The price of political correctness

[41chevy]

Sadly, we just learned that the curtain is going down—for the final time— “The Greatest Show On Earth.” Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus employees in Orlando were told on Saturday the 146-year old institution will cease to exist following its May 21^st performance at New York’s Nassau Coliseum. The “official” line is that the circus—dating back to immortal American entertainer and entrepreneur P.T. Barnum in the 1800’s—could not sustain its business model due to “changing entertainment tastes” and declining ticket sales.

But the real bottom-line is that so-called “Political Correctness” killed the circus. Other wholesome family entertainment will be next unless we all pick up the incoming Administration’s mantra and “Make America Great Again.”

From ultra-sophisticated New York and Los Angeles to “flyover country” in Kansas City, Birmingham and Duluth, the arrival of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s circus reduced everyone to a kid again: often preceded by an on-street parade into town (even through the Queens Midtown Tunnel into Manhattan) by acrobats, caged tigers, clowns and the trademark elephants introduced by Barnum himself in 1882…the circus would perform nights and weekends as parents took their wide-eyed children to see the “human cannonball” or the singing ringmaster and together turned back the clock to experience both their own childhoods and an enduring, charming part of genuine Americana.

In 1995—whether merely to preserve their investment or moved by genuine love of their animals—Ringling Brothers opened a 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation whose stated mission is the “conservation, breeding and understanding of these amazing animals” based on 146 years of working with them.

None of this—not the wholesome, family entertainment…not the awe and pageantry…not even the conservation investment—mattered to the forces of Political Correctness which had been slowly cultivating over time but sprang into a fully-developed virus in the petri dish that was the Obama years.

So-called “animals rights” activists targeted Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Circus and received plenty of coverage from compliant news media operatives with hysterical comparisons of elephants and tigers to  human slavery. One hothead outside an Ashville, N.C. performance of Ringling Bros. declared that he was out there “to let the public know that wild animals don’t belong in circuses. They belong with their families.”  (Um, the same could be said of airline pilots, hip surgeons, mimes and fast-food workers still being paid less than $15-an-hour, but I’m guessing this guy doesn’t care if they spend enough time at home.) PETA accused Ringling Bros. of “animal abuse” for—among other things—keeping tigers “held captive” before they performed. Maybe they’d prefer having the big cats roam freely through the audience, nipping off a finger or an arm if the mood struck. Looney, but in the end the circus caved to the PC forces…who are now lighting-up the Internet and social media crowing about this “victory.”

Unfortunately, Ringling Bros. will only be the start. PC Nazis have already bullied Sea World into ending their popular killer whale performances…no more Shamu The Orca for families to enjoy.

And with the death of the “big dog” (screw PETA) …smaller, regional circuses like the wildly popular Hejaz Shrine Circus in South Carolina will be next.

Then will come the San Diego Zoo, the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and the Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch in Pilot Point, Texas. The Audubon Society in New Orleans must go (“Free the insects! Free the butterflies!”) and let’s start building crates to ship Pandas back to China.

That’s the future of America if we continue to allow our society’s choices to be dictated by those whose concern is less about families experiencing the awe and wonder of God’s creations in a close, personal way. Instead lets say a “captive” armadillo might develop Plantar Fasciitis by living in an enclosure rather than being pancaked by an 18-wheeler on the highway as it enjoys blissful freedom.

My prayer is that even as he tackles radical Islamic terrorism, the need to protect American jobs and other critical issues, President Trump—a proven businessman whose critics nevertheless deride him at every turn for his showbiz roots—will also turn back the forces of political correctness with the same ease he silenced CNN’s Jim Acosta at his first news conference. MakeTheCircusGreatAgain.

Edited January 18, 2017 by 41chevy

[DailyDiesel]

I'll miss the circus but you'll never convince me that a 8,000 lb, 26ft long Orca noted for prowess in hunting and social interactions belongs in a tank.

[Dirtymilkman]

How does the human cannonball work?

 

[mowerman]

Very well put ....Paul been to San Diego s parks many times lotta fun and thier animals are generally spoiled rotten don't really see the complaint except for the same old bullshit this country is full of these days .One party getting thier way while the other party is going without... glad I got to see the whales a few times even got pictures....Bob[emoji119][emoji119][emoji119]
 

[41chevy]

6 hours ago, Dirtymilkman said:

How does the human cannonball work?

 

This is the cannon and the video is the propellant.

 

[carlotpilot]

On 1/18/2017 at 9:17 PM, DailyDiesel said:

I'll miss the circus but you'll never convince me that a 8,000 lb, 26ft long Orca noted for prowess in hunting and social interactions belongs in a tank.

not alone anyway

[mowerman]

Well for what it's worth another think your average Joe doesn't realize is most of the roaming animals do is looking for a prey and when they're contained in a park there already fed quite often example of lions and tigers they are usually very lazy they only prowl to look for food babies some of these PETA professional buttinskis might recognize that someday but probably not since their life consists of making everyone else miserable stop trying to play God what do they here years ago Live and Let Live yeah baby practice what you preach....bob
 

[41chevy]

7 hours ago, mowerman said:

Well for what it's worth another think your average Joe doesn't realize is most of the roaming animals do is looking for a prey and when they're contained in a park there already fed quite often example of lions and tigers they are usually very lazy they only prowl to look for food babies some of these PETA professional buttinskis might recognize that someday but probably not since their life consists of making everyone else miserable stop trying to play God what do they here years ago Live and Let Live yeah baby practice what you preach....bob

Gotta watch PEToB

People for Ethical Treatment of Bugs  

[BillyT]

The "human cannonball" uses air pressure to propel the person thru the air! I've never seen the mechanism up close, but I'm thinking it's like a giant maxi chamber! It may load a giant spring and have some way to release it.The actual circus mechanics and engineers built the first one and do their own maintenance,probably to preserve the secrecy of the design! The first truck mounted cannon I saw was on a beautiful streamlined Diamond T chassis! The B model pictured is equally handsome!

[Underdog]

How does the human cannonball work?
 

How is he going to work now that the circus is closed? That skill doesn't translate very well on a resume for any other position.

[Dirtymilkman]

Maybe for ISIS 

[41chevy]

15 hours ago, Underdog said:

How is he going to work now that the circus is closed? That skill doesn't translate very well on a resume for any other position.

Maybe the Home Shopping Network can use him to take down the Amazon.com delivery drones and capture the packages?