Paper was right to report on abuses

The Monday letter, “Protestors given too much coverage,” complains about your coverage of animal rights protests against the Ringling Bros. and Barnum &Bailey Circus. The article did not “taint” your newspaper at all. On the contrary, the public must learn about the abuse perpetuated on animals in entertainment.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum &Bailey circus had to pay a $20,000 fine when a baby elephant died after being forced to perform repeatedly while sick; it has received several warnings and citations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is now under investigation for the drowning death of a 4-year-old elephant.

Protesters from PETA, PAWS, NARN and Friends of Elephants have chased Ringling Bros. circus from Seattle where it is no longer welcomed or profitable.

It is now Ringling’s third year at the Everett Events Center. This year, the attendance was way down and it also had two fewer shows than last year.

Unlike the letter writer, I want my children and grandchildren to attend circuses without animals, like Cirque du Soleil, and hopefully so will the Everett public.

I suggest that the writer visit www.Circuses.com.

He writes: “How can such a minute number of people receive so much attention?” Well, Margaret Mead wrote: “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever had.”

And yes, I do protest Michael Vick’s dogfighting cruelty.

Claudine Erlandson

Shoreline