Circus Protest! ***Update***
Hi Everyone!
I'm going to a circus protest tomorrow and I thought I would tell you all about it! Here is the message I got about it...
Not sure why Friday was the day you chose to attend, but I'm SO glad you did!
You're well aware by now that four animal protection organizations and a former Ringling Bros. employee are suing Ringling for violating the Endangered Species Act by mistreating elephants. That former employee is Tom Rider, who witnessed years of abuse (some terribly brutal) against the animals of Ringling- especially the Elephants.
Tom Rider has just released to the press that there is documented proof of Ringling destroying video-tapes which contained evidence of Elephants being chained for very long periods of time in train cars.
Tom Rider will announce tomorrow or Friday some "truly explosive news" about something ELSE Ringling has been hiding from the public, and trust me- you need to know what it is.
...and on Friday, November 14th, Tom Rider will join SMART in demonstrating against Ringling outside of The Palace!
Please join us at the demo on Friday at 6:15 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and afterwards for an informal speaking engagement with Mr. Rider. The location is yet to be determined- when it is, I'll post. Looking for any location that will hold us and we'll be able to hear him- coffee shop, wherever! Anyone know of a good spot?
Simply put, Tom Rider has some stories and information that you will not want to miss.
Please come! The media will NOT be able to ignore this demo- no way! We need a LOT of demonstrators!
I'm really excited--I know that about 10 people are coming from my group and several other groups from around Michigan and Ohio are going to be there too!!!! It's going to be great and I made my own sign for it!!
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w202/Capture79/Animal%20Rights/DSCI0002-1.jpg
I'll let you all know how it goes tomorrow night! Wish me luck...and raise some bail money if I get arrested...
Its really sad that people think they have to have animals to make a show entertaining... if performers just worked on their own talents they wouldn't need to exploit animals to make money. I love a circus that is all (human) people entertaining, even if its just a neighborhood show... there are so many acts you can do for a circus show that doesn't involve animals, its ridiculous!! :o
The protest was great! 45+ people showed up--it was huge we were stretched all across the entrance ways nd had tons of signs, banners and a bull horn! The response was good--but my heart totally broke everytime a car load of kids pulled in :( after the demo Tom talked to us for about 45 minutes--it was very interesting to learn about the lawsuit and what is happening with it!
It was a great protest!
sweet!
I wonder how that must have looked to all the kids coming in.... I try to imagine myself as a child, wondering what the fuss is all about. I mean, those animals sure do look like they're having FUN, right? because a circus is fun...right??
::)
Side note: Traditionally in Europe the point of the "circus" was the tumblers, clowns, some musician-type acts and highschool riding (horses trotting in the circle while their riders did the Russian things like one foot on the back of each horse driving 2-3 horses before them, and all that.) The central acts were related to horse riding and of course trapeze acts.
Only when America started having big travelling circuses in the 19th century did the concept of "menagerie animals" really take hold. Basically a small travelling zoo for the locals to rubberneck at. Then from there they progressed to the wild animal acts, from tigers to seals to whatever. And I'm sure the "keepers" didn't really know how to take care of them from the start. (This was where and when the concept of "freak shows" started too).
These days, in N. Europe, the concept of animal acts is way on the downswing, fortunately. In France and Switzerland legislation is pending to outlaw them, and anti-cruelty legislation is getting tighter all over...except unfortunately in Spain, where animals are still not considered important enough to do anything about. There's legislation in place, but it gets ignored with impunity.
I used to love circuses until I woke up.
(ETA: Having read "Circus Shoes" and other kid's books over and over, I think I was actually in love with the concept of a self-contained nomadic community where everyone had a job to do that was valued...and had horses, too. Actually in Circus Shoes there's quite a good denunciation of wild-animal acts like lions etc.)
Awesome Capture- I love your sign! Did the media show up?
Yabbit-
There are a lot of circus groups that perform and are against using animals. They are mostly smaller underground groups, though. My boyfriend is in one, and they have various people with different talents doing shows at venues like bars and theatres. They do juggling, magic, fire throwing/spinning/eating, burlesque dancing, comedy skits, and "freaky" sideshow stuff like walking on glass and putting bicycle spokes through their face.
So don't give up on circuses yet! Just look for more underground groups that might travel to local venues around you...
Its a really awesome show! and it is also nice because it is very close to the crowd, very personal, not with the audience in rows above the stage- I think its the way performing should be!
No media unfortunatly :( Apparently Ringling and Barnium bought out all the ad space for all the networks in our area so no one woud come out to cover the story! Booo! Hissss!
We did see a ton of car loads of childen and they would all peak out at us--it would just break my heart to see them go in--but I know it's not their fault. It really upsets me that parents take their kids to these types of events, it just reinfores to the children that animals are here for our use, comsumption, exploitation, etc.
My hope for the evening was that the people who did see us protesting would see the animals and make the connection that they are being treated inhumanely, that they are being forced to perform, forced to work in an environment that is so far out of their natural habitate. If we got just a handful of people to make tht connection and start digging deeper and understanding what is truly happening--then we did a good thing!
*****HOPE******
I has it.
*****HOPE******
I has it.
*****HOPE*****
You spread it :)