Glassberg's public statement on collecting.

[Neil Jones]

On 5 Feb, in article
     <D10E57119AA2D511A61800902773FBE536FB76 at NTFS2>
     agrkovich at tmpeng.com "Grkovich, Alex" wrote:

> I think you're wroing. I think there's plenty of evidence of it. And look at
> the three books: The anti-collector tone is worse and worse, and more and
> mroe offensive, from the first toward the last. The first book really didn't
> particularly offend me, at least not as far as the author's writings were
> concerned. (What was written by the two scientists that did the
> Introductions, that's another matter. These writings were extremely
> offensive, at least to me.

I don't think this is a particularly defensible analysis. All the _evidence_
is that Glassberg isn't doing what you claim. You are posing your _opinion_
as if it were _fact_.

 I STILL am waiting for someone to explain to me
> what it is that an ant scientist, for example, has to say about collecting
> butterflies and about the study of Lepidoptera. But what the heck,
> bird-watchers, gardeners, photographers, plant conservationists, botanists,
> bored and/or lonely soccer moms, everyone's got something to say about the
> subject, don't they? And somehow they're ALL opposed to butterfly
> collecting. Who's working on their minds?)

OOh they're all out to get you! look out!!! :-) Seriously though Alex. If you
can rationally defend the issue most people will listen to you. It may suprise
you but I do this sometimes myself. I point out the reasons for collecting.
If I were in the USA I would probably be taking specimens myself because
there is much taxonomic work to be done. However I have no interest in the
laborious nature of keeping a collection. I would probably donate any specimens
to an institution who could look after them. I come to lepidoptera from a 
different perspective I want to know how nature works and I marvel over that.
Consequently I am more interested in studying living butterflies.

> And they are trying to ban it, no doubt in my mind. In a sinister and covert
> sort of way: One way is very simple: By getting species after species
> "listed", state by state. Long state hearings don't stop these people; many
> of them don't work or have full time jobs anyway. Do they? 

This is pure and simple paranoia. Yes, I am being blunt but the evidence is
there. I once announced on this list that a species had been given protection in the UK.
I was immediately flamed for very similar reasons to those you list.
The _facts_ are however very different. I can show you books full of equations
and scientific study that show that the protection of this species and its
_habitat_ need protecting if the species is to survive. There are also
real world studies the data from which _support_ this. However some collectors
who are _supposed_ to be scientific and rational  in their thinking continue
to oppose this position on _emotional_ grounds.

As someone who gets involved in lobbying for protection I can tell you that
without a doubt it is not done to wipe out the practice of collecting
butterflies.

 
> Of course, whether they CAN or not, that's another matter. There seems to be
> plenty of opposition, doesn't there? 
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Neil at NWJONES.DEMON.CO.UK [SMTP:Neil at NWJONES.DEMON.CO.UK]
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 8:30 AM
> > To:   leps-l at lists.yale.edu
> > Subject:      Glassberg's public statement on collecting.
> > 
> > There have been a number of postings accusing Dr Jeffrey Glassberg
> > of wanting to ban collecting. The actual evidence for this is sparse.
> 
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-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve


 
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