Not All Circus Performers Are Willing Participants
On Wednesday, a circus promoted as wholesome family "entertainment" will conduct its show in Maplewood. The Zerbini Family Circus features, among other animals, alligators, camels, ponies, and a bison named Tatanka. These animals are intelligent beings who perform not because they choose to, but because they are forced to under the command of human trainers wielding whips and other disciplinary weapons. These animals have an interest in their own lives and an interest in making their own decisions, and we should respect these interests by rejecting and refusing to fund their enslavement for human "entertainment."
In the wild and in spacious sanctuaries, bison do not walk across a see-saw board, as Tatanka is forced to do. Instead, bison commonly choose to roam, some for miles each day, while grazing on grasses and sedges, a choice Tatanka is denied while confined in trailers and forced to perform on the circus tour. Just as we can survive (and thrive) without consuming other animals as food and as clothing, we can survive without forcing other animals to perform for us. Circuses can survive as well. As the all-human cast of Cirque du Soleil has proven, and as some of the talented human performers of the Zerbini show have revealed, circuses do not need nonhuman animals to be entertaining.
Now more than ever people are recognizing the injustice inherent in the enslavement, objectification, and commodification of animals forced to perform against their will. At least ten countries, including Paraguay, Austria, and Singapore, have banned the use of wild animals in circuses, with Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece banning the use of all nonhuman animals. Several United States cities, from Revere, MA to Huntington Beach, CA, from Clearwater, FL to Port Townsend, WA, have also implemented bans.
Please consider boycotting the Zerbini Family Circus and any circus that exploits nonhuman animals for financial profit. Please consider patronizing shows and events in which all participants are willing.
Carlos Esposito
4:26 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Well, I perform my occupation under the threat of imposition of municipal and federal tax liens and jail sentence, and foreclosure of my home by my lender. Perhaps we should all boycott our employers too.
I suppose we should all boycott the Turtleback and Bronx Zoo as well. I'm sure ther'es many places those animals would rather be.
Corey Waters
6:42 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
"I suppose we should all boycott the Turtleback and Bronx Zoo as well. I'm sure ther'es many places those animals would rather be."
Agree. We should. Animals in these zoos belong in sanctuaries.
"Well, I perform my occupation under the threat of imposition of municipal and federal tax liens and jail sentence, and foreclosure of my home by my lender. Perhaps we should all boycott our employers too."
Also agree. We are enslaved by capitalism and we should do something about it. However, can you not make a distinction between your plight and the plight of animals forced to perform in the circus? Do you not have more agency, more choices? Do your employers physically whip you to get you to perform your job? Are you incessantly chained? Are you forced to kiss others, as at least one of the Zerbini alligators is perversely forced to do (see 1:50: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZiIojsTYvQ)? If so, you have some legal recourse.
Jen James
6:42 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
You can boycott your employer if you so choose. The animals trapped in the circus don't have that choice.
Animal Compassionate
7:14 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Yes Carlos we should ban those zoos and all zoos for that matter. Animals used in entertainment and zoos are exploited for money. They are nothing more than a product used to make an income. Sure, they provide food, water, (sometimes) and some form of shelter. We do the same for people in jail. Yet, the confinement is punishment for the people and torture for the animals. However, the animals committed no crime!
Please look at all the charges filed against the Zerbini Circus. Every single US circus has been charged and fined by the USDA, who governs them, showing they do not provide adequate care for their animals. Another disturbing fact is they have all been fined for jeopardizing the safety of the public!
Here is a list that documents up until 2009 http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/pdf/Tarzan-Zerbini-pdf.pdf
Animal Compassionate
7:14 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Here is the difference between you and the enslaved animals Carlos...you have a choice! You can get another job. These animals are truly enslaved.
AnneJones
6:42 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
@Carlos Esposito - You perform under the threat of a jail sentence? Better find a legal job, dude.
Barbara
6:42 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Animals do want to live in a zoo or perform unnatural tricks in a circus and be trucked around the country and chained or caged when not performing. If your employer is doing this to you, I suggest you boycott them too...
Animal Compassionate
7:14 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Barabara I think you meant to say animals do NOT want to....
Just to make sure people understand which side you are advocating for. :-)
Jen James
6:42 pm on Monday, July 2, 2012
Great article! So many people focus on the cruelty in the big circuses like Ringling & Cole Bros. and forget about the animals trapped in the smaller ones that suffer just as much!
PLEASE BOYCOTT ALL CIRCUSES WITH ANIMALS!
Boe Devi
5:43 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Mr. Waters, Really informative article. Thank you for the education. Boe
Florence Eaise
5:43 am on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
PLEASE BOYCOTT ALL CIRCUSES, ZOO'S AND AQUARIUMS!
Rodney Dangerfield
6:21 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
How do any of you know what animals want. do you talk to them?
Corey Waters
8:08 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Great name! While other animals may not use symbolic language as we human animals do, they still communicate in a variety of forms. Their resistance to performing circus routines, for example, is a form of communication. They do not perform because they take the initiative to do so. They resist until they are forced into submission, thus explaining the necessity of disciplinary weapons. Do a basic online search and examine some video evidence. By the way, my favorite Rodney Dangerfield movie is Ladybugs.
Animal Compassionate
7:14 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
You don't have to "talk" to animals to understand their needs. Plenty of research has been done by leading experts educated in animal behavior. Your comment makes you sound ignorant.
Jonah
7:14 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
It's just that he thinks they don't get no respect.
