Lep News Schappert Editorial

Sun Jul 10 20:09:34 EDT 2005

Below (after my comments) is a copy of a message Ron posted in SoWestLeps. However, SoWestLeps is area specific and the issues Ron raises concerns all Lep Soc members. Although Leps-L is not a part of the Lepidopterist's Society, I believe some view it as being connected, and so it is appropriate to discuss these issues here. Unfortunately, full and open discussion cannot be done in SoWestLeps. 

I am using Ron's post as a vehicle to give my own take on the editorial "The Birth of Butterflying" by Phil Schappert, page 58 of the recent Leps News. I have two main concerns in the editorial: 1. the condemnation of Recreational collecting, and 2. tension between NABA and Lep Soc members.

First, the Recreational collecting issue. Dr. Schappert did not define this but instead leaves it to our own slant of what this means. My own opinion on this is that when someone's livelihood does not depend on lepidoptering it is _all_ recreational, no matter what it is. Some may like to think their specific activity (taxonomic, life history, biogeographic, etc.) is an exception because it is "Science", but in the final analysis, it is nothing more than a 'Recreation' to that individual. Granted, it can result in some important (as viewed by individuals in the field. Outside of the field a nuclear physicist, for example, might well think of it as trivia adding to the mountain of unimportant information science has accumulated) scientific papers and an elevated self esteem as being an expert on some narrow subject, but a person's livelihood does not depend on it and so it is all recreational. As a result, I think it becomes somewhat arbitrary to label one activity as "Recreational" and condemn it.

Is Dr. Schappert condemning a child in puberty or an early teenager as being engaged in "Recreational" collecting that they should be "... ashamed of..."? I doubt it. Children, I would guess, engage in collecting activities because of the wonder in the natural world they discover from collecting.  Do these activities become something to be "... ashamed of ..." when we attain adulthood? If so, I reject the notion that having a wonder about the natural world is only a childhood exercise. Rather, it can, and should, extend to any age in life. A recent example of the latter is the excitement I could read into a post in Moth-Rah by John Masters regarding a large Hepialid (I think this was the family) he had collect in Nicaragua(?). If so called "Recreational" collecting adds to one's wonder of nature or stimulates interest in nature, then I see nothing to be "... ashamed of ...". Collecting to sell butterflies and moths is another matter and is something I am totally against.

Now to the tension. Nearly everything I know about NABA and Glassberg has been through these discussion groups. Some of it may or may not be correct, and some of it may or may not be taken out of context. As a result, I do not want to attend the Lep Soc meeting with inappropriate animosity directed to NABA members. I had ignored the NABA aspect of the meeting because I am going because of my interest in lepidoptera and to _enjoy_ myself. NABA members, who are also human beings, are also interested in lepidoptera and so their affiliation with NABA is unimportant to me. However, Dr. Schappert, with the best of intentions, has made us very aware that there will be two distinct types of members attending: the dreaded (as may be viewed by some NABA members) Lep Soc members and the dreaded (as may be viewed by some Lep Soc members) NABA members. There is already some contention between the two groups (as I have been able to gather from the discussion groups), but rather than having the effect intended, the editorial may instead have the opposite effect because of the tension that already exists. Dr. Schappert finishes by saying "How many of you will I see there"? I can already tell you from what I know that there is already around 200 registered. If I understand and read this this number correctly, this would make it one of the better meetings ever held.
Stan

Ron Gatrelle's Comments:
Well, I got the News today. The Lep. Soc. News that is.  The outgoing
editor, Schappert, is a certifiable moron.  He knows nothing and offends
everyone (page 58).  If I was a watcher I'd be especially upset by his
framing of me as a shallow twit.  How can the LEPIDOPTERISTS Soc now want
to campaign to get "watchers" to join when he has so clearly stated that
they are _not_ lepidopterists.  And why should the every day home boy
collector want to stay in Lep. Soc. when he flat out tells them they are no
longer valid and should be "ashamed of themselves".  If that does not
certify him as a know nothing and a moron for stating such things publicly
_IN OUR_ publication on his way out the company door, what does???

As a former Lep. Soc. Executive Council member, I offer here my apologies
to all the many very dedicated and serious watchers I know, especially here
in the Carolinas, I know your depth and you have great worth to me.  You
often inspire me with your energy, dedication to detail, and deep love of
butterflies and moths.  I see you as lepidopterists through and through.  A
lepidopterists is _as the Lep. Soc. Constitution states_ ANYONE with ANY
interest in butterflies and moths.   To the recreational collectors (like
the new News editor Dale Clark), my sincere apologies from a member since
the late 1960s, as I know your collection has enormous purpose and value in
spite of the fact that Schappert stated that it had "no useful purpose".

Schappert's only real complaint of Glassberg is where Glassberg stepped on
HIS OWN "professional" (= he is a god and we are all dirt) toes.  Goodbye
Phil, good 'ridins.  With friends like you the Lep. Soc. (and watchers, and
collectors, and breeders, and the rest of the realm) needs no enemies.

Ron Gatrelle

PS.  One more thing.  Phil was correct that he has a reallllllly big ego.

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