January 13, 2006
The Naked Truth
Circus elephants with their 'oppressor' at the 2005 St. Patrick's Day parade. The elephants followed their trainer through the crowd (if a little mouse had crossed their paths, there would have been carnage) - in comparison, all the dogs were on leads. Didn't look too unhappy to me.
All of the Galway Papers go with a front page picture and article on the protest from the Animal rights Action Network (ARAN) on the treatment of circus animals. The fact that the protest consisted of a student stripping off to her underwear and wearing a chain (it's, like, symbolism, man) probably had nothing to do with it. I was going to give some credit to the Advertiser for showing a picture of every other photographer in town crouched around the shivering young lady in question (it was a cold day), but they went with a 'money shot inside' too (the front page shot is visible on their homepage for this week). And Jeff Connell devoting a whole column to taking the mickey out of the protest doesn't disguise the fact that he still hurried across the Square to have a good look first.
As for the point of the protest, it must be great comfort to circus elephants in Ireland to know that someone is fighting for their rights (they never forget, you know). Instead of being forced to spend up to half an hour a week running around a ring to the applause of youngsters in exchange for as much hay as they can eat, they probably secretly yearn to be back in Africa, dodging poachers, or in Asia, lugging trees in rainforests all day. Oh, the humanity!
For those of you who want to learn more, I'm guessing that typing "girl in underwear + chains + animals" into Google probably won't hit PETA's site first. The protestors are taking their own little media circus on tour around Ireland - I hope the weather improves. Be warned
Another shot of circus elephants in Galway - note how they are cruelly restrained by large clumps of hay and strands of … string.
galway, ireland, irishblogs,monasette
Posted by Monasette at January 13, 2006 07:21 AM
good picture, and the text has a good viewpoint too. Nice to get some background on pictures. thanks for the link to the advertiser too ;-)
Posted by: utkik at January 13, 2006 11:33 AMWell,you know it is lucky that those Elephants don't get out of their string inclosers, because they could trample everyone, and get out of their own poop they have to stand in I do not see any hay they is blocking them just poop and string. which could endanger them, if they were to get tangled in it, then they could break their leg.