[FEL-L] Resignation letter

[GJPanthergirl at aol.com]

I would like all who believe in private ownership and want to save  our civil 
rights to stop bans to read why I have quit the Florida CWTAG  Committee.  I 
swore to all I would not give up, but have found I am  wasting my time and 
will be more effective working on my own. Following is  the letter:  Thank you
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December 14, 2006 
Colonel Julie Jones 
Dept. of Law Enforcement 
Florida Wildlife Commission 
620 S. Meridian Street 
Tallahassee, Florida  32399-1600                      Sent by e-mail followed 
by U.S. Mail 
RE:   Resignation from CWTAG Committee 
Dear Colonel Jones: 
Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from the Captive  Wildlife 
Technical Assistance Group.   I truly enjoyed getting to  know you, Capts. 
West and Harrison and your wonderful assistant Precious;  however, I can no 
longer in good conscience be part of what I see  happening.  Below are the  
reasons I feel I must resign.   They are not in order of importance but an attempt 
to put them in  chronological order. 
    1.  I sat on this committee for over a  year.  The  Facilitator/Moderator 
had proper rules for speaking.  One raised one’s hand and she  would jot the 
name in the order she saw them.  That person was allowed to speak  without 
being interrupted.   For some reason, my hand was “invisible”.  Even  if held up 
first, I would be  last and possibly forgotten as the committee changed 
subjects.  When I was allowed to speak I  was constantly being interrupted which 
was not allowed by other members  to each other.  Julie  Morris, the Facilitator 
and yourself and I discussed this.  Julie apologized and said she  would try 
harder to be more fair.   I did see a slight improvement on her part; however, 
I don’t  think I ever once was allowed to finish a point without being  
interrupted. 
    2.  The committee had decided to use what they  called a “Matrix” which 
ran all species (however different they may be,  or however they lived, pet, 
zoo, exhibit, education) through a series of  questions with “scores”.  In  
other words they were made to “fit in a box”.  Not only does this not include  
facts, but just opinions, the voted numbers were monopolized by 2 or 3  
members and everyone else would just say “what number?” and copy what  was said.  
This is not group  work.  I was getting very  frustrated with this matrix which 
in fact was changed several times  because it didn’t seem to work (no 
surprise to me) when a guest speaker  gave his opinion that he didn’t think it was a 
proper methodology.  That gave me the nerve to admit  that I didn’t agree 
either.   I believe (after 30 years of lobbying and drafting laws) that  facts, 
science and statistics are the most valid way to make laws and  rules.  I do not 
disagree  that a tool similar to this can be an important adjunct  to 
establishing certain criteria  or developing parameters.   However, the “matrix” 
incorporates a number of problematic  elements that affects its ultimate utility 
and the validity of its  conclusions.  I continue to  urge you to have someone 
with a solid background in probability,  statistics and logic work with you 
to adjust and streamline the “matrix”  to make it the effective tool that you 
want it to be.  I think that you would find that  the results of such 
consultation would be questions that were more  apropos and significantly easier to 
answer, more accurate, meaningful  results; and a sequence that takes far less 
time to go  through.
Colonel Jones you answered this opinion with  the following which I am 
cutting and pasting so there is no mistake that  it came from you. 
Gloria:  This is not about  science, truth or facts;  this is about having 
some way to make  decisions based on something other than (to quote below)  “a 
mix of  personal emotions, good intentions, tunnel vision, and yes even 
purposeful  deceit.”  The  process will never satisfy everyone, but will be much 
better than me  saying “I think we should do …….” based solely on what I think.  
This process will be a way to make recommendations.  The  other more “
sociological” aspects of listing can be addressed in the  public input process.  This 
is a start.      Julie 
Colonel Julie Jones, Director of Law  Enforcement,  Florida  FWC 
-           When I received  this I was shocked!  If a law  or regulation is 
not based on facts and statistics it is normally easily  killed in the 
Legislature.   Your explanation was hard to understand but it sure made me wonder  if 
 you were saying that the  Commission didn’t want anyone accusing them or you 
of making unilateral  decisions.  They could always  say “we had a committee 
of experts” advise us, when they know all along  what they want to do.  What  
else could it mean?  Not about  truth or facts!!!!  God help  us! 
3.        Next came the 20/20  propaganda “scare tactics” story which I 
refused to watch on TV, but Ken,  HSUS, felt compelled to send the entire 
transcript to all the CWTAG  members.  I asked him “What is  your point?”  This is 
pure  sensationalism, like ARA’s use. His answer included personal insults  
(something I’ve never done) which included telling me and the entire  committee : 
Gloria, 
I don't see my  position on the committee as being the "spreader of good 
news". My point  is to share information vs.editorial comments, such as what you 
have  circulated in the past. Its important to be informed about what's  
happening everywhere vs. just Florida. As for both, your knowledge  is very limited. 
You need to open your eyes and see the big picture.  Leave Cougar Ridge 
occasionally and travel around. Learn more about the  "problems" and look at the 
challenges public policy and law enforcement  officials (of all kinds) have to 
deal with on a daily basis relating to  captive wildlife.  
I am well of  aware of the advisory group's mission, the FWC's 
responsibilities, the  laws that govern the keeping of captive wildlife and the various 
political  influences that relate to the adoption of public policy. I have been  
associated with all of this since the 1980's while serving in various  
capacities ranging from law enforcement to animal protection  advocacy.  
If you don't  want to read the information I send, hit the delete key. That's 
what I do  with most of what you send. 
Ken           
Nice Guy – One  of my “fellow” committee members. 
I wrote comments in red under each point in  the 20/20 article.  This is  not 
criticizing Ken but 20/20. 
HERE’S THE FROSTING ON THE  CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!  Carol Baskin  was invited to 
give a presentation as an “expert.”  Someone known to be guilty of  fraud and 
now under investigation by the Attorney General and you would  allow her?  
There goes any  credibility for CWTAG right down the drain.  What were you 
thinking?  As it is she sent a representative  with handouts that were on the wrong 
subject but that is not the  point.  The point is you would  be outrageous 
enough to invite her with all that is known about her  illegal activities.  That 
was  it for me. 
*You then called me in to slap me on the hands for  not interacting with the 
rest of the members well and that I had nothing  to offer (although you 
haven't been to the last several meetings) I asked  you for examples, I reminded you 
of the conversation we had about never  being listened to for the entire 
first year.  All you would tell me was you  didn't have to give me reasons.    
Because of this and other reasons I don't  feel the outcome of the “
recommendations” of this committee (made up with  a majority of Animal Rights Activists 
who are anti-private ownership) are  something I want my  name  attached to 
and obviously no one is taking my opinion into consideration  anyway. 
It saddens me greatly to know what an  opportunity this could have been and 
how it has been twisted into a waste  of time.  Thank you for  the opportunity, 
but I feel it  will do my reputation more harm than good to be associated 
with what I  feel the “recommendations” will be. 
Sincerely, 
Gloria Johnson, Founder 
Cougar Ridge Educational  Center

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