Reckoning at Ringling Bros.

Kenneth Feld, the sole owner of Feld Entertainment and Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus did not appear in U.S Federal Court today. Buying his way out of trouble is a way of life for Ken Feld, but this time, he just may be trapped. These animal rights people are not clowning around! Many of us in the courtroom craned our curious necks to get a glimpse of him, but he ditched us, just like my big brother used to ditch me when a pretty willing date was waiting. Yep, Feld stayed true to his reclusive reputation and played the role he always plays: the illusive circus master who calls the moves behind the scenes.

Still, in true P.T Barnum fashion, the sleight of hand and manipulation of words got precision delivery on his behalf. In the first few hours of the trial, some of the most famous and expensive mouthpieces money can buy sang the praises of Ringling Bros. Circus and its treatment of endangered Asian elephants. An entourage of Fulbright and Jaworski attorneys turned a weapon of torture, "The Bull Hook," used by Ringling handlers with reckless disregard against the endangered Asian elephants into a harmless sounding "guide." "Advocate" (one who speaks for those who often cannot speak for themselves) became a dirty word. A world renowned elephant expert who testified today was accused of advocating for the elephants! Imagine speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves! How dare she!

As seeds of affirmation were sown by the high powered defendant's attorneys, the plaintiff's attorney scorched the earth with a DVD disc and a finger -- pressing play. The video appearing on the plasma court televisions were in some cases heart-breaking and in others horrifying.

For world renowned elephant expert Dr. Joyce Poole, who was the first expert witness of the trial and has studied elephants her entire life, watching Ringling's handlers was a little like watching Nazi's conduct the Holocaust. "This is America," she pleaded with the federal judge. "These animals should not be chained 20 hours a day, beaten with bull hooks and forced to perform these un-natural acts. They are extremely intelligent creatures, they mourn their dead, they use tools, they help their friends up when they are ill, they are extremely social." At one point, while watching Feld Entertainment video of an Asian elephant "Shirley" giving birth, (Shirley's named after Kenneth Feld's aunt who raise him after his mother committed suicide) Dr. Poole choked up.

"In the wild it's a matriarchal system. The women teach the mother how to deliver a baby; they stroke it and talk to it for months. What you saw there is very un-natural." Dr. Poole shook her small frame and head at the same time while watching the repugnance on the screen. "Ringling immediately takes the baby away from the mother according to attorney Katherine Meyer and the bonding process never takes place."

This has been an almost surreal process for me. After 10 years of waiting, Kenneth Feld just a week before this trial, settled an obstruction of justice lawsuit filed by a journalist. It was a strong case and put on display the lengths to which Kenneth Feld resorts in order to protect what he considers his "all American" reputation. That journalist wrote things Feld found offensive. His former chief financial officer turned on him, revealing a plot of deceit and a slew of private investigators who set out to ruin her career. The story reads like a John Le Carre spy novel. Feld employed former CIA deputy director of covert operations for the CIA -- Clair George for a little hanky-panky -- and the circus act began, Tah-dah!

Kenneth Feld is no fellow we journalists want to piss off. As a fledgling journalist, Finley Peter Dunne once taught us that our job was to "afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted." But, that's not the way the job is allowed to work much anymore. Not if you want to keep it. The journalist whose career lay in ruins asked for dozens of millions in damages and that ( I'm told behind the scenes) is pretty much what she got..

Beyond all that, I still cannot get over feeling as if those involved in this case are yelling "A tree's on fire, a tree's on fire!" when the whole forest if burning.

Tuberculosis was mentioned just one time during opening arguments in the trial. Most, if not all of Kenneth Feld's performing endangered elephants have had Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. At least as many as 26 have died over the last 15 years with necropsies indicating most had tuberculosis and in some cases never knew it.

I cannot stop thinking about little kids and old or sick circus patrons with compromised immune systems sitting "Under the Big Top" eating cotton candy and getting exposed to TB. The stories of TB cases rising inundate newspapers, and it's a fact, elephants and humans have the same type of TB and it can be transmitted to humans.

Now the story includes all seven of the deadly sins. Lust (for power) gluttony (over indulgence) greed, sloth, envy and pride.

That's the big picture I see. Tah Dah! And on with the show.

Comments

[Carolyn Roseberry]

It is not just Ringling it is all circus's that have animals and ALL animals are exposed to abuse as they fill this is the only way for them to perform.
We must fight for all animals in the circus not just elephants.

[leilani99]

Let's work together to make it illegal for animals to be used in the circus and all entertainment purposes. Spread the word about the abuse animals recieve to the people who make up the audience for circuses-parents with young children including the Hispanic community- . Elephants are beaten, shocked, whipped, and drugged during training, kept chained for 70% of the day, and transported in containers in extreme temperatures. Elephants and chimps should be left in their natural habitats, free to socialize, use their minds to solve problems, and enjoy the amazing culture that they create-just like we do.

