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Donna Marino of Boulder writes:

The Circus is No Fun for Animals. Would you knowingly pay to watch an elephant jabbed with an electric prod until his body collapsed in pain? How about watching a lion prodded by a trainer with a steel hook until blood spurts from one of his legs? Probably not your idea of entertainment. But if you pay to see the circus, that’s exactly where your money goes. For years, circuses have abused animals to get them to perform tricks for the “entertainment” of humans. Since animals do not naturally or voluntarily ride bicycles or jump through rings of fire, their trainers must force them to perform these tricks. The methods are generally barbaric and involve the use of whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks, and other brutal tools of the trade.
Some animals are kept muzzled to subdue them and discourage them from defending themselves if they feel threatened. Others are drugged to make them manageable and some even have their teeth removed to prevent biting.
Because circus animals travel long distances on a grueling schedule in order to earn the most profit for their owners, these creatures are often confined for 20 hours or more a day in small cages. During that time, they cannot satisfy their natural needs and may not even see the light of day until they’re unloaded for a performance.
Many other countries and cities have seen the cruelty inherent in circuses that use animals. Denver should join them. There are other wonderful circuses, such as Cirque Du Soleil that do not involve the use of live animal acts. It’s amazing to watch trapeze artists, jugglers, clowns, tightrope walkers, and acrobats, but wild animals don’t belong in that kind of performance.
The circus is in town now. Before you pay them a visit, educate yourself about the torture these animals endure for the sake of our “entertainment.” For more information, check out http://www.circuses.com

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Circus tortures animals

America tortures humans

Would you knowingly pay to watch an elephant jabbed with an electric prod until his body collapsed in pain?
no but if it was you and the rest of the idiot leftwing nuts from boulder I sure would.

Just a couple of questions: First, why does being concerned for the health and compassionate treatment of confined animals in a circus make someone an "idiot leftwing nut" regardless of where they live? And second; how, exactly, is the abusive treatment of circus animals much different than the abusive treatment of dogs that Michael Vick was convicted of?

Mr. Hilsabeck,

I have read the letter, and both of the reader responses preceding yours. Where do you find anyone calling you - or anyone else - an "idiot leftwing nut", for your positon of being against cruelty to animals? Or is that just a projection of what you fear you might be called?

The anonymous posting in which the phrase is used seems to be one which favors the position of NOT having animals in the circus; and, although very poorly constructed, the reference to "idiot leftwing nuts" contained therein appears to be one in which the writer offers to pay to watch someone with a cattle prod torturing THEM (the "idiot left wing nuts" mentioned), while refusing to pay to watch an animal treated the same way. If that posting be read aright, it expresses concern for the health and compassionate treatment of the animals, while actually encouraging maltreatment of other humans.

I personally regard the current fad of violent and bloody human shows, such as kick-boxing and karate beatings, to be quite offensive, and nauseating, examples of barbaric regression to a brutal, Neanderthal, cave dwelling level of "sport"; even below the ancient Roman gladitorial blood-letting exhibitions. Of course, you as a Karate teacher would hold otherwise, since, after all, you make your money in that business.

And I find it both a bit incongruous, and a bit amusing, that a proponent of human brutality and violence towards other humans is so concerned about the area of mis-treatment of animals.

O.G. - Let me rephrase; why, then, would the simple fact that someone lives in Boulder necessarily qualify them as being an "idiot leftwing nut" - and deserve to be "jabbed with an electric prod until their body collapsed in pain" - period? And as to "violent and bloody human shows, such as kickboxing and karate beatings"; a few questions: First, are you by any chance a Broncos fan? How about the Avalanche? Or, for that matter, any contact sport at all? Injuries acquired during contact competition are hardly restricted to combat sports. And if you think that the proposition of inflicting pain on a member of an opposing team is purely an incidental occurrence, then you have no idea what certain strategies can include regarding the aforementioned sports.
Also, the people who enter a ring or cage to compete in a combat sport do so of their own free will; no one forces them to endure something that they aren't aware of or prepared for. Animals that are abused by humans, on the other hand, have no such choice.

One last thing: I don't encourage brutality and violence against innocent human beings. On the contrary - my purpose is to give my students the confidence and control to avoid a violent situation first, if at all possible; However, I've had the opportunity to experience unavoidable life-threatening violence in the past, and I credit the training that I've received with my survival. Consequently, I also do my best to provide my students with the confidence and ability to deal with a physical threat successfully so that they can continue to lead a healthy - and peaceful - life. And that, O.G., is the business I'm in.

Big surprise Old Grouch is afraid of competitive sports.

SOMEONE MIGHT GET AN OWWEE!

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