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Phil Bunch
On Wednesday, July 25, 2001 22:36, newton [SMTP:newton@coiinc.com] wrote:
> If some of this story is true, what Pepe Portillo did was wrong, illegal
and
> he knew it. I have very little sympathy for Pepe. Laws, whether as
> individuals we feel are just or unjust, modify our behavior, which is
judged
> to be in the local or international societies best interest at the time.
If,
> in fact, we feel the law is unjust or plainly wrong, there exists ways to
go
> about changing them with some effort. Sometimes we win, sometimes not.
When
> we don't win, perhaps we are not of the majority opinion or hold a
> professional understanding of the nature of the problem that brought
about
> the law.
>
> Locally, we have several protected grasses, two of which are known to be
the
> only locations in several states. Do I want them protected? You bet. Do I
> want some "damned nice fellow" to dig them up and sell them? Hell no. I
can
> only imagine the ignorance of a person who would do so without regard.
>
> In countries where plants are endangered, and misguided laws for their
> protection are inadvertently guaranteeing their ultimate destruction due
to
> habitat changes, concerned people should use the international channels
to
> influence a change. If failing to do this, then protest, be passionate,
but
> don't steal and rob future local generations of the opportunity to enjoy
the
> flora.
>
> I will disagree with anyone who sides with this type of activity. As for
> Dave, I am glad there are Dave Martins who help stop the trafficking of
> illegally gotten plants. He is OBVOIUSLY passionate about HIS cause and
so
> are those who help in the process.
>
> For each of you reading this who have knowingly purchased or traded for
an
> illegally gotten plant, what's up with that? You make me real proud. I
hope
> every time you look at it (them) you think about the selfishness of your
> actions.
>
> And don't get me started on the comment "THESE 4 CYCADS ARE NOT HURTING
> ANYTHING". I see little if any objective argument of substance in
anything
> written below to defend Pepe. He got caught. Others do not. There are
many
> more than 4 cycads floating over our borders and disappearing from native
> soils to the greedy hands of private and public collections.
>
> I would appreciate some dialog on this topic to see if I am, in fact, of
the
> minority opinion in which case we should all be allowed to plunder other
> countries national treasures whether plants or historical icons, works of
> art and so on. Why hell, let's just walk into the MOBOT and take whatever
we
> want. What's the issue folks?
>
> Tim McNinch
> Happy with what I have and staying out of jail while enjoying it.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: aroid-l@mobot.org [mailto:aroid-l@mobot.org]On Behalf Of plantnut
> Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2001 9:02 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L
> Subject: Warning!!!!!
>
> Early this morning I received a message from Dennis Cathcart informing me
> of a situation regarding Pepe Portillo of Ecuador. Pepe is a friend of
> mine and a darned nice fellow... Would do anything to help a friend and
> help another 'plant person' get the plant of his hearts desire..... This
> got him in trouble...
>
> I do not know what can be done to help him... Dennis is checking into
> this.. and I will keep you informed...
>
> I have information from another friend that his arranignment will not be
> until August 3rd..
>
> Now, watch for the name Dave Martin in the text below... I never heard
of
> this guy but I think that EVERYONE involved in plants should do
everything
> in their power to make this person 'personna non gratta' EVERYWHERE. He
is
> definitely not the type of person that I would want to know...
>
> Again, I do not know what we can do to stop these idiots from wasting our
> tax dollars on one or two plants but I sure hope someone can come up with
> an idea... Possibly, write your congressman.... yea, right... that
won't
> be worth the paper it is written on.....
>
> The following account was authored by George Norris.....
>
> "AS OF NOW, THE STORIES GOING AROUND HAVE HIS WIFE IN JAIL AND HIM FACING
> DEPORTMENT AND THESE ARE NOT TRUE.
>
> SO HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED......
