Yes, "our children are our most precious resource!" That’s why they make such good kindling for political exploitation!

As I have always said, there is no force on earth more powerful then a Mother’s raw, unfocused fear! That’s why, as your state Senator, I have made every effort to nurture irrational, unfounded fears in my ongoing effort to get your vote. The Republican Party, under the leadership of President Bush and the Office of Homeland Security , has achieved unprecedented levels of fear-mongering in 2005 and we hope to improve this effort throughout 2006! It is our goal that the American Dream of Monsters Around Every Corner be kept alive and well, right up to Election Day!

So please, heed this irrational call for the licensing of your children! Bring them to Child Safety Day to have them photographed and fingerprinted like common criminals.

To avoid delays be sure to bring the following essential documents with you when come:
* Your Social Security Card
* Your spouse’s SSI card
* All your children’s SSI cards
* A copy of your income Tax return from 2005
* A record of any unreported income such as money from plowing driveways, selling firewood, landscaping or waitressing tips.
* A copy of your and your children’s medical records.
* Your green card.
* Your WIC, Welfare or Food Stamp registration documents.
* A copy of your lease or mortgage.
* Copies of your utility, cable television and credit card bills.
* If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or family history of heart disese bring a release signed by your physcian or HMO that you and your children are healthy enough to have micro-transmitter chips embedded under the skin.

Remember, your children will never really be safe until the government can track them by satellite!

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Desperate for the truth? Good luck! The following website claimed that in 2001 over 840,000 children were abducted! (http://childrentoday.com/resources/articles/childabductiontips.htm)

Believe that? About SEVENTEEN TIMES the number of soldiers killed in the entire Vietnam War! 17 times EVERY YEAR! Why in ten years that would be 8,400,000 children. That's about EVERY KID IN NEW YORK STATE!

WOW! Who could possibly be lying about these figures? Who would want to scare the public so badly? Hmmm, maybe bogus charities that exploit people's fears? Maybe cheesy politicians who want to suck up votes?

By the way, in 2001 the FBI recorded 115 stranger abductions in the ENTIRE COUNTRY! Fewer than half went unsolved.
(http://www.lcdaonline.com/lcda/news/view_article.asp?id=75)

PROTESTS CONTINUE OVER BEAVER

Ironicly, batons made by beaver

Hamlin, NY, (WPI) - Hundreds of demonstrators, some of them looking remarkably like beavers, clashed with Park Police and DEC officials in an ongoing protest over the plan by Park Manager “Big Jim” Slusarczyk to drown a family of harmless beaver who have made a home in the park.

In a bizarre twist on the mission to protect wildlife in a State Park, management has undertaken to exterminate the recently arrived mammals.

“We haven’t seen beaver in this Park in probably a hundred years,” claimed old-timer Jay Martinski of Cabbage Beach Road, “It’s a durn shame they gotta be wiped out just a few years after findin’ their way back.”

“Who in Hamlin has ever seen and enjoyed watching beaver work on their dam?” asked protestor Norm Boors of Muddy Farm Lane, “What is the Park for if not to protect wildlife and nurture opportunities for residents to enjoy nature? Did I just use the word ‘nurture’?” he asked as a nurse applied mortar to a head injury.

“I moved out of town because there were no beaver in Hamlin,” added protestor Jamie Lynn Bread-Clawski. “I moved into a nice house on a golf course in Clarkson where they encourage the animals. Some people said I was chasing them but that’s not quite accurate.”

More protests are planned.

Story on pg. 3B

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER

Why Kill the Beavers?

Last week the DEC issued a permit to a Hamlin resident to trap a family of beaver who have moved into Yanty Creek near the marsh.

These beautiful animals have been in the creek for the last three or four years and have managed to survive traffic, predators, disease and extreme weather conditions. Now they face their worst enemy- us!

While beaver are no longer on the endangered species list, there are not many around. It is likely that ninety per cent of Hamlin residents have never seen one in the wild.


Allegedly, the trapping is being allowed because the beaver have cut down trees!

That is of course what they do. They eat trees and other plants, they build their lodge and dams with them and it is tree bark which keeps them alive over the winter.

Beaver favor aspen, cottonwood and other poplar trees. These species grow like weeds. There is no shortage of them or other trees in the State Park. The number of trees these creatures cut down has no greater impact than similar “losses” to wind, insects and storms. These losses are insignificant compared to the ones inflicted by humans. Many, many more trees are cut down in Hamlin every year for firewood, for convenience and for new development. Why should we kill these animals for harvesting food and shelter?

In reality, the actions of a family of beaver, in a protected State Park, results in far less of a “negative impact” then 99% of the human activity in Hamlin. On the contrary, the behaviors of these animals is natural and, while it might affect some local ecologies, can easily be mitigated by the intervention of a small group of caring and cautions humans. Whatever fears exist about beavers cutting down trees or damming the flow of the creek could likely be managed by a local scout troop who have “adopted” the animals.

A family of beaver is a wonderful natural resource for any community. Their industriousness is legendary and the subject of many stories and metaphors in our culture. To see and examine a beaver damn or lodge is a wonderful experience. People call beaver “marvelous” engineers and that is not far from the truth. The animals are compelled to build and their structures are amazing. They are also gentle creatures, mammals who care for their families with affection.

Wildlife is under dramatic stress in our society. What better addition can there be to our local State Park than an opportunity to enjoy the delightful experience of observing beaver in their natural habitat? We don’t need to permit a returning species to be wiped out, once again, based on speculation of the harm they might cause.

As an active a hunter and fisher I respect the policies of natural balance which includes harvesting of wildlife. I advocate for taking wildlife in a “humane” manner when practicing the sports. If there were an overabundance of these animals, or a significant harm proven, then I would support hunting them with gun or bow. Drowning, in my opinion, is not humane.

These animals are a wonderful, attractive addition to our area and should be protected and promoted.