>From: MS JEANNE E STADTMILLER <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: HSUS Policy >Once again the negativity of some people here on the FML amazes me. No one >EVER said the HSUS policy change was perfect. There is still much work to >be done. However, it is blatantly obvious to most folks (national >organizational politics aside) that it is a MAJOR step forward. I never complained about the HSUS policy as outlined in the "Something Wonderful" post. Nor do I have any complaints...someone else piped in with comments to the effect of "ferrets are still considered a bit different" and at least to me, they are a "bit different". Not that there should be a legal difference, of course, but if they were the same, I'd have cats. My complaint is about a *different* HSUS document, their official position statement regards California Legalization. *That* piece of [toilet paper] states that HSUS will *NOT* recommend legalization unless a total ban on commercial breeding and retail sales is instituted at the same time. Two problems: one, such a ban on sales and breeding itself is a problem, and two, it makes political weasels think HSUS still has major issues with the cute-n-cuddly-type weasels. It's a case of HSUS ideology standing in the way of Californian's civil rights - completely =intolerable=. >Unfortunately, for some people here on the FML, the change was brought >about by the L.I.F.E. organization. According to the pattern developing >over the past couple of years, this fact negates all the work done for >ferrets in general. There are, in case the general public doesn't realize >this, several major national organizations besides L.I.F.E. F.U.R.O. was >the first (but they are, I believe, "checking out".) Then came the A.F.A. >There are very tight "battle lines" drawn between the groups, >unfortunately. "Oh boohoo, nobody likes our ideas 'cause they hate us, boohoo". BS. I've had zero dealings with any of these groups, I'm barely in contact with CDFA, I'm very new to FML. I'm more interested in *local* efforts, which I hope to lay out in more detail after I present F&G with a done deal by no later than Thursday, I sure as hell hope. I think we can get the ban effectively ended city-by-city, getting local gov't to tell local cops to halt enforcement. It would surprise me if there weren't F&G lurkers on this list, therefore the city is top secret so far. [Posted in FML issue 1576]