Remember me running posts from Buckles Blog the other day, where some folks had taken offense to the word "circus" being used in the wrong context? Well the History Channel used it as an opportunity to whack Ringling. Ask a person in the Circus, are you guy's like the "carnies", and they will come unglued. Point out an animal rights issue, and they will just as quick point to the rodeo or any other animal industry and tell you, "look at what they used to do."
Well some Moron(thats the rule, if an anonymous doesn't have a name, you can chose one for them) took offense to the stories of grift that used to abound in the Circus. He has probably forgotten the the "golden age" was adrift in grift, unlawfulness, law breaking, self law making, and non regulation, and if you are going to bring it out, then it needs to be addressed. The Kennedy fortune was started with bootlegging. They may not advertise it, or use it in a political campaign but the fact is there non the less. And I have yet to see where a Kennedy has pointed out, "yeah, but what about Pablo Escobar!!!" In typical "loyal circus" fashion, the History Channel after running the grift posts, permitted Anonymous to run this comment, I suppose for "historical accuracy" , but censored my response to the Anonymous. Who or what are we supposed to believe, in anything Circus?
Are you a screw ball? How can you justify grift, with what the Shrine Organization did?
The great success of the Shrine Circus initially was the same as the early success of Las Vegas. The Kansas City mafia teamed up with the Chicago mafia for one cause, "theirs. After the advent of Rico and Regulations, the "straw houses" went south.
The Shrine addressed it, and their posters, and advertising now state that only a portion of the proceeds go to the crippled hospitals and burn centers. Companies used to by 500 tickets, give 100 away and throw the rest in the garbage, because they thought their "donation" went to a worthy cause. Throw A LOT of that money to the OABA? You mean the outdoor amusement business Association, that donated money to a European organization, in which they have no voting rights, because they are an American organization and not a European organization. Is that the OABA you are talking about? I think they have enough funds already to buy a ticket to Monaco and have cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and a photo op with the Princess.
Wade Burck
Posts
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/19/us/19shrine.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=shriners&st=cse&oref=slogin
Speaking of grift...did anyone see the above article regarding the Shrine and the hanky-panky of money?
Remember the circus is raising money for the SHRINE ACTIVITIES (including the liquor) and not the SHRINE HOSPITALS, they are two distinct entities.
How many times have we seen a circus program cover with the picture of a Shriner and a crippled child? The correct photo should be a Shriner with a bag of golf clubs heading for the clubhouse for a couple of rounds after a couple of rounds.
The Shriners get 50 % of the elephant ride -- how about throwing A LOT of that money into the OABA fund to fight the animal fanatics.
Shrine Circus budgets are being slashed, performers can't afford to go on the road anymore, the quality of MOST shows are pathetic -- so where is the money going from the Shrine Circuses -- into the liquor cabinets that's where.
The good Shriners in the rank and file don't know the level of grift going on behind the closed doors.
Don't let the FEZ be pulled over your eyes any longer.