URGENT! HEY RUBE/ CIRCUS BAN!

MAIL0567, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr. Greetings Circus Fans & Friends, Your CFA urgently requests your active participation to oppose Congressman Moran's HR 3359 Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act (so called) This legislation "would outlaw traveling circuses" nationwide! This is NOT a typographical error. No card carrying member of the CFA can sit this out. This is an all out, code red, To date, 185 of our members have "looked" at the details as posted on the CFA website, but few have made us aware of action! This message has got to reach tens of thousands! It is WE of CFA that must show the way. During this past week I have received over 100 emails and/or phone calls exclaiming everything from confusion to complaints. The time for this is over. There is no "easy" way to address this fans. We have re-visited this threat with the experts in the industry. I have been requested to put out this email instructional without delay....and here is what we conclude: #1 HR3359 if passed, would indeed "outlaw" circuses nationwide. This is not a test. #2 Circus fans (CFA) have been requested to help immediately with a grassroots style public outcry #3 The facts have been posted on CFA's website (www.circusfans.org Click on grassroots circus fans tab. ) All the information you need to fight back is there. It is condensed as follows: Immediately contact YOUR congressman (if you need to know who that is - the instructions are on our website!) Respectfully request he/she oppose HR3359. The verbatim on our website gives you many talking points, perhaps the greatest of which is that HR3359 is discriminatory and unconsitutional. (It exempts zoos, permanent exhibits, aquariums, and rodeo) #4 After you have contacted YOUR congressman - then immediately begin to CONTACT ALL 56 of the elected officials on the website list! Wow thats a lot of work! YES. Start with those geographically closest to you and work outward.... It is felt that CFA members write the very best letters. Speak of your personal experiences with circus animals and their handlers over your years as a CFA member. Tie in all of the positive points that you can. (IE: That the educational value of meeting a circus elephant in person, is far greater than video or television!) Typewritten, or hand written letters are acceptable. Brevity (one page) is reccomended. Be polite and professional. Rise above the animal extremists. Describe in your own words the training methods you have observed (positive reinforcement), point out that it makes no reasonable or logical sense that circus animals would be abused. Point out that the USDA regulates and inspects to insure compliance with regulations. Point out that the animal extremists have a vast agenda and are fund raising businesses utilizing purchased propaganda to prey on a gullible public. (Who does not love animals after all?) Mention that you are a long time witness to the love and care that circus animals enjoy. #5 Take no shortcuts. Follow the reccomendations on our website. A single repeated Email to all will not be as affective. We know this. Animal rights extremists use this "repeated email" and "online petition" technique. Experts tell us that discounts their efforts. . #6 If you feel that you want to participate in the action Mike Shannon (Feld Entertainment) issued (An online petition).... It is ALSO on CFA's website (See "Feld Entertainment asks for your support) AFTER YOU FOLLOW the instructions in steps #1 thru #4, feel free to sign the online petition. By all means....send it to 100 of your friends and family and ask them to send it to 100 of their friends. We need a snowball rolling down hill affect. BUT - this online petition is for the general public folks. YOU are CFA. We need your original and unique letters! Top management in the circus world respectfully requests it of each and every one of you. #7 Email follow up. AFTER you have sent your letters to the 56 officials - send each of them an email follow up. Repeat your points in condensed format. Again - brevity is important. They won't read a novel! #8 Phone calls - in addition to or instead of Email. Who can't use a telephone folks? #9 REPORT TO THIS COMMITTEE: WHY PLAY BASEBALL IF YOU DON't KEEP SCORE? We need to track what is happening in opposition to this threat. Send us copies of your letters and emails. Report any responses you receive. It is crucial to the success of this campaign. #10 Send this Email to everyone on your email list and then go to our website and begin your families campaign. How much time do we have? We don't know. We think it may be a few weeks. It could be a few days. We know this is a campaign that will take you days to work on. Spend an hour a day for the next two weeks and you'll be amazed at how much you get done. Do you want to sit in a seat and enjoy a circus next year? Do you want to take your children to a circus? Your grandchildren? Unlike the animal extremists, we don't want your money. We want you to actively help to........SAVE THE CIRCUS! Very Truly Yours, Gary C. Payne, Eastern Vice President Circus Fans Association of America Chairman - National CFA Animal Welfare Committee ptgcp@aol.com 860-833-7925