Every summer, Ringling Bros. Circus comes to Dallas.
Every summer, a small group of advocates stand outside with signs to protest.
Tomorrow is opening night and for many years, I have stood in the Texas heat with my sign, silently holding back tears as people file into American Airlines Center. This year I will not be among their number. Instead of just not showing up, I feel like it is important for me to explain why I chose to stay home.
Protesting definitely has it's place in the spectrum of activism. I've attended protests for many causes over the years, and even organized one against a smaller circus in a smaller city a couple of years ago. Other animal welfare activists will not like what I have to say, but the bottom line is this: When it comes to Ringling Bros, you're doing it wrong.
Perhaps other protests in other cities are conducted in a different manner, but the behavior I've observed in Dallas is not designed to sway or educate people, it is designed to shame them. Last year, protestors chanted "There's no excuse for animal abuse." A woman standing next to me repeatedly got into people's faces yelling, "YOU are contributing to animal abuse!" Some people had horrified looks on their faces, some ignored and hurried past her, and some yelled back at her. All reactions were, of course, negative.
No one has ever attended a Susan G. Komen fun run because protestors stood outside of a hospital with signs yelling at people going in and out. "Cancer kills! Unless you come to our 5k, YOU are killing people!"
I can tell you that if I took my nieces and nephews to a place that was supposed to be fun, and some large man with a bullhorn started yelling, brandishing a bullhook and scared them, I would be pissed. It wouldn't matter if he was right and I was wrong, he has traumatized the children in my care. Kids don't necessarily know why the protestors are there, but they see anger, and that is all they will remember. They see hate-filled faces and hear harsh words. Then when they go inside, everything is cheerful and brightly colored with happy faces and cotton candy. Which do you think they will prefer? Which do you think they will remember fondly?
The impetus for attending a protest comes from a place of anger and frustration at not being able to have more of an impact on a situation. I get that. The problem is in the translation. Passion for animals can look a lot like anger, and if all we use the protest for is a place to vent this anger, that is what the general public will see. No one is inherently attracted to a group of angry people shouting on the sidewalk. That's not how it works.
The people going into the building are not our enemies. They are the ones we NEED on our side. We need them to see reason and have compassion enough to stop going. To stop buying tickets, or to stop attending even if the tickets are free. This will never happen if they are too afraid to look at us long enough to take the informational pamphlets we are holding, or read the signs explaining our stance. Compassion is not taught through anger.
The enemies are the corporations funding and supporting these circuses. Metro PCS is the major sponsor in Dallas, but no one goes after the them. American Airlines Center hosts them every year, but you don't see outrage expressed at the venue. If you want to shame someone, shame someone with something major to lose, and who can actually have an impact. If loads of people suddenly bombarded the Twitter account of Metro PCS expressing their disappointment and they stood to lose a large amount of sales, they might drop their sponsorship. Don't think that would work? Ask SeaWorld about sponsorship loss due to public opinion.
Perhaps since the announcement earlier this year regarding the retirement of elephants in 2018, people are more educated and will realize the plight of these poor animals. I hope that if you decide to attend this (or any) protest that you are effective in getting your message across.
But please don't yell at people. Please don't give large numbers of children the impression that animal welfare advocates are just sign-wielding lunatics. PLEASE don't wear a t-shirt that says, "Vegan". Yes, it will impress the few other protestors. It's like wearing a team jersey to the game--it makes you feel good--but it's the tiniest team ever! I'm thrilled that vegetarianism and veganism are becoming more popular, but we still have a long way to go, and it doesn't take Sociology 101 to know that people fear what they do not understand. By wearing labels that make it clear you are on a different team than the circus-goers, you're handing them a reason to ignore you on a silver platter. If they can't relate to you, they won't like you. If they don't like you, they won't listen to your message.
Be the change, don't be the bible-thumper standing on the street corner in Vegas telling everyone who passes by that they are going to Hell for their sins.
If you happen to be someone who still takes your kids to the circus, for whatever reason, I hope you will do a little research of your own. The circus has many years of tradition behind it, but I'm sure you realize that not all traditions are good ones. And, that there are plenty of places to take your kids, both for entertainment, and to learn about animals that don't involve the torture and mistreatment inherent in the circus. We aren't angry at you, we're just frustrated. We feel powerless to relieve the suffering of these animals, and we need your help. You can make a huge difference, just by not attending the circus.
