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ELEPHANTS & LIONS, OH MY! DALTON CLUB STRONG-ARMS LIBRARY, TOWN INTO CANCELING ANIMAL ABUSE FILM … CENSORSHIP WINS, FOR THE MOMENT

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By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

First of Three Parts

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015) — On its website, Lions Club International lists several bullet points explaining its purpose. Among those:

  • To promote the principles of good government and good citizenship.
  • To take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social, and moral welfare of the community.
  • To provide a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest.

THE PLANET can stop there. You get the gist. The Lions are kind, brave, loyal, pure, filtered, flawless, unmixed, honorable, saintly, exemplary, wholesome, germ-free, and … sterile.

The website then lists the “Lions Clubs [sic] Code of Ethics.” Apparently, that code does not include proper grammar in the use of the possessive case, but we digress. There are eight items in the code, including these three:

  • To seek success … but to accept no profit or success at the price of my own self respect.
  • Whenever a doubt arises as the to right or ethics of my position or action towards others, to resolve such doubt against myself.  — As guidelines go, not bad. Too bad the Dalton Lions Club doesn’t take their own directives seriously. Self-respect? Gone. Resolve doubt “against myself?” Not a chance.

 Some Defender of ‘Open” Debate

According to our sources, the Dalton Lions Club publicity chairman Dan McGinnis has employed nefarious pressure tactics behind closed doors to force the Dalton Town Library board, town manager Ken Walto, and selectboard chairman John Bartels to take an action that violates all five bullet points THE PLANET has listed here.

According to Marnie Meyers of Berkshire Voters for Animals (BVOA), the library had agreed to show the film An Apology to Elephants on Monday, April 27, a free showing sponsored by BVOA. The Lions had other plans. It sent its attack dog, publicity director Dan McGinnis, to pay a “friendly visit” to the library. He apparently gave them a goon offer they should have refused but didn’t. Three days prior to the showing, the library caved and canceled the showing.

Yes, this is America, and a library — that supposed treasury of knowledge and freedom of information — has participated in censorship.

In addition to the Lions, The Dalton Library has a lot of explaining not just to Dalton citizens but all citizens of Berkshire County.

McGinnis didn’t stop with Walto, Bartels, and the library. Sources have told us told told several Dalton merchants to remove the flyer you see here from their shop windows. Unfortunately, it appears merchants, too, have caved to The Special Interests. You’re shocked, shocked! We know, but fear has no place in public life. That’s why we are exposing the odious actions of the Lions.

As we said, McGinnis, acting on behalf club’s 34 members, forced the library to cancel a showing of the 2013 HBO documentary film, An Apology to Elephants.  The film depicts the abuse and brutal treatment of elephants captured in the wild then “trained” to accept their horrible fate as items of amusement, freaks in zoos and circuses.

The film has generated positive reception from the public and critics since its release. Variety magazine called it “hard to forget … an effective selling card for animal rights.” That’s why the Lions were so threatened. They don’t want a fair and level-field vote next Tuesday (May 4) as town voters decide on nothing less than this: Is Dalton a town of enlightened citizens, or is it a town that endorses suppression of free speech and a totalitarian crushing of free debate? Do citizens have the voice and the vote, or do The Suits and troglodytes rule?

An Assault on the Flow of Free Information

The Lions fear that the citizens of the community DO NOT want to see intelligent animals TORTURED for the amusement of the bored and the immature. Why? Because a “yes” vote will imperil the Dalton Circus, an anachronistic event long past its “use by” date put on by the Lions in July as a fundraiser.

The money raised will go to good causes, you may argue, but that’s a non-sequitur. Blood money can buy no good. Beside, there are many more effective ways to raise money. Circuses of this type may have been suitable for a ragged and growing 19th century America, but 15 years into the 21 century, employing non-domesticated wild animals through the use of torture simply for the diversion (not delight) of humans can no longer be tolerated. For what is a circus? A traveling show spawn by seedy money grubbers designed to appeal to the least common denominators of human tendency.

