The Elephant in the Room
No one sees the elephant in the room for good reason. The elephant is no more. Effective 2018, Barnum and Bailey have announced that their circus will be elephant-free. The lovable Babars will go the way of the eight-track tape.
I’m not certain why this is bothersome. Three, four, or five rings under a big tent do not appeal to me. I never went to the circus as a child. It’s not on my bucket list. I didn’t take my children to the circus. Animal rights activists applaud the decision. They make a persuasive argument against animal abuse. Yet, it gnaws. Trapeze artists, jugglers, clowns, and elephants define a circus. It’s like banning cherries from ice cream sundaes.
And then there’s Jumbo. Is the gentle giant turning over in his grave? Or, does this news make him happy? Jumbo was the Babe Ruth of his time (although Jumbo didn’t hit as many homeruns or sign as many autographs as The Babe). But he received about as much press as The Sultan of Swat and was just as friendly to children. Jumbo was a marketer’s dream. Everything, from beverages to peanuts to cartoons to matches to charm bracelets to books and many other souvenirs and products, utilized Jumbo’s photo or name. Despite only a three-year stint with P.T. Barnum’s circus, Jumbo defined “The Greatest Show on Earth.” His image was plastered on numerous advertising posters.
The Humane Society’s president, Wayne Pacelle, praised the decision to eliminate the elephants as, “… good news” from Ringling. “For wild animals whose natural habitat is outdoors, life in a traveling show is filled with unending misery … all so they can perform silly tricks.”
Elephant sanctuaries exist all over the world. The soon-to-be retired circus elephants are destined for Florida. According to Kenneth Feld, Chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment, “The elephant has always been a symbol of The Greatest Show on Earth. The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation will ensure that people will be able to experience the joy and wonder of Asian elephants for generations to come.” Like thoroughbreds put out to stud, elephants at the conservation center will mate and grow their herd. That, along with food, water, and daily baths replace a life on the road working for, well, peanuts.
I guess it’s all good, just as long as no one tries to remove the iconic horse-drawn carriages from New York City’s Central Park. Oh, wait a minute…