[Bonbon1951]

Thank you to Leslie Griffith and the Huffington Post for exposing the Cruelest Show on Earth and the Ringling Bros. trial in D.C. that may give the elephants relief from their tortured existence. You are giving the elephants a voice to let the public know how much suffering is endured by the elephants behind the scenes of the circus.

[baxter7]

I have spent most of my life ignorant of the abuse that takes place in the name of shows like these. I am thankful for the poignant, insightful words that Leslie brings us to help understand what happens backstage. I unwittingly enjoyed the circus as a child, but if I had known what occurs to make it happen, I would have been horrified. In this newer age of information, my children and hopefully all others will forgo this cruel form of "conservation". May Feld and his ilk get the justice they deserve for their sins.

[MMF25]

Thank you for the great article, Leslie. Hopefully this trial will shed some light on the plight of elephants used in the entertainment industry. Our “pleasure” causes their misery.

[listen2elephants]

Thanks to Huffington Post & Leslie Griffith for your courageous coverage of this story...
I personally observed Ringling Circus methods for 3 years on their annual visit to Oakland, CA. Watched as the elephants were marched from their chained quarters in the transport trains to a tent on the asphalt parking lot of the arena, where they stand chained again for 4 days and nights, set free only for performances... Preparing to enter the arena on one visit, the lead trainer instructed the elephants to raise their trunks in the air and keep them there until he said they could be lowered---one small obviously young elephant trembled from the effort but one look at the raised bullhook in the trainers' hand and she held her pose--it is obvious the bullhook is an instrument of fear.... Another observation, prior to performance, workers rolled wheelbarrows up behind each elephant when upon command, they defecated into the wheelbarrows...Even this bodily function is controlled by commanders with bullhooks....
At the end of the visit, the elephants are marched again to the train, off to San Jose, to Sacramento, to Oregon, on and on until their lives are used up, chained, standing in parking lots, performing unnatural tricks for the benefit of Feld's bottom line..
That these circus companies are allowed to carry on a Guantanamo­-outside-t­he-law-abu­se of elephants not only strikes at the heart of the Endangered Species Act but is a shame for America....

[UserNameTaken]

I regret going to the circus as a child--I'm teaching my daughter that there's nothing entertaining about watching neurotic, abused elephants do stupid, unnatural tricks.

[Bob 1]

It's about time that the Cruelest Show on Earth had to face up to the harm they do and have done, not only to elephants, but to all the animals they relentlessly move around the country for profit. I would gladly pay to see Kenneth Feld compelled to do the tricks taught to elephants or face the bullhook, but for now, I'll settle on him facing the media and the courts.

[Vegswimr]

Most people know the truth behind Ringling - and all circuses that use animals. They know that these animals are lonely, terrified into submission, and living completely unnatural lives. Behind the music and colors lie misery and abuse. I know several kids who have said they'll never go to a circus because of the animals and how sad it is to see them perform ("it's weird" is how one 8 year old boy put it.) Beat Feld. End this cruel exploitation.

[Reubendog]

Thank you to Leslie Griffith for her persistence in exposing Feld Entertainment for the animal abusers that they are. Let's hope that this trial results in a finding that the ESA can in fact be used to protect these animals. I hope we can see more coverage on Huffington as the trial progresses - and that we can see it as worthy of front page placement!

[stkittchick]

Bravo! It's impossible to understand how anyone can support animal based circuses. Given all that we know, you must have a complete lack of empathy, or profit from, a circus to defend the abusive treatment of animals.

It's laughable that anyone believes Ringling's claims--they make their livings off the misery of animals, what else are they supposed to say? Yes, we beat them, cage them, chain them, and deny them everything that is important them them? I mean, you expect them to tell the truth? Ringling/Feld has an inherent financial interest in keeping the wool over the public's eye.

[sfvegan]

Thank you so much for this coverage Leslie, it is much needed in our society of ignorance. It should be on the front page!

[capierso]

Dear Ms. Griffith: Thank you so much for reporting this trial on Huf Post. Feld Entertainment is HUGE, and powerful, and has been able to hide these horrible, and ancient practices for many years. I hope that the MSM will also be brave enough to write about the abuses that are inflicted at the so called "Greatest Show On Earth"

[Goldie2u2]

I'm so relieved to finally read someone who really gets it. Feld uses his riches to harm animals in the name of entertainment (greed) and then intimidates and harasses those who would tell the truth. I am hopeful that this time the truth will come out and set the elephants free...because it is a difficult and long process to train elephants using rewards instead of bullhooks and I can't imagine that Ringling or any other circus would be up to the task. Besides, what about the TB? There are more advanced tests for TB that aren't required by the USDA that should be, that would reveal just how rampant the TB is in our circuses.

I look forward to reading more on this issue from you-

[Rowan Morrison]

Thank you for covering this trial and this issue. Let's hope that this country really *is* ready for some true change and will support the end of this abuse of animals. YES WE CAN, America, show some empathy for elephants.