Rattlesnake Roundup: What is it?

I've noticed that a lot of people in the exotic community, even people who deal with snakes, don't know what this is.  Some call it a fun and festive event for the family and some call it the torture and slaughter of hundreds of animals.  It's a touchy subject for many, but I though we should take a moment this episode to really go back and look at what a Roundup is and what it means.