Animals have no voice, so we have to be their voice. The Lions’ ham-handed tactics, however, have made the referendum on Monday more than about the circus. Their censoring of free speech by “getting” that film canceled makes this also a question of WHO OWNS THE GOVERNMENT? Do free citizens having unrestricted access to information own the government or do a bunch of fat-cat businessmen?

Dalton has dared to step up to the plate and let its citizens declare not only to Berkshire County but to the state, the nation, and the world that it will no longer put up with the monstrosity of circuses. What went down in Nero’s day doesn’t work any more in Dalton, which has as its motto, “Heaven in the heart of the Berkshires.”

We have requests in for comment to Walto, the Lions, and the Dalton Library.

Tomorrow, THE PLANET will present the astonishing text of the termination notice as we continue with Part 2 of this series. You won’t want to miss it. We will also present the exact wording of the proposed bylaw. We have invited comment from the town manager, McGinnis, and the Lions as well.

———————————————————————————————–

“Always, he said, “It is a sin.” Stephen Crane, “There Was One I Met,” (1899).

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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Pat
Pat
8 years ago

Dan, I agree that the film should be shown and do not like the tatics they used to not have it shown, but I can understand where they are coming from. Everytime we turn around, there is some environmental no no that we can no longer do and this is making people crazy. A big part of the lack of water problem in California is because they are trying to save a small supposedly endangered species of fish so they don’t want water pumped in from the San Joaquin Delta to California. Because of this people have little water usage because they also have refused to have a reservoir built despite the fact that population has doubled in southern California during this time. It’s stuff like this that is making people fight back against the insanity of save the whales, save the small species of fish or in this case save the elephant. It just seems excessive.

I love animals so this isn’t that I do not support elephant safety and I will somehow see the film as it does sound interesting, but I am very unsupportive of wanting to stop all animal participation in all circuses across the country as are many people. Truth be told I think the clowns are really scary. The recent episodes of American Horror are about circus freaks and clowns. These episodes are terrifying to me especially the clowns, but children do love circuses. The save the elephant people say they don’t want to end circuses across America just having animals in the circus, but many people can’t imagine a circus without some animal participation.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Pat
8 years ago

What Western Mass city could I go to to find a circus without animals? HHmmmm…..

concerned
concerned
Reply to  dusty
8 years ago

Last year circus smirkus (an animal free circus) performed in Great Barrington.

The Big E circus had dogs and cats but no wild or exotic animals performing

MrG8811
MrG8811
Reply to  Pat
8 years ago

Perhaps the most poorly informed comment ever.

MrG8811
MrG8811
Reply to  MrG8811
8 years ago

Pat’s comment that is, not the other two.

spagirl
spagirl
8 years ago

Bunch of Crap. This world has turned into tension every which way you turn. Nothing can beat the 1950’s. You never had to watch your back. And the Ringling Bros Circus was everything and more. The Elephants brought sheer delight!

Pat
Pat
Reply to  spagirl
8 years ago

I agree. I think it would make sense to improve conditions for the animals, but not stop their participation altogether. There needs to be a compromise. Maybe elephants and other animals should only perform for a couple of years and then have a happy retirement. Make traveling conditions better for the animals. This is something everybody would be behind. Have inspectors check on the animals from time to time to make sure they are being well cared for.

MrG8811
MrG8811
Reply to  Pat
8 years ago

No Pat, wild animals are wild animals. They are not put here for your amusement or to offer you sheer delight. Why don’t we put you and your family in a cage, beat you or starve you when you don’t do what we ask, make you dance for us several times a day on command, then after a few years give you a happy retirement wher you still live in a cage…but we don’t beat you so often. Sound good?

Wilson
Wilson
Reply to  MrG8811
8 years ago

That’s actually a pretty good description of human life, we are just better trained so we don’t notice captivity. But if you don’t obey of course you will be beaten, shocked by high voltage, caged, or put down.

Pat
Pat
Reply to  MrG8811
8 years ago

I LOVE animals, but my reasons for opposing wild animals in circuses would be for the circus handlers also getting hurt because they are WILD animals they are dealing with. No mention of that. Any person who abuses an animal, wild or otherwise, should be arrested and prosecuted, circus or no circus, but there is a big difference between training an animal and beating them.

