The following editorial letter was sent to the Clarke County Tribune after reading about a new nuisance ordinance that was prompted by someone seeing a snake in the grass.

Dear Editor:

Subject: Laws based upon superstition, ignorance and paranoia are unwise

I question the wisdom of basing nuisance laws upon ignorance, superstition and unjustified fear of God's creations. Such laws may lead to injustice, if not conflict and corruption. I'm referring to the recent nuisance ordinance which I understand was prompted by someone seeing a snake in the grass. Is that correct?

Ever since Genesis snakes have been getting a bad rap, given it was the serpent in the Garden of Eden which tempted Eve to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, that she gave also said fruit unto Adam and thus man gained wisdom. Yet should we, seeing snakes in Quitman, then make laws that will set neighbor against neighbor, to complain, argue and fight, viewing all snakes as harmful and blaming their occurrence upon tall grass?

Certainly there are snakes in Quitman, given Quitman is located on the edge of Lake Archusa, is surrounded by piney woods and has many vacant lots and empty homes. Yet without snakes, the vast majority of which serve to keep down the population of rodents, Quitman would soon be more like New York City than a pleasant country town.

In New York City there are an estimated 80 million rats! The reason for so many rats is because long ago the natural land was replaced with a concrete jungle that could support rats living off the filth of humans, but could not support snakes, which are relatively clean and harmless creatures ... except perhaps the occasional Python or Anaconda dumped into the sewer and growing into a monster -- or is that just in the movies? In any case, do we really want to set neighbor against neighbor based upon the height of the grass growing in their yards and seeing an occasional harmless snake?

To my knowledge there are no dens of rattlesnakes in Quitman. Nor is there a profusion of Water Moccasins or Coral snakes. True, there may be an occassional rattlesnake or other harmless snake found in and around Quitman, but there is hardly a invasion of deadly, venomous snakes! In fact, since the Rattlesnake Rodeo began in Opp, Alabama, some 48 years ago, I hear the rattler population has dropped throughout most of southern Alabama and eastern Mississippi. Why with everyone baking, broiling and deep frying Eastern Diamondbacks over in Opp, I'd be surprised if there were a rattler left in within 300 miles of the Heart of Dixie! Hee, hee, I'm just kidding. Snakes are pretty hardy creature and I'm sure they are abundant in those natural areas around Quitman and throughout the southeastern United States where they have not been over hunted or just killed for spite.

Yet killing snakes just for spite does happen. Often local newspapers post photos of people who have killed snakes, including rattlesmakes, apparently just for spite. Why only recently (Spring 2009) The Clarke County Tribune posted two photographs of rattlesnakes which has been killed for no apparent or reported reason.

Yet should people respond to seeing a snake, especially a rattlesnake, by killing it? This may not be a wise decision if the snake does not present a clear and present danger. A more appropriate response may be to heed the snakes warning, to listen to what that loud rattle is saying, to move away from the snake, to avoid the snake, to leave the snake alone. Yet people often will kill a rattlesnake, take a photograph of their exploits and deliever this to the nearest newspaper in hope of being able to display their trophy to the entire community.

Such trophy killing of snakes, even rattlesnakes, is not warranted. Approaching and killing a rattlesnake risks being bitten by the snake. Seeing photographs of people displaying killed rattlesnakes in the newspaper may promote snake paranoia; it could also lead to other people trying to kill a rattlesnake, perhaps to someone even being bitten by the snake is prusuit of getting their photograph in the newspaper. The result could even be a child or teenager hurt or even killed trying to emulate adults who see snakes and just kill them out of spite or just to display a trophy in the local newspaper.

Indeed, it may not be a prudent response to kill snakes out of spite or to exhibit as trophies. Generally there is nothing to worry about when it comes to seeing a harmless snake which should not be a nuisance to anyone. After all, doesn't every boy and girl growing up in the country know how to tell a poisonous from a harmless snake? It's an easy task if the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are still teaching our young people survival skills as they did when I was a lad. If not, you can learn by getting a field guide to reptiles and amphibians or Google "poisonous snakes."

As a naturalist who enjoys photographing all God's creatures, I've lived and traveled widely throughout the United States. Thus I've had the opportunity to see and even catch poisonous snakes. In Florida I caught dozens of Pygmy Rattler snakes and some Cottonmouth water moccasins, which behave very ferociously when too closely approached. Out west I've caught some rather large Western Diamondback Rattlers and even a few Coral snakes.. Also in northern Alabama and other parts of the Appalachian Mountains, I had occasion to catch some very large rattlesnakes. Never have I been bitten by a poisonous snake, but that is probably because I know how to properly handle snakes and am not unduly afraid of them, though I certainly do respect all venomous creatures.

