Activists protest Ringling Bros. circus in San Jose

The activists protesting Ringling in San Jose were not in coordination with In Defense of Animals. The group that sponsors the protests in the Bay Area is Citizen's for Cruelty-Free Entertainment (CCFE). CCFE is a grass-roots bay area group that I founded in the mid '90's. Prior to CCFE I organized the circus protests with the now defunct Animal Rights Connection in San Francisco and South Bay In Defense of Animals. Our website is http://www.ringlingabusesanimals.com. Our video footage of Ringling is key evidence in the October trial of Ringling for violating the Endangered Species Act, brought by former Ringling employee Tom Rider. I am also a witness in the trial.

Thanks Pat, I wasn't sure, as I got the protest information from the IDA website.

Unlike Gene (of Lori and Gene of Farm Sanctuary) who identifies himself as a *co-founder* of Farm Sanctuary and who, in his book, includes Lori in his accounts of the past, Pat has rewritten history. Pat did *some* of the organizing with Animal Rights Connection, and it wasn't the lion's share either. Pat was a co-founder (sort of) of the current bay area circus work, despite the "I this", I that", "I-I-I" theme of his post. He follows the exact format that was established long ago, a format that was the result of his partners', and others', years of work. His being included in the lawsuit is the result of the work that preceded the current version of CCFC/CCFE (which is no longer CCFE anyway), the result of work by the people, particulary his "Lori" equivalent, i.e. his partner, he is omitting from his version of history. Alas, grandiosity happens. Why would someone take credit for the work of others? Not a good sign, IMO.

Barbara, who was there in the very beginning

Oh the circus is in town,
And it shall go but round
My head and through my heart,
As the little elephants tear one another apart.

The mean ol' "ring MC's" gonna make a fist
When he sees all of the animal rights activists.
So come on down boys 'n' girls,
Come on one and all.
For I bet you've never seen the bearded lady
Walk over the Cleveland Mall.

-P.A. (all rights reserved, except to drum up support against a circus)

thank you for this!

to the correction!