"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men." ~St. Francis of Assisi
Every summer, a small group of advocates stand outside with signs to protest.
Tomorrow is opening night and for many years, I have stood in the Texas heat with my sign, silently holding back tears as people file into American Airlines Center. This year I will not be among their number. Instead of just not showing up, I feel like it is important for me to explain why I chose to stay home.
Protesting definitely has it's place in the spectrum of activism. I've attended protests for many causes over the years, and even organized one against a smaller circus in a smaller city a couple of years ago. Other animal welfare activists will not like what I have to say, but the bottom line is this: When it comes to Ringling Bros, you're doing it wrong.
Perhaps other protests in other cities are conducted in a different manner, but the behavior I've observed in Dallas is not designed to sway or educate people, it is designed to shame them. Last year, protestors chanted "There's no excuse for animal abuse." A woman standing next to me repeatedly got into people's faces yelling, "YOU are contributing to animal abuse!" Some people had horrified looks on their faces, some ignored and hurried past her, and some yelled back at her. All reactions were, of course, negative.
No one has ever attended a Susan G. Komen fun run because protestors stood outside of a hospital with signs yelling at people going in and out. "Cancer kills! Unless you come to our 5k, YOU are killing people!"
I can tell you that if I took my nieces and nephews to a place that was supposed to be fun, and some large man with a bullhorn started yelling, brandishing a bullhook and scared them, I would be pissed. It wouldn't matter if he was right and I was wrong, he has traumatized the children in my care. Kids don't necessarily know why the protestors are there, but they see anger, and that is all they will remember. They see hate-filled faces and hear harsh words. Then when they go inside, everything is cheerful and brightly colored with happy faces and cotton candy. Which do you think they will prefer? Which do you think they will remember fondly?
The impetus for attending a protest comes from a place of anger and frustration at not being able to have more of an impact on a situation. I get that. The problem is in the translation. Passion for animals can look a lot like anger, and if all we use the protest for is a place to vent this anger, that is what the general public will see. No one is inherently attracted to a group of angry people shouting on the sidewalk. That's not how it works.
The people going into the building are not our enemies. They are the ones we NEED on our side. We need them to see reason and have compassion enough to stop going. To stop buying tickets, or to stop attending even if the tickets are free. This will never happen if they are too afraid to look at us long enough to take the informational pamphlets we are holding, or read the signs explaining our stance. Compassion is not taught through anger.
The enemies are the corporations funding and supporting these circuses. Metro PCS is the major sponsor in Dallas, but no one goes after the them. American Airlines Center hosts them every year, but you don't see outrage expressed at the venue. If you want to shame someone, shame someone with something major to lose, and who can actually have an impact. If loads of people suddenly bombarded the Twitter account of Metro PCS expressing their disappointment and they stood to lose a large amount of sales, they might drop their sponsorship. Don't think that would work? Ask SeaWorld about sponsorship loss due to public opinion.
Perhaps since the announcement earlier this year regarding the retirement of elephants in 2018, people are more educated and will realize the plight of these poor animals. I hope that if you decide to attend this (or any) protest that you are effective in getting your message across.
But please don't yell at people. Please don't give large numbers of children the impression that animal welfare advocates are just sign-wielding lunatics. PLEASE don't wear a t-shirt that says, "Vegan". Yes, it will impress the few other protestors. It's like wearing a team jersey to the game--it makes you feel good--but it's the tiniest team ever! I'm thrilled that vegetarianism and veganism are becoming more popular, but we still have a long way to go, and it doesn't take Sociology 101 to know that people fear what they do not understand. By wearing labels that make it clear you are on a different team than the circus-goers, you're handing them a reason to ignore you on a silver platter. If they can't relate to you, they won't like you. If they don't like you, they won't listen to your message.
Be the change, don't be the bible-thumper standing on the street corner in Vegas telling everyone who passes by that they are going to Hell for their sins.
If you happen to be someone who still takes your kids to the circus, for whatever reason, I hope you will do a little research of your own. The circus has many years of tradition behind it, but I'm sure you realize that not all traditions are good ones. And, that there are plenty of places to take your kids, both for entertainment, and to learn about animals that don't involve the torture and mistreatment inherent in the circus. We aren't angry at you, we're just frustrated. We feel powerless to relieve the suffering of these animals, and we need your help. You can make a huge difference, just by not attending the circus.
"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men." ~St. Francis of Assisi
