14 DAY TRIAL // Only yesterday, President Barack delivered a speech in Charlottesville and talked about how young voters have the responsibility to get involved in deciding the outcome of the presidential elections to come. Still, for the time being at least, this is of little interest to us.
What we wish to report on is the fact that a man dressed up as an elephant pretty much followed the President everywhere we went, holding up a sign which read: “Mr. President: Tell USDA [the US Department of Agriculture] to Confiscate Beaten Circus Elephants.”
In case you haven't guessed it yet, this man was sent here by green-oriented organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which is currently engaged in a series of projects intended to help circus elephants escape the abuses they suffer at the hands of their handlers.
As far as this organization is concerned, it is the USDA's responsibility to take appropriate measures, free these animals and help them find new homes in various wildlife sanctuaries.
However, because this department has so far failed in stepping up and rescuing circus elephants, PETA hopes that perhaps President Obama might convince them to do so.
Speaking on behalf of the organization, Delcianna Winders explained how, “The government has taken an important step by fining these cruel circuses, but now it must confiscate the lame, overworked, and beaten elephants.”
She further elaborated on this issue, saying “ Until then, what remains to be done is for the public to be made aware of this chronic abuse so that people will know to keep their children away from the circus.”
Rumor has it that this elephant wanna-be will continue to appear next to Barack Obama at various other public events, at least until circus elephants finally get the humane treatment they deserve.
Meanwhile, other organization are struggling to put an end to illegal ivory trading operations and help preserve the elephants still living in the wilderness, so here's hoping that efforts to save this species from extinction will soon prove as fruitful as we want them to be.