There is so much ivory already here in the USA that arrived long before elephant protection
was even of any concern that ivory would never need importation into our country again.
This ivory is commonly referred to as legal ivory which by definition is ivory that was brought into the
the USA pre-1978 which is when the trading of ivory became internationally regulated & was banned.
So tons and tons of this pre-ban 1978 ivory is already here and the elephants this ivory originated with
have been deceased for many, many decades, why not allow it to be sold at market rates and at the
same time, tax it heavily with the proceeds going towards elephant conservation around the world?
It is a stupid argument to say this would only lead to more elephant poaching and smuggling because
there would be added demand for ivory in the USA. No, there wouldn’t be because the ivory already
here before 1978 is voluminous and more will not be needed. Besides, poaching already is a fact of
life and it ain’t going away and it isn’t attributable or associated in any way with black market trading
of elephant ivory in the USA.
The truth is we got the stuff, no more elephants have to die to harvest their tusks because we got more
than we’ll ever use and it can be taxed when sold with the proceeds being used for animal conservation.
Ivory’s unique properties are a wonderful component when used in constructing a pool cue. There is a
ivory being sold to cue-makers across America that reside in states that have not banned ivory sales.
Unfortunately, they can’t sell their products in nine (9) states and more are coming. And no elephants
were or are being slaughtered so that these cue-makers can obtain ivory for their cue-making either.
Now why is that, how could this be? They used ivory in their pool cues but no animals were killed.
It is because that damn stuff has been sitting here in the USA for the past five decades and much
longer from elephants that died before most readers were likely born, or maybe even their parents.
This is just stupid but it is understandable because it has become political. It happens with all things
in life when opposing forces collide. A common sense approach to ivory is needed for ivory that has
been in America for years and years before any regulations were adopted about ivory importation.
Well, that’s my take on ivory banned in California and it has prevented me from adding a pool cue
from Joel Hercek to my small collection which to this day remains my “Golden Fleece” of pool cues.
Matt B.
