Update on Circus Protests and Demos

On a new note to everyone The Ringling Brothers circus demo and protest and investigations led to me NOT being arrested or detained.

Interestingly enough we were succesfull in the following example:

The war memorial is supposed to pack 6,000 people a night per event.

Last year Ringling Brothers Circus had 8 shows and only had 5,790 people total for ALL 8 SHOWS

This year we had 4-13 protesters per event at every damn show.

They only sold 3,000 tickets and only had attendance of 4,000 people total for 7 shows. So they had lost so much money on the Syracuse Show because of our protests and flyering, that they left early and cancelled the last show.

Further! Because of my master of disguise and photoshop I was able to get into the Circuswith my awesome Ringling Bros pass and see where they housed the elephants, and dogs.

I got pictures of Tractor Trailor barely covered in sawdust for three full grown asian elephants. I got pictures of the parking garage where the elephants were housed. I got pictures of the food for the elephants being thrown on the floor of the tractor trailor unwashed and not in bowls.

I saw dogs in an 18 passenger van stacked on top of one another in tiny crates. 12 dogs, two of them toy breeds in cat carriers.

Then on the way to Rochester to go to an anti-police brutality seminar we passed a veal farm that housed 200 little dogl igloos full of cold baby bulls being contained for veal.

I still can't get the image out of my head. I was shaking so bad that I couldn't take pictures. I just stared while Adam and Amber stared in disbelief, while I shook in rage and sadness. Amber and I are going back to do some intel. Veal is just too much pain and suffering for this EM/COM Officer. If you think its nessecary or less cruel than it sounds read this:

http://www.mercyforanimals.org/dairy_and_veal.asp

On a plus note I saw this bike shop and community center this guy bought with his inheritance money in Rochester. He purposely lives in the ghetto and workes in the projects so he can get bikes and bike shop knnowledge to kids eager to learn a trade and ride a bike of their own. Kids from Drug Court and the Foster Care systom visit the shop, work on bikes, get a meal and much needed positive male role model time. I met a guy who was one of the volunteers pointing out all the bike parts to me. I told him my bike needed a new rim and he promptly said "What size is it?" and led to me to an entire room full of bike rims!

It was stuffed to the rafters with bikes and people from affluent parts of the city were even coming to have their bikes repaired and paying these kids and donating new and old bikes for the kids to sell.

Also they have a program called Food not Bombs. Its where they go to dumpsters and get food that is perfectly edible and they make meals for homeless, hungry and homebound persons of low income.

http://www.geocities.com/rochesterfnb/

It is housed in a different building called the "Friends of Friends" Building. They also give away clothing, furniture, shoes and other needed items including animalitems, foster care network for pets, food and rescue items like medications and travel containers. It made me tear up at how generous these people were. Its places like that make all the hard work seem like it is working. Thanks guys, you are an inspiration.

I ate some soup and talked about the security officers man handling us at protests, and bought a "Food Not Bombs" sweatshirt for 10 bucks. I felt really good about the weekend overall, but the veal thing and tiny elephannt trailor thing haunted my dreams and I did not sleep well.

I want to do some recon and intell in Florida at the "Ringling Sanctuary" for circus animals. I leave in 4 days! I have three magazines asking me to write an article or two down there but I have to use my crappy camera that only takes pictures when it wants too. So if anyone has a nicer camera that they would like to donate to help end animal and child abuse through our investigations please let me know. Community Animal Project is always needing donations to help us with our rescue and fostering efforts. I am really in need of a 35 MM with zoom and optional flash, I can even offer some money if needed. My camera is a hinderance to our ission right now.

Thanks to everyone who sent their positive thoughts and keep me in clothing and eating (because I forget) Our love is with you and we think of you often.

Joy, Chris, Billy, Ani and Sammie