>
> BACK IN JANUARY PEPE PORTILLO OF ECUAGENERA IN ECUADOR BROUGHT 10 CYCADS
TO
> A CUSTOMER IN CALIFORNIA.. LATER SOMEHOW, 4 OF THE PLANTS WERE DETERMINED
TO
> BE PLANTS NATIVE TO COLOMBIA AND HAD BEEN PUT ON THE CITES UNDER NAMES OF
> PLANTS FROM ECUADOR. AT THAT TIME A FELLOW NAMED DAVE MARTIN HAD ASKED
PEPE
> ABOUT THE COLOMBIAN CYCADS AND PEPE TOLD HIM THAT HE COULD TRADE PLANTS
WITH
> COLOMBIAN DEALERS BUT COULD ONLY GET THEM FOR EXPORT BY CHANGING THE
NAMES
> FOR A ECUADOR CITES. MARTIN WAS WEARING A RECORDING DEVICE AND THE TAPES
> TURNED OVER TO THE US PLANT AND WILDLIFE AUTHORITIES. MARTIN ALSO WEARING
A
> WIRE GOT TAPES OF 2 OTHER CYCAD DEALERS ADMITTING TO GETTING CYCADS INTO
THE
> US FROM SO. AFRICA AND FROM AUSTRALIA. AN AMERICAN DEALER WAS ALSO CAUGHT
IN
> THIS MESS BY BUYING SOME OF THESE PLANTS.
>
> THE PLANT POLICE , AS THEY ARE NOW CALLED, WAITED AND SET UP A TRAP FOR
PEPE
> AND SOME OF THE OTHERS AT THE SANTA BARBARA SHOW WHERE PEPE WAS ARRESTED
AND
> WARRANTS EXECUTED FOR THE OTHER 3. THIS LEFT PEPE'S WIFE INGRID WITH
> $15,000 WORTH OF LEGALLY IMPORTED PLANTS TO SET UP FOR THE SHOW AND TO
SELL
> OVER THE SHOW WEEKEND AND SHE DOES NOT EVEN SPEAK ENGLISH.
>
> GRANTED, WHAT PEPE AND THE OTHERS DID WAS WRONG BUT THROWING THEM IN
> FEDERAL PRISON WAS CERTAINLY OVER RE-ACTING. SO EVEN IF THIS TURNS OUT TO
> INVOLVE AS MANY AS 10-15 CYCADS, SO WHAT. THIS IS NOT A MAJOR COCAINE
BUST.
> THIS IS NOTHING WHERE 10 CYCADS LOOSE ON THE STREETS OF CALIFORNIA ARE
GOING
> TO CORRUPT THE LIVES OF OUR KIDS.
>
> SO THIS IS WRONG BUT IT IS OF NOT MAJOR IMPORTANCE AND THEY COULD BE
FINED
> AND THAT WOULD BE IT. THE GOVERNMENTS CASE REVOLVES AROUND THE ILLEGAL
> RECORDINGS BY A GOVERNMENT SNITCH, HIMSELF AN INDICTED CRIMINAL. THE
> GOVERNMENT AS THE VERY BEST HAS A WEAK CASE AND POSSIBLY WILL NOT EVEN
BRING
> IT TO TRIAL. IT IS JUST A CASE OF BULLYING BY THE PLANT POLICE`. IN
ADDITION
> THE DAVE MARTIN HAS BE WEARING THIS WIRE TO SHOWS OF ORCHIDS, AROIDS AND
> BANZAIS, TRYING TO GET SOME INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE FOR THE PLANT POLICE.
>
> THIS IS NO MORE THAN A PLANT POLICE "STING". THEY HAVE HAD THIS GUY
MARTIN
> CALLING DEALERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TRYING TO BUY OR SELL ILLEGAL PLANTS
> AND ENTRAP OTHERS .
>
> IS THIS THE KIND OF THING WE WANT OUR TAX DOLLARS TO GO TO WHEN DRUGS ARE
> COMING IN BY THE TONS. I , FOR ONE, THINK NOT. THESE 4 CYCADS ARE NOT
> HURTING ANYTHING AND ALL THIS MONEY SPENT TO CATCH A FEW FOLKS IS PLAIN
> WASTEFUL OF SOME VERY LIMITED FUNDS."
>
> Again, I certainly think that this guy 'Martin' should be ostracised by
> every 'plant person' in the world....
>
> What do you think?
> Dewey
>
> P.S. Please feel free to forward this message to any list that you are
> subscribed to and to anyone not on a list that you feel would like to
know.
>
> Also, I have the press release that was put out... If anyone would like
to
> see that.... be glad to post it also...
> D.
>
> Your source for Tropical Araceae
> http://members.macconnect.com/users/p/plantnut/
>
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