types of living creatures - big and small.  Yes, in the wilds
many animals eat eachother, but you are taking nature in to your own
hands when you stick a defenseless animal in to a cage or bath tub with a
hungry ferret.  At least let it be pre-killed so it does not suffer.
That would be more humane.  There are many ways for animals to get their
protein without feeding them live animals.  From many of the e-mails I've
received I am not alone in these feelings, either.  Many people have been
MORE upset by these postings than I was, but didn't want to voice those
opinions on the FML for fear of the backlash by members.  Please just try
to have the same compassion for other member's feelings that many of you
told me to have.  Thanks in advance.
 
~Blossom~
 
P.S. "sillygirl" is just part of my e-mail address and is NOT my name.
Blossom is my nick name, just so you know. :)
 
[Moderator's note: I stand by my note.  That is indeed what was said at
the time, though clearly not what was meant.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 3950]