According to the "Order of march for the Great Circus Parade" in downtown Milwaukee on Sunday, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and his wife will be participants. They are scheduled to be in the Patriotic Section of the parade.
Patriotic Section
11. #400 GCP introductory wagon pulled by four Chestnut Halfingers Teamster: Dave & Margaret Kraus of Stratford, Wis. Topriders: Circus World performers Los Antons and Duo Fusion.
12. 50-State Flag Unit from Great Lakes Recruiting Station
13. Navy Band Great Lakes: marching band from the Great Lakes Naval Training Station at Great Lakes, Ill.
14. Patriotic Section leaders on horseback, heralding the Star-Spangled Section: Jean Olson & Tracy Auch
15. Villa Louis vis-à-vis from the Wisconsin Historical Society Site. Passengers: Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle & First Lady Jessica Doyle. Carriage team by Dean Achenbach, of Prairie du Chien
PETA isn't happy that Doyle will be taking part in the parade.
From PETA's Action Center:
On July 8, 2009, PETA sent a letter to Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle urging him to agree not to participate in The Great Circus Parade on July 12, 2009. A recent report by Wisconsin Radio Network mentioned the governor's plans to be part of the parade. The Great Circus Parade is just one part of a week-long 50th anniversary celebration of Circus World Museum, a museum that honors circuses that have abused animals for hundreds of years.
In our letter, we urged Gov. Doyle to consider the plight of the elephants with Kelly Miller Circus, who will be performing at Circus World Museum's Festival Showgrounds, and watch video footage of Carson & Barnes Circus, the current supplier of elephants for Kelly Miller's shows. The undercover video footage shows Carson & Barnes animal care director Tim Frisco as he viciously attacks terrified elephants with a bullhook—a sharp, steel-tipped device that resembles a fireplace poker—and an electric prod. Frisco instructs other trainers to hurt the elephants until they scream and to sink a bullhook into their flesh and twist it. Frisco also cautions that the beatings must be concealed from the public. A U.S. District Court judge described this video as "troubling" and noted that it depicts conduct that violates the federal Animal Welfare Act.
Gov. Doyle should not be using his elected office to promote an industry that forces animals to perform confusing tricks under the threat of punishment and spend their lives confined to cages or chains.
Please ask Gov. Doyle not to participate in The Great Circus Parade.
Please send polite comments to:
The Honorable Jim Doyle
Governor of Wisconsin
Madison Office
P.O. Box 7863
Madison, WI 53707
608-266-1212
608-267-8983 (fax)
governor@wisconsin.gov
PETA offers a message to send to Doyle.
*Recipients - Jim Doyle
* Subject - Boycott Circuses and Events That Use Animals
Dear [Decision Maker], (Note: That would be Doyle. He's the decider.)
Please reconsider your plans to participate in the Great Circus Parade on July 12.
Kelly Miller Circus is scheduled to appear at the event beginning on July 8. You might be interested to know that Kelly Miller is currently leasing elephants from Carson & Barnes Circus. Undercover video footage shows Carson and Barnes' animal-care director, Tim Frisco, viciously attacking terrified elephants with bullhooks (sharp, steel-tipped devices) and electric prods. In the video, Frisco instructs trainers to hurt the elephants until they scream and to sink a bullhook into their flesh and twist it.
A U.S District Court judge has described this video as 'troubling' and noted that it depicts conduct that is in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.
Animals used in circuses are routinely abused and are forced to perform tricks--under the threat of punishment--that are meaningless and confusing to them.
Please cancel your plans to participate in The Great Circus Parade and boycott events that use animals in the future.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
On July 8, RaeLeann Smith, Circus and Government Affairs Specialist, sent this letter to Doyle.
She and her PETA cohorts want Doyle to cancel.
Smith asks Doyle to contact PETA.
"Can we please hear from you about this urgent matter?"
I wonder if Doyle has contacted the group regarding "this urgent matter."
He certainly isn't going to back out. I'm sure PETA knows that as well. I expect Doyle to be smiling and waving to the crowds on Sunday as he makes his way along the parade route in Milwaukee.
I assume that most parade-goers will respond politely enough to the governor.
With PETA, success is measured by how much media attention members can muster rather than actual results.
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