It is relatively easy to tell a poisonous from a non-poisonous snake. Pit vipers have tiny pits on the side of their head and of course fangs with which to inject venom into their prey, which consists primarily of other small animals such as amphibians and rodents. Of course rattlesnakes have a rattle on the end of their tail and vibrate it to warn off anyone who may approach too closely. Hence if you hear a rattlesnake the best response is to freeze, locate the snake, and move in the opposite direction. Generally if you leave poisonous snakes alone they will not bother you. The problem comes if you try to pick up or kill a snake and don't know what you are doing; this can result in a novice getting bitten.

However, the very vast majority of snakes in North America are not poisonous. This is true also of Quitman. In fact, Quitman has such a large population of stray cats that I doubt there is any real threat from the few snakes one might chance to encounter. Certainly tall grass also affords stray cats with a place to hide and hunt for snakes. Now if this is a problem, I'd say it is the stray cats, not the snakes, that are the real problem. But then Clarke County has no animal control officer, nor does Quitman. Hence the real problem which needs addressed is not neighbors letting their grass grow, but people letting their dogs and cats run at large and breed out of control, thus contributing to the over-population of homeless animals.

What can we do as concerned citizen to deal with our neighbors who do not act responsibly to maintain their lawns? Are we to have a nuisance ordinance? And if so, what about those lawns turning into parking lots? Why I've seen people even parking large commercial trucks or trailers in their backyards with backhoes, tractors or other equipment blooming from the flatbeds. I've also witnessed people turning their lawns into a parking lot, destroying the grass and dumping such hazardous waste as motor oil down the sewer, demonstrating great disrespect for the environment.

Personally I'm more concerned about these huge problems caused by people than about a few of God's slithering creatures living in the grass. There are field mice, squirrels, frogs, toads, lizards, birds and a host of other small animals which live around my home. They are all God's creatures and each is a wonder, a miracle of life in its own right. But a residential area is not a place to park large commercial vehicles, nor is turning one's lawn into a parking lot going to make property values go up. If fact, both these behaviors make property values go down more than grass which can be cut.

If Quitman is going to have a nuisance ordinance, I think it should not target God's creatures, animal or plant, but focus upon people who hurt and harm the environment. This includes driving through neighborhoods with speakers blasting from vehicles so much that one's whole house shakes! It also includes tying up dogs on chains or cables and leaving them unattended all day long. Certainly it includes turning residential lawns into parking lots and parking commercial vehicles in the front or backyard. But snakes... let's give the snakes a break!

Quitman should NOT use the natural occurrence of harmless snakes to regulate the maintenance of lawns; that is more properly done via a obnoxious weed ordinance and qualified inspector, which I doubt the City of Quitman could afford. In fact, until Clarke County has an animal control officer and a no kill shelter to deal with the large homeless animal problem, I think it is unwise to be making foolish laws based upon superstition, ignorance or fear of God's creatures. Rather, lets have sensible laws designed to create a more harmonious community where neighbors will help neighbors.

This is very important, especially as the elderly population increases. Elderly people cannot always maintain their lawns as well as they once could do when younger. Many senior citizens have physical disabilities or health issues. Therefore instead of a stupid ordinance which fines people for letting their grass grow, lets organize citizens groups to help those in need. This should include allowing city workers to cut limbs from trees on private property of tax payers and cut to grass along the edge of property which is difficult to reach with a lawn mower. Plus the City of Quitman might even assist the elderly with their lawn care as part of the public service elderly have earned being good citizens for over 60 years.

These are serious issues and people's rights and needs should be the guiding light, not unreasonable fear or paranoia of snakes. Anyone over 60 years of age or who has a disability should be exempt from any laws related to lawn maintenance. In these hard economic times where everyone is encouraged to conserve fuel and help reduce pollution from burning of fossil fuels, it is really dumb to be passing laws requiring people to run lawn mowers. Perhaps it would be better for the environment and everyone if we passed laws outlawing mowers which use internal combustion engines. Such outdated contraptions not only pollute, they make too much noise, especially on Sunday morning when people should be in church, not cutting their grass. Also, instead of immaculate lawns planted in grass, perhaps turning lawns into victory gardens would make more sense.

Quitman is a beautiful country town and if we work together, neighbor helping neighbor, our town can be made even more beautiful. But if we make stupid ordinances that pit neighbor against neighbor because a snake crawls out of its hole or slivers through the grass, then our town is going to be ugly, not so much on the outside, as on the inside in the heart where it counts! Which would you rather have, a town where everyone loves their neighbors and minds their own business, or one where the lawns look like golf courses and people are killing each other over the sprouting of a dandelion?

Sincerely,
Terry Lynch
terry@byteland.org April 16, 2009

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