I Want Off the Train ... Next Stop. Now!

Written by PETA

Posted 04-24-2009

Wow! Shepard Smith of The Fox Report went on a rant about how Americans will not tolerate torture, declaring, "We are America. We don't torture. And the moment that is not the case, I want off the train."

I'd like to believe that he was speaking out against the abuse of elephants in circuses, who suffer routine chaining and beatings with bullhooks by trainers in Ringling Bros. and other traveling acts.

Fade to daydream sequence …

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Written by Karin Bennett

Tags:

circuses, elephants, Ringling Bros., house, Maxim, Malia Obama, The Exorcist, Malia, M.D., Sasha Obama, Child Nutrition Act, Shepard Smith, The Fox Report

Recent Comments

margaret commented:

Jun 1, 2009 4:13 AM

hi sean I think you're on the wrong forum. We love animals here. We don't tolerate people who mistreat animals in any way shape or form. I absolutely cannot believe you are here defending the behaviors of circus trainers. This is outrageous!
JBHiker commented:

May 28, 2009 10:44 AM

Sean since you can communicate with Elephants when would there conversely be a "good reason" to beat an Elephant? I really would like to hear your "professional" ha!! yeah right! opinion.
Andrew commented:

Apr 28, 2009 11:01 AM

Kev D You are a complete moran. Elephants DO get wounds from being hit by bull hooks. You think that just because they are large that they dont feel pain? They feel pain just like you or I or any other living thing. You are justn not right! You might want to have that checked out!
Andrew commented:

Apr 28, 2009 10:53 AM

This cruelty has got to stop. Who do these people think they are? They need to be beaten with a bull hook and see how they like it. People who do these and other cruel acts to animals need to burn in hell.
Sean Whipple commented:

Apr 28, 2009 2:07 AM

I am quoting.."The vile and miserable American news media sporadically address animal abuse but they are mostly carnivores and destroyers of the planet." How is this smart? 99 of Americans are meat eaters...only recently have the majority started to pander to the extremists and malinformed minority. The news media is vile but it is also metropolitain and leftist...probably comprised of vegetarians and people who have no idea how to save the planet. My views of PETA's extreme views and rediculous public persona are further reinforced. You might do some good for animals if you would think before you speak.
I love PETA! commented:

Apr 28, 2009 1:08 AM

To kevD and others who beleive animals in circuses and entertainment get just a little "conditioning". It would be best to do some minimal research before so confidently declaring that animals in circuses are not abused. You must have some very special need to believe that fantasy and corporate marketing. Reality is that numerous animal protection organizations with wildlife experts attest to the abuse suffered and then of course there are the employees who attest to the sadistic acts they witnessed on a daily basis! Forcing animals to do "tricks" teaches us nothing about animals and reduces majestic wild animals to silly clowns for what??? Why not read the court testimony and documents at Animal Welfare Institute httpwww.awionline.orgwildlifeelephantsrbsuit.htm about Ringling Brothers and then if you still want to believe your myth you are on your own unique trip!
Rev. Meg Schramm commented:

Apr 27, 2009 1:37 PM

Just wanted to let you all know I read Brian Comerford's comment published in Time magazine and to thank him for it it was smart and literate and it will improve the public image of PETA members. Good work Brien I enjoy your posts!
kevD commented:

Apr 27, 2009 11:02 AM

Not having watched that specific airing of the Fox Report I cannot say as to what Mr. Smith was referring to but I bet he was referring to recent events of people claiming that our military is torturing prisoners for information. If this is so then I can also be assured of the fact that Mr. Smith was not considering the treatment of elephants or any other large mammal when he made his statement about Americans not torturing. Yes how very inconsiderate of him. But truly there is something to be said for the difference between training animals and torturing them. It has been a practice for centuries for an animal trainer to hit or slap an animal as a means of conditioning. Horse Jockeys slap their horses with a small whip during a race to tell their horse to go faster. Now that little whip isnt hurting the big horse by any means it is just a little reminder of the training the horse went through to race in the first place. Now those itty bitty whips probably wont have any effect on training big elephants. Those animals are being trained for entertainment purposes and they arent suffering any bodily damage during the preparation for a show just a little stimulus or punishment so they perform correctly. Other performers acrobats and stunt men go through similar conditioning and sometimes they bring on that discipline on their own bodies. And after watching the video posted above. In the first scenewhen the man is shown whacking the elephant with a stick. In the mans defense that elephant did kick him first.
sean commented:

Apr 27, 2009 4:20 AM

I am a hunter and also a wildlife biologist. Hunting does more for conservation of wildlife than anything else on this planet. I will be the first to tell you that mistreatmenttorture of animals is a terrible thing. I love wildlife and want it all to be here for future generations to enjoy. But animals are food folks that is just the way it is. None of you would be here if our ancestors attempted to be vegans during the last ice age. Elephant are hunted in Africa been there seen it and they feed starving villagers for months. Many of the elephants hunted are in overpopulated areas and do very serious damage to the ecosystem. I have seen starving people and animals from overpopulation for which hunting is a necessary practice. Let me tell you a bullet is much more humane than starvation. Get a grip people. If i had the man who planned 911 in custody and he wasn't talking I would waterboard the hell out of him. I would not however beat a human or an elephant for no good reason.
george commented:

Apr 25, 2009 6:25 PM

I have had enought of torturing the animals. How can I help. George

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