Couldn’t you also include race horses, which I also love, in the same category? God knows, they have to break horses in when they are young in order to get them to race on a track. Also the last i heard they wanted all animals out of circuses not just wild animals!!!

concerned
concerned
8 years ago

I am shocked by the comments above. I usually find those who want to see animals in the circus haven’t thought about the subject that much.

I would like the above posters to think of the following

The animals perform 11 months a year

1) How do you think they are transported and how long are they on the road between acts

2) While not performing what are the animals doing? ( Think chains and cages 97% of the time)

3) How did these animals learn to do these tricks? Tigers are adherently afraid of fire but they jump through it. What would make you do something you are really afraid of?

4) Elephant trainers carry a bull hook. They say its a guide. Why does it have a sharp point at the end instead of a feather?

There is an agency that monitors but like all inspections there are not enough inspectors

Here is the link to the fact sheet from the circus who performs in Dalton

http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/pdf/Kelly-Miller-pdf.pdf

Wilson
Wilson
Reply to  concerned
8 years ago

What about the animals people keep in their houses? Yes, some spend thousands of dollars on proper food, daycare, etc. but 90% of animals in the home are suffering. Won’t even go into farm animals, an elephant is not superior to a hog except in size.

Bull Durham
Bull Durham
Reply to  Wilson
8 years ago

90% of animals in a home are suffering? Where on Earth did you come up with that ridiculously idiotic figure for domesticated animals? Yes, there are people who mistreat cats and dogs (Pit Bulls seem to have more than their fair share of abuse, which is sad), but every dog owner I know treats their dogs like royalty, as they deserve to be treated. 90%???????

Linda
Linda
Reply to  Bull Durham
8 years ago

Totally right Bull D. An idiotic figure, 90%.

We have a beautiful pit bull a kind, loving, gentle family member. She’s not only well treated but loved 1000 %

Bull Durham
Bull Durham
Reply to  Linda
8 years ago

Thank you Linda, – we also have a beautiful Pit Bull and she has one of the best temperaments I’ve ever seen. And she rules the house.

Still wondering
Still wondering
8 years ago

So, the PC police are here in the Planet. Can’t escape them.

Discreet Cat
Discreet Cat
8 years ago

As long as the Elephants are ona leash. I’m all for it.

Ringling Beetle Bailey
Ringling Beetle Bailey
8 years ago

The elephant in the room is Dan Bianchi with his tax and spend policies. Taxpayers are being thrown in with the Lions just like Rome did before it burned.

Maddame Mazzeo cracks the whip and the other clowncilors perform their trap-ease. The jugglers juggle the books. The BB prints the posters telling everyone how wonderful it all is. The circus freaks are very much alive in Pittsfield politics.

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  Ringling Beetle Bailey
8 years ago

Just remember November…. Clean Sweep.

Tammy Ives
Tammy Ives
Reply to  spagirl
8 years ago

We just need to have people run against the incumbents in all wards. There shouldn’t be anyone running unopposed!

Larry
Larry
Reply to  Tammy Ives
8 years ago

Then run.

Dave
Dave
Reply to  Tammy Ives
8 years ago

Jimmy, cmon man! Did Tammy say no when you asked her to the prom? Obviously you have a hard on for her. She wasn’t elected for the pertinent reasons you bring up ( not knowing PEDA etc..) but let it go man. And the Jimmy G you seem to be trying to emulate or pretend to be used his whole name.

Guess what
Guess what
Reply to  Tammy Ives
8 years ago

I understand that her yard is fenced in, so you are snooping into her property. I’m beginning to think that Tammy needs to get a set of cameras and then filed a complaint for harassment and trespassing.

