Just a little editorial while babysitting.

[Bob Parcelles,Jr.]

--- Ron Gatrelle <gatrelle at tils-ttr.org> wrote:
> As a parent, if my child was drowning I would not
> wait for an Olympic
> swimmer or even a life guard to show up - though
> they could do the job
> best. I'd dive in myself even though it might well
> cost me my life. Crises
> affect caring people that way. They easily get in
> over their head.
> 
> The founders of The International Lepidoptera Survey
> are not Ph.D.s,
> neither are we rich. We are not A.C. Allyn and Lee
> Miller. But our vision
> is much the same. Their primary focus was the
> collection and taxonomic
> assessment of butterflies. In today's world
> conservation must be added that
> vision.
> 
> We can only debate which names to put on a list if
> the names exist. Names
> which represent living creatures. TILS  was created
> because of the
> creatures that are going extinct without ever having
> received names. If
> they had received names, singular identities above
> the masses on the light
> sheet, perhaps they and their habitat could have
> been preserved. Perhaps
> not. That is what diving in is all about - hope, a
> chance for survival.
> 
> We no longer have the luxury to wait for complete
> analyses, genetic
> mapping, consensus, or anything else. If butterflies
> had voices, would
> their cries for help be heard? Names provide this
> voice. Who is listening?
> When one says, "we don't want subspecific names,"
> they ARE saying they want
> to hear certain voices no more. (Blacks did not
> count as persons as long as
> they were labeled as anything but human beings.) To
> the perishing leps., it
> matters little whether their plight is caused by
> human overpopulation,
> industrial pollution, collectors, watcher trampling
> etc., their part of the
> biological light goes out just the same. While the
> factions debate, Elmer
> Fudd (TILS) has gotten involved. We've heard the
> cry, affixed a name, told
> the lifeguards - who can choose to continue to
> pursue their tan or get wet.
> Or, they can continue to feud over which one is the
> best swimmer and should
> thus lead the rescue.  Or, trample the efforts of
> others, in order to show
> that they are the hero.
> 
> A cry for help is a 911 call. But without a specific
> individual address
> (taxonomic ID) the help will never arrive. Who will
> speak for the
> butterflies? TILS, among others. But remember the
> TILS motto.
>      We can not protect that which we do not know.
> 
> (Monetary donations will not be refused.)
_______________________________________________________

Ron 

That was so good, I think I ought to put you in my
last will and testament.(:-)

=====
Bob Parcelles, Jr
Pinellas Park, FL
RJP Associates <rjpassociates at yahoo.com>
rjparcelles at yahoo.com
http://rainforest.care2.com/welcome?w=976131876
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."- Confucius

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