For Steve--I don't think we should forget EU or anything else that is making an effort at change. But I think we should "police" them

By policing, I am inferring watching/monitoring. I understand a world of majority rules to mean what is beneficial for most(the majority) and not manipulated to benefit a few. I don't chose something in which to focus on. 90% of the "controversial" subjects/photos on this blog are sent to me, or asked my opinion of through correspondence. When I receive 4 or 5 similar emails from unrelated source's, I have to assume it is an issue or concern. I am not always the messenger, often I am just the conduit for the message, or the means of transmitting if you will. The world of the circus is a very complex world made up of many nationalities, cultures, hundred year old family traditions, in a historically, for all intents and purposes, isolated closed society governed for centuries by individual family/show tradition of rules and laws.
How different is this thing of ours in a new world of working together. I am sure many of you are familiar with "European/American Style" of animal training issue I raised long ago on the "history channel." When the smoke cleared, the majority realized that it was indeed a self serving title. Some even had the courage to say, "yes, I have been stereotyped the same way, in the zoo world." Change in a way of thinking is the point of discussion/debate. Remember I was hammered for "disrespecting" Beatty, and it was suggested at one point that I "go to Europe" if I loved them so much. How different is our world? Contemplate this just received thought from a member of the animal training fraternity across the pond, to the issue so many took personal offense to as it was the point I was making and many got: Wade some times on your blog you seem to endorse the Europeans ( me being English and not European ) that they are the cream and the Americans are not, Remember honey is honey and shit is shit no matter what side of the water you live on. All of us who has any sense knows that Clyde Beatty was the grand daddy of us all and he must have had balls as big as brass to do what he did the only shame is that I never got to see him live and in action. I think GGW and Charlie would not have been legends if they did not come to America and whom really benefited from it all the American circus public not the Europeans. LOL
Open debate and discussion, without fear of reprisal is the greatest most educational tool known to man. But you have to love the issue more then yourself to withstand the fury. I am very encouraged when I see Show Biz Dave asking some one for the fact's and "not some spin." Or noted publicist Henry Edgar, stating "it is time to stop with the self serving point of view." Or historian Dick Flint suggesting that history be reviewed as a learning tool to advance to the next millennium. I am encouraged to think maybe it will be all right, maybe some of the lemmings are finally getting out of the "with it and for it" line, and realizing possibly the lemmings at the front are just falling to their death. The love these examples have for the circus can never ever be questioned.
There is a great German fan site with some great pro and con debate. One fan suggested he has seen many set up for the press training sessions, and he has never seen anything questionable, there for the AR are full of nonsense. Another fan asked, "have you seen any training sessions, early in the morning or late at night not staged for the press? The first fan responded, You are right, I never have, and I never thought about it. Do you suppose I have based my opinion on being a naive fan of all things circus? Those gentlemen had a very insightful discussion/debate that would not have occured 10 years ago. For every 10 people that are angry because I am the "terror of the blog" there are 10 that whisper from behind the tree, psst, psst, thank you. Keep up the great work, or as the college above stated at the end of his opinion on Clyde Beatty:

So that's the end of my rambling take care and keep giving everybody hell like my grandmother said it keeps them on there toes

Warmest regards.

And that folks makes it all worth while. Why do I not think we should forget EU? Because maybe they are getting on the right track. And maybe there is a realization that things have to change:

MEETING OF THE ECA IN PARIS
April, 18, 2009 2nd European Circus Day

For the first time in Spring April 18 2008, Europe celebrated the CIRCUS on the same day.
This April 18 2009 will be celebrated as the DAY OF THE NEW CIRQUE to sensitize the media and the world of culture in this living art in PERMANENT EVOLUTION!!!!! I have capitalized important words from this French web site which suggests somebody is finally accepting a need for change, and a break from tradition if it is to survive. The term "permanent evolution" is particularly exciting.

I don't think we can disregard anything at this point, just stay vigilant that it is of benefit to all the world and not of benefit to a few. It's the Circus/Zirkus/Cirque/Circo. It's not mine to do with as I want and it is not yours to do with as you want. This bit of magic belongs to the world, and not individual Nations.