Don't Promote Circuses
I was disappointed to see an advertisement in the Jan. 15 issue of City Weekly for Jordan World Circus.
Wild animals used in the circus spend their whole lives traveling from arena to arena. As a result, most of their lives are spent stuffed in hot, cramped boxcars.
And the fleeting moments when they are let out are no better. They are surrounded by handlers wielding sharp weapons called bullhooks, which resemble fireplace pokers. Elephants don't naturally stand on their heads, and the only reason they perform these tricks is out of fear of physical violence.
The film Blackfish showed millions of people why orcas belong in the wild and not in confinement. The same principle holds true for elephants. These are wild animals that are not ours to use for entertainment. I hope that City Weekly will reconsider its promotions of Jordan World Circus.
Jeremy Beckham
Salt Lake City
The Romney Zone
Narrator: "Meet Mitt Romney, a common venture capitalist who has accumulated a vast fortune by creating misfortune for others and sheltering the riches in offshore accounts. Now discontent in his leisurely boredom, Mitt once again turns his eyes toward the only item his wealthy entitlement has not yet been able to purchase, the presidency of the United States.
"And while he has already been twice denied, Mr. Romney will again rely on his chameleon-esque ability to change. Will his unashamed, if not unabashed, eagerness to revise what he really, really believes on any given issue, from the social safety net to global warming, finally deliver him the office he reluctantly yet so incessantly seeks? Or will his brazenly transparent psychopathy relegate him to the obscure and dusty footnotes of political history?
"Carefully observe as this out-of-touch, narcissistic 1-percenter, along with his Republican Party in their newly minted concern for sheltering the less fortunate, engage in a shockingly compassionate advocacy for the poor, the working-class and the environment. Welcome to ... The Twilight Zone."
Ross McCollin
South Salt Lake
Big Houses of the Holy
Utah legislators and other Utah citizens will be excited and relieved when they learned that I have figured out where to move all of the state prisoners. This plan is so brilliant that others will want to take credit.
They're large, strong, well-built buildings, located throughout the state, owned by a well-known church, and made of stone, marble and granite. It would take only modest reconditioning to make these escape-proof.
First of all, bishops of this church will need to forgive all male prisoners and make all of them temple-worthy. At that time, white will become the new orange.
With so many templesstatewide, there should not be a need for more than 12 prisoners per temple. This simple solution will free the old prison facility so it can be developed into corporate headquarters for the state's multilevel-marketing corporate offices.
Ted Ottinger
Taylorsville
Correction: In "Sad Bastard, Beautiful Music" [Jan. 22, City Weekly], Mark Kozelek's age was incorrect; he is 48. Also, it was his cousin who passed away in an aerosol-can-related accident, not his sister.
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