NotARedneck
NotARedneck
8 years ago

This has nothing to do with being PC. Elephants belong in their natural habitat, but the next time you have a conversation with one, feel free to share their thoughts. Since they have no voice, you need to stand up for them, they don’t know what they’re doing here except not being allowed to do what they should be doing, which is just living and being left alone. Conservation is one thing, but this is not conservation. Even Ringling’s, arguably the biggest circus will retire all of their elephants to a sanctuary

An entity that is funded by taxes was strong armed by a self-professed lifelong circus fan to not show a movie. Aside from all of that, if this is the ONLY way the Dalton Lions Club is able to raise money, that’s pathetically laughable. This logic would mean that EVERY charity that functions in Berkshire County would not be able to raise money without hosting a circus with “performing” wild animals, correct? Should we expect to see 300 circuses a year in that case?

There are other ways to raise money and Cirque Du Soleil has raised a hefty amount of cash by producing some amazing shows that don’t involve performing animals, you don’t need them.

Gene
Gene
8 years ago

Great post, DV. I thank THE PLANET for airing this important issue. The thought of the Lions Club getting the library to ban a film is scary.

Glad you exposed this.

Nota
Nota
8 years ago

Any chance of getting a King Kong in Dalton?

Paul
Paul
8 years ago

I really don’t care what Dalton does or who is right or wrong. All I ask myself is , if I was an elephant, would I like to be in a circuse.

Discreet Cat
Discreet Cat
8 years ago

Good Scrabble word Pat.

really
really
8 years ago

Wow small town politics…One guy is allowed to control the library. Come on Dalton your stronger then that

silence dogood
silence dogood
8 years ago

Help me out here. I was under the impression that African elephants could not be tamed for circus or other domestic use. I believe the elephants used in circuses are the more docile Indian elephants, which have been domesticated before Hanibal used them to cross the Alps and invade Rome. That being said, there is potential for abuse but I doubt that Clyde Is capturing wild African elephants

concerned
concerned
Reply to  silence dogood
8 years ago

Anna the dancing elephant was imported from Zimbabwe in 1983 at the tender age of 2.

In a normal world female elephants live with their other female relatives until death

Craig C.Gaetani
Craig C.Gaetani
8 years ago

To the Citizens of Pittsfield:
Do you all want to see how crazy Melissa Mazzeo is? Than you will call and see when pctv will air the April 28th meeting of the city council!
At the city council meeting I was following her rules and orders amended on July 15, 2014 to the letter!
I am now calling for her immediate resignation as a city councilor at large office holder because of the extreme abuse of my rights!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can handle her abuse but I don’t want another taxpayer to have to be treated the way that I was.
Mrs. Mazzeo the city council president must go!!!! The sooner the better.

Thank You
Craig C Gaetani

Mazzeo must go
Mazzeo must go
Reply to  Craig C.Gaetani
8 years ago

I agree Craig. She must go.
Can you believe she’s actually running for reelection?

She stood firm that the people did not deserve a vote on a new high school but wants those same people to vote for her.

She claims the people were too late. They had their chance when they voted the last councilors in. Let’s not be too late this time.

spagirl
spagirl
Reply to  Mazzeo must go
8 years ago

Mazzeo Must Go………. They think they walk on water. They all have to go…Council,. School Committee, and Mayor.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Craig C.Gaetani
8 years ago

I think you are embarrassing Mrs Tyer Larry. By the way, have you told Mr Gaetani that to his face?

Donny
Donny
Reply to  dusty
8 years ago

Dusty, such a played out, go to, response from you…assuming it’s person x or a person with a particular allegiance just because they disagree. Why is it so difficult to understand that CG comes off as legitimately crazy to the majority of the people that read his comments? Do you really think that someone so uncomposed, narcissistic, and unpredictable could possibly be effective? Also, should Larry make it a point to tell CG how he feels to his face? Really interested as to what you’re getting at there which would probably prove my point of CG being a complete liability for the city.

dusty
dusty
Reply to  Donny
8 years ago

What I do not understand is the ridicule. Generally, normal people feel compassion for those who are not right in the mind. So assuming that you and Jimmy Gee aka Larry are normal it seems to me that your hating on him must be political in nature.

it is one or the other.

Donny
Donny
Reply to  dusty
8 years ago

Your generalization is probably more appropriate for those with a real illness or handicap. I have zero compassion for know it all, unpredictable, hot heads.

