Amen to the post about flames yesterday. I'm the lurker who posted her first message yesterday, and the main reason I didn't was because I didn't want to get flamed. I can handle it, I'm mature enough and strong enough, I just didn't want to bother with the hassle. And when I did post yesterday, I almost added the line "please don't flame me", and then I thought, why bother? It's ridiculous that people have to attack someone for an opinion or action. Why was I worried about getting flamed? Well, I stated that I bought my MF ferrets from a pet store. That's two strikes against me in a lot of people's eyes right there. From the way the MF debates had been getting, I was not at all willing to get dragged in on that point, and I wouldn't have been happy about being flamed for buying from a pet store either. I was uninformed. I'd much rather get shelter ferrets, but I checked the humane society first, and they don't take ferrets. I didn't know ferret shelters existed. But that's beside the point (one thing you will soon learn about me is I tend to ramble on) ;). IMHO, what really matters is the ferrets, and that's why we're all here, isn't it? It doesn't matter where someone's ferrets came from in the past, etc etc. What matters is that they are informed now and that their ferrets are happy and well cared for. I don't think anyone here will deny that they love their furbabies and would do anything to care for them. So why is it that we have to attack someone else about the way they treat their critters if they love them as much as we love ours? Everyone has different opinions and different ways of doing things, and all we can do if we disagree is to present them with facts supporting our opinions. If we don't have facts, we can tell them what we think (NICELY), but in the end, they will form their own opinions and we won't always agree. Oh well, get over it. People are entirely too concerned about what everyone else is doing and they don't spend enough time looking at themselves. (No, I don't have anyone specific in mind.) Do all YOU can to help shelters, stop MF, ban the sale of ferrets in pet stores, whatever your "pet" cause may be. Educate others on your cause, but please stop attacking when they don't agree with you. We don't need these kinds of extremist actions. They don't help anyway: remember, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar (you catch more ferrets with ferretone...). Flames only anger and make people less likely to help you. Why do you think, when there is ferret misinformation in the news somewhere, people on the list ask everyone to correct the misinformed parties in a mature and reasonable manner? They've seen too many flames here. Please stop the flames, please just voice opinions or the facts as you know them. Sorry about being on the soapbox, I just wanted to agree with the comments from yesterday. Thanks for listening, everyone! Kristi and the Mustelid Musketeers of Mayhem Mayonnaise (mm, raisins mommy *beg* oops, I fell over cuz I'm fat) Clover (Huh? What? Who? Where?) Luna (Get that big mean old couch *spaz*...get those toes now!) [Posted in FML issue 2238]