Hey Alicia! It seems that you and I are the current reigning "Rude FML Booger Flickers" and neither one is living up to our "politeness potential". Didn't you get the memo? Well, in case you didn't here's a copy for you: Meeky Mouse: Political Correctness in the Ferret Community It has come to the attention of some of the more well-mannered and courteous members of the FML that certain rude and discourteous individuals are failing to achieve their politeness potential in the face of ferret-challenged people and demagogic FML members. These politeness-challenged individuals are encouraged to review the following mandatory suggested guidelines and adjust their attitudes accordingly. 1. NEVER call a ferret-challenged person by any name other than one you would use to address your saintly grandmother. Name-calling and public chastising is reserved for members of the FML with whom you have a disagreement. This politeness approach has proved highly successful in California where for more than the last 10 years it has been extremely effective in helping to legalize ferrets. 2. ALWAYS accept an apology from a ferret-challenged person regardless of obvious financial and career incentives to pretend it genuine. Once accepted, it is important to extend it to other ferret-challenged people who haven't offered an apology and then completely drop the subject. Not accepting apologies is reserved for members of the FML with whom you have had a disagreement. In the case of an FML person who offends you and never offers an apology, you should also accept it. 3. NEVER refer to ethical or moral standards in advocating ferret rights. Some people are ethically and morally challenged and we wouldn't want to make them feel guilty, while others lack ethical and moral standards and we wouldn't want to shove such paradigms down their throat. 4. ALWAYS ignore attempts at censorship by people who feel their voice is the only correct one. After all, regardless if you are correct or not, they only have ferrets in mind and they DO think their hypothesis is the ONLY correct one and when they get proof they will prove it. 5. NEVER express an opinion or emotion if you are considered to be a leader in the ferret community. Your niche is to be an icon, not to express feelings that might influence people. 6. ALWAYS defer to the most demagogic vet when soliciting an opinion. We are lucky to have them dispense their jewels of wisdom and pointing out those occasions when they are wrong or are ignoring viable alternative protocols might make them shun us. 7. NEVER express anger, outrage or disappointment with others, especially when they use the FML to attack you. This is especially considered tacky if done by those who are considered ferret community leaders who should know better than defend themselves from often erroneous, misleading, or duplicitous attacks that can harm their feelings and reputation. 8. ALWAYS ignore repeated attempts to shout down your ideas. After all, as right-wing Republican debaters have proven time and time again, it is the loudest person who interrupts the most that is the most correct, so you must be wrong. 9. NEVER demand that someone reread your post or at least read parts of it after they post an opinion that clearly shows they misunderstood your words. After all, they are probably reading-challenged, and pointing out their obvious reading error can only serve to embarrass them. 10. ALWAYS be apprehensive that expressing frustration about ferret issues in a forceful manner might spur a ferret-challenged person to characterize the ferret community as mentally-challenged-ethically-challenged-morally-challenged non-democratic North Americans. The use of hyperbole and satire is strictly forbidden because many ferret-challenged and demagogic people are too intellectually challenged to understand it. Alicia, I'm surprised you haven't read this memo! I was sure that you had ample time to have read it between working to increase the age of kits being sold, sheltering and caring for ferrets, caring for your family, sewing items to support your shelter, working to educate the humane society, answering questions sent in emails, and other dozens of minor things! Shame on you! The Rude Police are going to knock on your door! I'm sorry, FMLers. I forgot the techniques of hyperbole and satire were strictly forbidden. I don't offer my humble apology and I urge all of you to accept it. This is MY bottom line. I have encouraged ethical and moral responses to ferret care for years and I will continue to do so at the top of my voice. I will be polite to those who listen and I will shout hyperbole and satire to those who's intent is to harm or malign ferrets. I will point out when people are wrong, I will fight censorship with every ounce of my being, and I will always give out the best information I have at the time. I AM rude, I AM thoughtless, I AM aggressive, I AM pigheaded, and most of all, I AM a long-winded self-righteous jerk who says exactly what he thinks (if you read it all). Bob "The Rude One" C (Sorry, MC, I had to steal it!) [Posted in FML issue 4399]