Talullah
Talullah
8 years ago

I’m discouraged to see how naïve the posters who don’t see the harm to large animals in circuses are. Proof of their horrendous treatment is everywhere. All the large (and many small) animal welfare organizations have plenty of info about it. There’s a book which came out in 2014 by Carol Bradley called “The Last Chain on Billie” that documents the miserable fate of elephants in this country over the past 200 years, up to and including the present time. Also, The Elephant Sanctuary in TN has documentation of PTSD in all the elephants brought to them, as well as many having severe foot problems and TB.

The film that was to be shown at the Dalton library, narrated by Lily Tomlin, explains much. Mr. McGinnis and others in Circus Fans of America accuse us of not offering proof of our statements. There’s plenty of proof–but he’s just strong-armed the library into cancelling a film that documents it. It’s obviously out of fear on his part, but it’s pathetic. Also, the USDA never has had any teeth when it comes to enforcing the dismally puny animal “welfare” regs it has. The circuses around today have plenty of citations against them, but paying the small fines are just a part of doing business for them. So there’s little to no help there for the animals.

There’s no reason ever to take part in the cruelty of circuses with animals. Even the Lions Club International itself discourages their use. The Dalton club keeps going against their parent organization’s wishes to fulfill an absurd fantasy that was always cruel, and now, thankfully, is becoming fast outdated.

Discreet Cat
Discreet Cat
8 years ago

Mr. Gaetani thank you for running for Mayor of Pittsfield. Give them Hell, Craig!

Shelly Liver
Shelly Liver
8 years ago

Mr. Gaetani thank you for running for Mayor of Pittsfield. Give them Hell, Craig! One of the great lines in the annals of movies was in Tombstone where Wyatt Earp face the Clayton Gang and Toby Russell as Wyatt Burp says You tell ’em I’m coming….and hell’s coming with me, you hear?

Pat
Pat
8 years ago

The truly crazy people in Pittsfield are the ones who continue to want to keep giving more and more money to the Pittsfield Public School system. Whether they are the politicians or the voters going to the polls who vote for school obsessed councilors, school committee members and politicians, these people are beyond hope as is our city since these people are forcing many to want to leave Pittsfield and go to a more balanced and sane area where people know how to balance a budget giving a fair amount to the schools while being kind to taxpayers. Most areas with intelligence and common sense have learned that throwing more and more money at the schools just leads to waste, abuse of taxpayers and children who are not any smarter than other children.

Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Doubtfire
Reply to  Pat
8 years ago

I couldn’t agree with you more. Bianchi and the idiots in the city council are slowly bankrupting Pittsfield. Not only did I vote for Bianchi, I was also part of his campaign group. Prior to election, his no.1 goal was to fight crime in Pittsfield followed by fixing the roads and his third goal was to keep the taxes in check realizing that seniors are a large part of the Pitts population.
After elected, he can’t even spell crime much less do anything about it. Roads???? Seniors? Screw the bastards.
I also voted and campaigned for ward 1 screw-up. Pre-election: Fight crime, keep taxes in check and roads. Post election: Screw the seniors, voted for new school buses which are half full at best, and a new Taconic. She stated it was a no brainer. Frankly, I don’t think she has a brain.
Basically with this council, we are screwed.

AlaskanBushClowns
AlaskanBushClowns
8 years ago

This is an intellectual warning for those other than Jimmy Gee on the Planet. If you have eaten supper already then this is for you, only. Do not watch Consider It’ tonight, and whatever you do don’t listen either. it will make you……..HURL”

Herb
Herb
8 years ago

Business sponsorship of the Dalton Lions Club circus is done for community exposure and philanthropic interests. Over a 25 year span observing attendance and public opinion against animal-based circuses, we have seen attendance plummet while opinion against the circus has skyrocketed. Few business owners attend this circus and had they, their financial support would long since have evaporated.

It’s important to note their parent organization, Lions Club International, expressly discourages the use of animal-based circus. Dalton Lions Club focuses on this cruel method of fund raising which is both antiquated and now, distasteful in the eyes of our community. It’s time for the few Lions Club members to let go of the reins and their animal circus fixation and host an animal-free circus.