One of the most misunderstood creatures in this country is crotalus, a genus of venomous pit vipers most people simply call rattlesnakes. Crotalus horridus, also known as the timber rattlesnake or canebrake snake, epitomizes the deeply ambivalent relationship Americans have with this animal, which Benjamin Franklin considered a symbol of our nascent country-and which remains a symbol of freedom and defiance of unjust government-yet has been hunted to extinction or near-extinction throughout New England.

The fear and loathing with which most Americans view rattlesnakes is illustrated most vividly by events like the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup, wherein thousands of rattlesnakes are captured, killed, and skinned-often in gruesome ways-as a means of promoting local tourism. This deep revulsion is exhibited towards an animal that in normal circumstances does not threaten or harm humans, who are rarely-if ever-killed when an encounter does occur. It should be noted that some of these fatalities include people who wantonly abuse snakes.

With this sort of deep misunderstanding and distrust, Ted Levin’s insightful book, America’s Snake: The Rise And Fall Of The Timber Rattlesnake, is such a welcome resource. It not only debunks some common misconceptions about this increasingly threatened species, it explores why timber rattlesnakes were able to inhabit Maine, Long Island, and even New York City, although you’ll no longer find any dens-or rattlesnakes-in these places. One of the proximate causes of the rattlesnake’s decline in the Northeast, and a key part of the puzzle Levin hopes to unlock in his book, is Ophidiomyces ophiodilcola, a fungus which can prove fatal if a snake is not rehabilitated.

Although Ophidiomyces is the immediate villain, as Levin’s story unfolds the reader realizes that the greatest threat to the survival of the timber rattlesnake in the northeast is the increasing encroachment of humans upon this species’ habitat. The disruption of the mating process through development-particularly roads which cut between snake dens-the rapacious poaching, especially of gravid females, and general indifference of society towards the welfare of this fascinating animal all imperil its continued survival in this region.

To get a better idea of what this book is about, and learn why you should be concerned about its future, I would recommend watching this video of a talk delivered by Ted Levin last year. It might give you a new perspective on a quintessentially American reptile.

I’d just like to extend my thanks to all of American Rattlesnake’s followers, from New York City to California and abroad, and wish you all a successful 2013. As most you know, we have a regularly updated Facebook page, which you can find here. I also have an active Twitter page, where you can find my observations on a variety of subjects, including our rapidly deteriorating system of immigration enforcement. We look forward to covering that issue-among others-in the year ahead, and always welcome feedback, including constructive criticism, from this website’s devoted readers.

It ‘s been a pain in the keister getting back online, but now we’re back.  More details will be forthcoming, but right now us rattlesnake handlers are tired and we’re going to sleep.

We’ll keep up the good fight as long as you, our fellow patriotic Americans and other sympathetic souls, support us.  Sorry for the hiccup, folks.

Vigilance is the price of liberty.  Sometimes you get lazy and you have to work extra hard to clean up the mess.

Update: I just wanted to extend my gratitude to Thomas Nguy for inviting me to speak to his creation, NYC Indie Republicans, at their quarterly meeting last night. I really enjoyed the conversation, questions and interaction among like-minded individuals. For those of you who want to learn more about his organization, I suggest checking out NYCIR’s Meetup page, where you’ll also be able to find out what they’re doing in and around New York City in the future. 

Tonight-yes, I’ve finally gotten the date correct-I’ll be speaking at the New York City Indie Republicans about American Rattlesnake, immigration and the current political landscape. You can post questions to me, if you’re so inclined, at my Twitter page, Odd Lane. Looking forward to seeing you all there.

It’s a fully interactive page, and we encourage thoughtful readers to post articles, photos, and videos about the disastrous impact of current immigration policy. We’re looking forward to growing American Rattlesnake in 2012 and one of the ways we plan on doing so is by utilizing social media such as Facebook and Twitter. We welcome any suggestions and/or critiques you might have, and you can leave them at our new page on Facebook or in the comments section below this post. 

Flag designed by Thomas Dolan

This past weekend we were lucky enough to celebrate the first anniversary of American Rattlesnake with several friends and allies in New York City. And although we realize that many of this website’s most steadfast followers come from the Big Apple, we also recognize the importance of those who live in other parts of the country. Whether it be the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., the birthplace of our Constitution, Philadelphia, or ground zero in the war to reassert control over our borders, the great state of Arizona; we at American Rattlesnake are gratified by the continued support we’ve received from patriotic, concerned citizens throughout the nation. And believe it or not, we even have fans overseas, many of whom live in countries beset by the same problems of open borders policies and derelict politicians which we are confronting in the United States. 

Although we have had submissions from several different sources over the past year-I’d like to single out for thanks our own Marion Dreyfus for her thoughtful commentary-most of the writing on a day-to-day basis is done by yours truly. That’s why I’m inviting this website’s devoted, intelligent, resourceful readership to contribute their own stories, ideas, and suggestions to AR. This movement is a collaborative effort, requiring the skills, dedication, time and effort of millions of Americans throughout the country, which is why am asking you to give us your feedback. Issues that you’d like to see highlighted, stories you’d like to see us cover, suggestions for improving the website; these are all ways that you can help make American Rattlesnake even more efficacious in its second year of operation.

