Ringling Brothers, Slave Mongers? Time to Stop Going to Animal Circuses?
Jul 22nd, 2009 | 9 responses
One might wonder, did the exhibition for money, beatings, and slavery of creatures, lead to ‘hey good idea,’ let’s do the same to vulnerable humans? Human slaves of every race, the Scots and Irish tribes and the clans to the British, the underclass of peasant farmers under Rome, the Africans taken by their own kings, the Aztec and Mayans and Inkans, also enslaved by their own kings, modern trafficking in human beings for ill-use. And the animals. Which brutal way of treating living beings came first, that of humans or that of creatures, we do not know.
It’s one thing to hunt for food, to provide in the most humane way possible (Vegetarians and some others would disagree I know) but it is another issue altogether to dress animals up and brutalize them for money.
In the days then and now of ‘flesh exhibition’ and exhibition of animals in circuses, both have similiar features though: for money, dress the unknowing up in gaud without grace, chain them, beat them with batons, pierce them with hooked sticks, keep them in line, bash them because you feel like it, to teach them a lesson before any lesson is ever needed. Intimidate them, make your line of girls and boys on public display fear you. They’re just mounds of fat afterall. Do not pay any attention to their cries. Hurt their legs, the tender places around their mouths, their trunks. Rake in the money.
Does anyone notice the humans who do this to creatures are enslaved too? In some funeral casket mentality that says a day’s wage and dusty pretend tuxedo ( as seen in PETA film below,) is a meaningful life? That battering the innocents for bucks is a worthy way to live?
Here, film released today by PETA whose filmmaker went underground at Ringling Brothers Circus, filming the battering of elephants behind the scenes as they ready to go out into the ring to sit on their massive weights on their tiny tails, and parade around in mating positions with their legs on each others shoulders, and looking for all the world like poor Dumbos in pathetic baby bonnets— far far beneath the elephants noble life that’s meant to be. The warning at opening of the PETA film is for ‘rough language.’ It ought also carry: Warning, you are about to see humans at their most base.
The article details Ringling Brothers fines paid in court for abuse of animals over the years, and a case before the courts now brought by a former Ringling Brothers elephant trainer who charges Ringling Bros with abject cruelty toward animals, amongst other charges.
Here is another film done earlier, about forcing young elephants to reproduce years too early, interfering with mother-bonding to child, and a segment of two trainers arranging for an elephant to drown pitifully for it had been taken from its mother before she could teach her offspring to swim. This second film, I’d just advise, is harder to watch than the first.
And one more film with an elephant trainer, screaming that the elephant’s foot ought be torn off, to sink the hook right into it… and the elephant screaming. I’d just say, you need to have strong nerves to hear this let alone see it.
PETA sometimes seems to have gone overboard in sounding alarms about matters that do not strike alarm in most. But in these works on brutality toward animals bought and sold into the circus, bringing the evidences to light clearly, makes them the few whistle blowers on the planet. YouTube is filled with short films of abuse of elephants. Just dock in PETA and elephants.
Here too is an article about creatures in zoos re how a Chinese zoo and its modern treatment of animals in human and well meaning custody, can mimic the stressed development of fatherless human children and human mothers who do not know how to bond and mother their offspring. The parallels, I think, are striking, and a lesson about how we might tend to both and all, with sharpened insight.
But/ And, in all, I’d say it’s past time for the animal circus to just cease coming to town altogether. Bring on the hoochie koochie girls, the strong man, and trapeze artists and the clowns. But lead the now old enslaved and battle scarred circus elephants to a place –and to people– where they will be cared for with knowledge, care, and love.
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CODA
With regard to the first PETA film noted above, Feld Entertainment which owns Ringling, today disputes the abuse charges, saying PETA released misinformation. Feld Ent said its animals are cared by veterinarians and staff, and that the show shown on film was in compliance with all regulations.
