Thanks to defenders of human rights

Editors, Asheville Global Report,

In the name of Latinos, especially the Central Americans, and the newspaper El Eco de las Montanas, we would like to thank the people that support and who attended the event on Saturday the 26th for the welcoming home of Clare and Jon.

They are special people who suffered six months in jail for defending the human rights of the oppressed. And thank you to the American people who support this noble gesture, who raise their voices to the world to raise awareness about the atrocities caused by the School of the Americas. We want help and knowledge, not war.

Thank you.

Luisa Argueta
Asheville, North Carolina

Editors note: The School of the Americas, located in Ft. Benning, Georgia, has been renamed as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.

Circus is cruel to animals

Editors, Asheville Global Report,

The circus is coming to the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville, and there are some things you should know. Ringling claims that they only use positive reinforcement, but video footage of Ringling trainers shows an elephant being whipped in the face and gouged with bullhooks. In 1999, humane inspectors in San Jose, CA, found that seven Ringling elephants “had injuries behind or on the back of their left ears” that appeared to be fresh and bleeding. Ringling has opposed proposed laws banning cruel training methods.

Kenny, a baby elephant, was sent out on the road to perform even though in nature, male elephants stay with their mothers until they are teenagers.  Kenny was clearly sick when Ringling Bros. was performing in Jacksonville, FL. The circus forced Kenny to perform two more shows and he died that evening. Ringling paid $20,000 to settle out of court after being charged by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for failure to provide veterinary care.

Another baby elephant, Benjamin, drowned in a 12-foot deep pond. Had he not been separated from his mother, this probably never would have happened. In 1999, the USDA found two other baby elephants to have “large visible lesions on [their] rear legs.”  These babies suffered rope burns while being forcibly separated from their mothers. They also found scars on the babies’ front legs.

Ringling Bros. called the separation method “industry practice,” but after consulting with elephants experts, the USDA communicated to Ringling that “we believe there is sufficient evidence that the handling of these animals caused unnecessary trauma, behavioral stress, physical harm and discomfort to these two elephants...”

Civil rights activist Dick Gregory said, “There are simple steps each of us can take to eliminate the exploitation of other beings. One is to refuse to go to any circus that uses animals. When I look at animals held captive by circuses, I think of slavery.  Animals in circuses represent the domination and oppression we have fought against for so long. They wear the same chains and shackles.”

Join us to protest the circus on February 2. See “AGR Resource Guide” for details.

Terri David
Carolina Animal Action
Asheville, North Carolina