Killer Clowns

Today's Bizarro cartoon is brought to you by Pachyderm Management Tools, Inc.

I was a big fan of the circus as a kid (except for clowns, who terrified me) and brought my own children to B&B Ringling's Circus when they were young (keeping well away from the clowns, who still make me extremely uncomfortable.) After a few of years of this, and my kids learning to beg for it every time they saw the TV commercials, I read an article about the cruelty inflicted on the animals within. It's obvious if you look, but we're raised not to "see", if you know what I mean.

I explained it to my kids and we decided to boycott the circus as a family and started going to Disney On Ice each year instead. (A sacrifice on my part since I loved the circus and could barely tolerate the ice show. But sacrifice is as much a part of parenting as suds are a part of shampoo.)

My kids were cool with it, no child can tolerate the idea of cruelty to an animal. (Well, no girl, anyway, and I have two daughters.) Later, I discovered Cirque du Soleil which blows the old-style circuses away in every category and includes only willing participants.

Bottom line, when I was a kid I dreamed of joining the circus. Now I dream of banning it. (Actually, I only want to ban the use of animals in circuses, other than dogs. I suspect dogs don't mind living in trailers with people of questionable breeding.)

Circus cruelty issues here.