Alexis Aguayo
8:08 pm on Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Great article Corey and informative response to at inane comment. I'm not even wasting my finger energy to reply to that ridiculous last post.
michellem
7:14 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Is there anyone interested in peacefully protesting the circus tomorrow? I would like to make some signs and stand as close as we can without breaking any laws.
Karen Brody
7:14 pm on Wednesday, July 4, 2012
THANK YOU for bringing this to the attention of so many who have probably never given it a second thought. I myself refuse to participate in any activity that supports this this type of cruelty by enslavement and subpar quality of life for these beautiful creatures. My children are fully aware of why we have made the choice not to indulge in any exploitive 'entertainment' like this, and are better for it. They recognize this on their own, and are sensitive to these matters. If only the general public was more cognizant to the numerous issues that qualify this entertainment more as animal cruelty. We also choose not to support events that choose to provide 'entertainment' such as this, petting zoos, pony rides, or the like. It is simply NOT o.k. and more people need to express their disappointment such as you have. Thanks again for planting the seed.
mdr
9:40 am on Thursday, July 5, 2012
The circus animals certainly should be treated with respect and properly cared for. But that doesn't mean they need to be banned or that there is anything wrong with animals working for a living. Remember, life in the wild is a constant struggle for survival against severe weather, starvation, and predators, is that what you wish for them?
Corey Waters
11:23 pm on Thursday, July 5, 2012
"The circus animals certainly should be treated with respect and properly cared for."
Agree. However, such respectful treatment is incompatible with enslavement and commodification. It is incompatible with the desire of circuses to increase their profits, which requires more shows, more work, more confinement, and more health risks for the nonhuman performers; that is, it requires more mistreatment.
"But that doesn't mean they need to be banned or that there is anything wrong with animals working for a living."
Disagree. These animals do not grasp the concept of "working for a living" as you and I do, and we should respect this difference. They have their own elaborate concepts and common behaviors that we do not need to suppress for our physical and financial survival. We can afford to let them choose their "living."
"Remember, life in the wild is a constant struggle for survival against severe weather, starvation, and predators, is that what you wish for them?"
Weak argument. Life in the wild also presents liberation, crucial interactions with mothers, opportunities to socialize, and the capacity to adapt to the elements. Life in the circus presents confinement, countless deprivations, and physical abuse.
Allison Kalsched
9:48 am on Friday, July 6, 2012
Thank you for writing this piece, Corey. It has always baffled me how a town so conscious, compassionate and progressive as Maplewood can support this activity, year after year. My family has never and never will patronize this circus or any other.
Michael Suchman
11:19 am on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Let's all keep this thought process going and stop exploiting animals for food too. Just as we have no right to use animals for our entertainment, we have no right to consume them or their products either. Animals used by the food industry live in and are treated even worse than those used in circuses. Go vegan if you truly truly believe animals are not ours to use.
Antonio Trujillo
3:56 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Agreed. We should stop exploiting animals in cartoon format as well. Bugs bunny and woody woodpecker are evil exploitative caricatures of animals. these representations should be shunned.
Corey Waters
2:08 am on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
good one
Ethan Ciment
6:37 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Thank you, Corey, for giving a voice to something that has bothered me since our first July 4th in Maplewood. The plight of these enslaved non-humans at the circus has been so utterly disturbing to me that I actually skipped the entire Independence Day Celebration this year (except for the 5K which I ran) because I cannot bear to stand by idly celebrating my freedom in the face of their exploitation and enslavement. Watching my neighbors shell out money that directly supports the commodification and enslavement of these non-humans is completely antithetical to the American tradition of widening the circle of rights, respect and freedom.
(An aside; I think it an ironic disconnect that some people, who think the weather too hot to bring their own family dogs out, will think nothing to watch these unfortunate non-human prisoners perform in the unbearable heat.)
Where do we go from here? How do we go about rejecting this kind of violence and enslavement as something worthy of inclusion in our public communal celebrations? Do we petition? Who do we petition? How do we get this started? If we want our July 4th Celebration to be a true to celebration of Freedom, we cannot include in those festivities any direct support of oppression, enslavement and exploitation of our non-human brothers and sisters.
Corey Waters
10:09 am on Friday, July 13, 2012
I suggest an organized campaign. Another activist and I are in the early stages of launching a cohesive campaign that targets any circus that enslaves and exploits other animals and that conducts shows in Greater Philadelphia. We have been protesting such circuses for years now, but our new campaign seeks to establish a more cohesive network and to recruit more activists. Check out the Boycott Zerbini Family Circus Facebook group or the Animal ACTivists of Philly Meetup group for now.
I do not live in Maplewood, but as for Maplewood in particular, we could contact the local organizers of the July 4 festivities, the local government, and the Zerbini sponsors to request that all of these parties sever ties with the Zerbini group. If the circus returns next summer, or at any point in the future, we could organize a peaceful protest with signs and educational leaflets at the shows. Of course, these activities will become more effective as the number of Maplewood residents participating increases.
Flavio Luna
2:01 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I believe that the true evil among us are animal crackers. Sure, these tasty treats are made of flour, sugar and wheat, however, when they are mockingly baked in the shape of animals, this lends credence to the view that eating animals in effigy is somehow appropriate. Moreover, that they come boex rather than individually serves to teach our children that animals are commodities, their heads to be chomped upon and their carcasses dunked in milk. Is this really what we want to teach our children?