We’d also like to see stories from our readers. We have published and will publish in the future well-written, topical essays and columns written by readers, as well as important news stories highlighting issues pertaining to border security, immigration enforcement, and other subjects that we’ve tried to explore in a more honest, analytical manner at American Rattlesnake. One of the benefits of having a website like this is that it reaches people throughout the country, and even abroad. For those photo and video bloggers out there who have compelling footage or pictures of events that have taken place in your city or town, feel free to pass them along. One of the most remarkable aspects of the citizen activism that has characterized the Tea Party is the photo journalism individual activists have produced, some of it leading to dramatic changes in the political realm. That’s something I’d like to emulate here, and with your help it will become a reality in the weeks and months ahead.

In closing, if  you have verified news tips, suggestions, praise, critiques, or stories, feel free to share them with the editor-in-chief and/or publisher, whom you can contact here. You can read our submissions policy here. At the present moment we do not have sufficient funds to pay contributors, but the same was true of Andrew Breitbart when he began Big Hollywood. And though I hesitate to compare myself with the the creator of the multi-media Breitbart empire, I will emphasize that great endeavors often begin with small steps. If your submission is published it will be read by thousands of individuals every month, most of whom share the same concern over the direction in which this country is headed, particularly with respect to its borders, language, and culture. In the end, we share the same goals. Namely, to educate, inform and exhort the public to action that will make our communities better places in which to live.

 Here are the details:

165 W. 47th Street

August 13th, 2011

6 PM-11PM

Although I know all of my friends in the NYC-Metro Area won’t be able to make it, I would love to see you there. Hopefully, this will be the first of many celebrations to come. Although the past year has been trying, hope springs eternal…especially when you’re drinking.

Will it be as fun as a backyard filled with Canadians? That’s up to you, my faithful followers. That’s up to you.

I hate to be repetitive, but I thought I’d remind you that the big counter-demonstration against amnesty supporters is slated to begin at 2 PM tomorrow afternoon. That’s when the radical open borders lobby will begin marching downtown from Union Square to Foley Square. I recommend that anyone and everyone who can make it to the patriotic rally join us, along with New York ICE, in making a stand for America and Americans. You can find all the details you’ll need in the activism section of our website.

I don’t relish the notion of giving an absurd website more publicity than absolutely necessary, but I feel compelled to address the smear directed at us by a contributor to the Dream Activist blog this past week, which DREAM activists celebrated as National Coming Out Week.

And while we at American Rattlesnake take a certain amount of pride in being defamed with our good friends at ALIPAC, I can’t say that Flavia’s ignorant post at DREAM Activist pleased me, especially since she didn’t provide a link to this website for the handful of people who actually read her post. Then again, actually allowing people to read the content of American Rattlesnake for themselves would demonstrate the absurdity of her assertions.

I defy anyone to find a post made by myself, or by any other contributor to this website, that even hints at racism, let alone white nationalism, white supremacy, or any other variant of a philosophy based upon the superiority of one ethnic group over any other. To illustrate how preposterous her charge is, you need go no further than the profile page I maintain on a prominent conservative Web forum, which features a quote from Roy Beck Jr., one of my personal heroes, explaining why there is no room in our movement for racism or bigotry. You can read the entry in its entirety on the Numbers USA website, which will give you an idea of what the effort for sensible, reasonable immigration laws is all about. Hint: it has nothing to do with not liking a particular group of people based on their ethnic identification.

I think what Flavia is doing is a classic case of projection. She and her allies, which presumably include the man I saw on the Staten Island Ferry the other day carrying a La Raza, i.e. The Race, backpack, want to deflect attention from their own reliance on racial categorization by smearing their opponents-patriotic Americans of every race and creed-with the “racist” tag. These are the same people who issue paranoid, racist tirades against their political opponents and use feeble humor inflected with racism in order to demean anyone who wants to maintain some control over our borders, or who even timidly dissents from open borders dogma in any respect. In other words, they are the ones focused on race, something that couldn’t be more apparent from the name of the NCLR, i.e. The race, not us.

I tried to correct the misapprehensions Flavia had about this website, but  the administrator refused to allow my comment to be posted. One other value cherished by the open borders absolutists, besides imputing malign, possibly racial, motivations to their opponents, is refusing to engage in constructive, legitimate dialogue. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised that the same person who chose to misleadingly defame this site as some sort of hub of white nationalist activity wouldn’t allow me to address this lie on her weblog. However, the truth is out there for anyone who cares to look. Although this website allows for a wide range of debate and discussion-up to and including opinions that I vehemently disagree with-we have never countenanced racism or bigotry of any sort, and have deleted any comments that try to incite racial/ethnic division.

American Rattlesnake is no more racist than ALIPAC, Numbers USA, or any other pro-enforcement, anti-illegal activist organization whose primary mission is to restore the rights, freedoms and opportunities ordinary Americans, of all races, once enjoyed. And to contend that standing up for the United States is racism merely illustrates the ignorance and willful malice of the people who employ this slander as a political tact. They are the ones who look at every problem through the prism of race and ethnicity, not us, nor the millions of Americans who share our belief system.