I just finished reading 200 tweeter postings after a week of an
unintentional vacation from my home PC. Whew! I'm sadden by it, but
glad this "birder's voice" thread is still alive. The apparent lack of
political birder voices (in the NW anyway) is perhaps partly due to a
lack of respect for one another. This petty "my conservation
organization is better than yours" stuff is going to get us nowhere.
How can we organize if we are focusing on bashing each other? Can't
there be a positive discussion regarding the best way to raise funds?
For example, shall we try to target just outdoor minded people with
taxes or go for all tax payers? Would birders feel better if we could
be singled out along with hunters and anglers so that we too can add to
state conservation budgets? Is taxing binos and bird seed going to get
us to pay all our dues? Shall we declare an "opening day" for spring
migration to insure that we all have paid for our licenses by then? I
don't know. But my point is that the methods for raising funds are up
for debate. Not bashing. If we can't have a decent discussion, we'll
never get any legislation through Olympia. Let's not resign ourselves
to being hopelessly un-organizable. I don't believe that for a minute.

I think I'll buy a hunting license tomorrow so when I see the "other
guys" out in the field I won't feel too guilty.

--
Debbie Feinman < "A raven in Desolation Canyon? Why >
North Bend, Washington < those two-bit, no-good, lunchmeat- >
debraf at isomedia.com < breathed, bunny-sucking anarchist >
< featherbombs, they slip in as soon as >
< we are out the door." >
< >
< E. Meloy from Raven's Exile >
........................................