In my research today, I found that circus elephants are often trained by other companies and then leased to circuses. The Hawthorn Corporation was such a company. USDA prosecuted Hawthorn for violations of the Animal Welfare Act charging inadequate care, starvation, battering of elephants in its so-called care. Other ‘elephant and big game leasing companies’ have been prosecuted as well. Undoubtably there are some ‘big animal leasing’ companies all of whose employees are in compliance with all laws, say for instance in the film industry which is said by some to have much higher transparency… and care standards, depending on who has oversight for the caring.
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9 Responses to “Ringling Brothers, Slave Mongers? Time to Stop Going to Animal Circuses?”
“…far far beneath the elephants noble life that’s meant to be.”
Elephants lives are noble? I'm just wondering what part of a nomadic foraging life qualifies it as “noble.” I have no interest in seeing, much less defending, “wild animal acts.” But in the grand scheme of things, an elephant's life is no more, or less, noble than any other animal.
dear Thurman, I didnt think I said an elephant's life was more or less compared to grand scheme? The old root of the word 'noble' means one who knows, in this case, this creature has its knowing instincts, that are definitely interrupted and corrupted by those who brutalize the elephants' lives. Did you watch all three films? Any more thoughts?
dr.e
heartbreaking. nice job.
I have to wonder about anything PETA claims. They killed 95% of adoptable animals in their care in 2008
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/pressRelease_det…
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According to public records from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA killed 2,124 pets last year and placed only seven in adoptive homes. Since 1998, a total of 21,339 dogs and cats have died at the hands of PETA workers.
Despite having a $32 million budget, PETA does not operate an adoption shelter. PETA employees make no discernible effort to find homes for the thousands of pets they kill every year. Last year, the Center for Consumer Freedom petitioned Virginia’s State Veterinarian to reclassify PETA as a slaughterhouse.
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Is this really about peta though? Honestly, I could have filmed this newest video and I am not a part of peta. This new video doesn't lie! Elephants are being beaten into submission and this is the point. I will never go to a circus this is how they get them to perform, is this surprising to anyone? They don't do all that weird shit for nothing…they are huge animals doing these un-natural acts, come on.
I remember taking my first and last set of equestrian riding lessons years ago. I had to be taught to be a rider, to dominate the horse, to whip if necessary, to dig in my heals. I was uncomfortable at first….. but I got it eventually. I had to remind the “dim witted” animal who was in control. Would the horse go back to the barn or would I make it jump over those artificial hurdles? A battle of wills. As a fledgling rider I'm sure went overboard…
Then there was my first pet. I was 16 and brought home a dog. Being ignorant, I thought it was my job to train the dog. Training the dog meant breaking its will in order to do mine. Well it worked. Even if the dog was out herding with neighboring dogs I could make it come to me, usually on a crawl from across the street, but the last laugh was on me, as when she was out of my sight, she did as she pleased.
What is it with the desire to control another? I don't think anyone, anything is safe, especially that which is wild. Think of nature, what we do and have done to her.
I know I'm sounding like a miserable bleeding heart but there is a lot of sadness there in the left hand corner of the heart. I think of my soul looking into a mirror, rememering for only a moment, just before putting on my mask and shackles, banging my tin cup against the bars.
It's not about Peta here. I may not agree with all they think or all they do but the undercover video speaks for itself. Also, some employess have come forward about the abuse. There is no excuse for abuse to circus animals. Thank god for under-cover video. I will not go to the circus. I went to Cirque Du Soleil and there were no animals and it was wonderful. Those jerks should not be senselessly hitting and whipping those animals, somebody should whip them and see how they like it. How pathetic to abuse an animal.
really hard to watch—could not make it to the third one—-how sad—– how very blocked the heart of some yet to be humanes—-and i could care less that PETA is over the line at times—-at least they bring our eyes to this sickness—-and ours if we deny it—-
Thank you for posting something about this. PETA can be ridiculous at times (e.g., Obama killing the fly) … but this situation is totally at the other end of the extreme. This needs to be stopped and stopped yesterday. These animals need our help.