In
2000, The
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals filed a lawsuit
against Ringling Brothers because the elephant trainers use a
"bullhook" to keep their large packs of pachyderms in line. The
instrument has a sharp end to it, but in no way are the trainers abusing the
animals. The prod is hooked, of course, with a sharp end. Circus professionals
have used this instrument for decades. Animal activist organizations more often
do not care about the animals. One report exposed that People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) actually
kills
many of the animals taken under their "care". As for the ASPCA,
they are also on record for killing sheltered animals and killing legislation
which would save animal lives. They are more interested in making money and
stirring up sentiment.
The
ASPCA's lawsuit featured a dubious star witness, Tom Rider, who had worked for
a number of circuses, all of which used chains as well as bullhooks to manage
the elephants. When the judge discovered In their lawsuit against Ringling
Brothers, the "Activists" went too far. Not only did they lose their
suit, but a federal judge is now forcing the agency to pay back Ringling
Brothers' legal fees. This turn of events is more than justice, but a small
victory for a much-needed yet neglected tort reform. How many more lawsuits
will it take before entertainment industries, restaurants, and other small businesses
call it quits and leave the state? Imagine the number of jobs which the state
would lose if these lawsuits were successful. Now the City of Los Angeles is
contemplating whether to ban circuses from city limits if those organizations
use "abusive" practices with their animals. Mayor Villaraigosa sees
nothing wrong with abusing his office by partying with the likes of
self-destructive hedonist Charlie Sheen, but he wants to forbid family
entertainment that would bring in jobs.
The
double standard of protecting cruelty to animals is one thing. If individuals
choose to be moved by the emotional commercials and donate their money, that is
their choice. Yet for LA City leaders to get weepy about the poor treatment of
elephants is just inexcusable. The elephants have jobs, food, shelter, and they
get to perform before wild and welcoming crowds all over the world. LA
residents are struggling to find work and keep food on their tables and shelter
over their heads. Worst of all, they elect the City councilmembers and the
mayor, yet their own leadership spends more time pandering to interest groups
like the ASPCA.
And
the media circus is paying more attention to the pachyderms than the pack of
problems plaguing LA City, like the pension crisis, the massive layoffs, the
potholes all over the city. Let's not forget the financial struggles still
shackling LA Unified. The media circus should be all over these issues.
On
another note, another breed of elephants, the Republicans, is being abused with
a different type of hook, a prod called "moderation", by the same
media circus. From loud liberals like New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to
moderate-liberal sympathizers like General Colin Powell, and even statewide
columnists like Thomas Elias, Republicans are getting all sorts of advice about
shaping their ways to the "mainstream", that is "be more
liberal".
While
the mainstream media lightly reports on lawsuit abuse which only superficially
deals with the treatment of animals,and while Los Angeles gears up for banning
"abusive" circuses, the same media is complicit in these acts of
cruelty to political elephants. The Republican Party does not have a policy
problem, does not have an image problem, but definitely has a messaging
problem. For the past two elections, the Republican standard-bearer for
Governor was a Hollywood Actor who loved talking tough with voters, but refused
to get real with legislators. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie talks tough to
voters, either in their favor or against their fervor, but he deals as best he
can with a heavily Democratic legislature. He managed to cut property taxes
three times in a row. He blocked excessive federal projects. He took on the
teachers union leadership.
The
other California Republican gubernatorial candidate, Meg Whitman, was
"Romney" with a skirt on. She was moderate on social issues, but she
failed to connect with Hispanics. She spent lots of money telling people who
she was, but all of that money never bought anyone's confidence or their vote.
Cash-strapped states do not need leaders who are strapped with cash. Jon
Corzine, the previous Democratic Governor of New Jersey, himself a money-man,
left New Jersey without much money to begin with, and the Republican had to
help clean up his mess.
The
Republican breed of Elephants should pay no attention to the goad of media
elites which would spurn them to turn to the "center" or the left on
their policies. Instead, they should remember who they are and the values they
represent, since an elephant is prided on its fantastic memory, and forget the
mousy-browsy nonsense which tells them to give up their core conservative
values. Better candidates, better outreach, shaping conservatism to recognize
the realities of men and women who are hard-up for a job and a future, and the
Republican Party can cast the Democratic "bullhooks" for what they
are really doing: driving this state into insolvency and incompetence.