Ringling Name To Be Tarnished by Being Connected With Planned Parenthood

Note: As is pointed out below, Feld Entertainment doesn't appear to have any current connection with Planned Parenthood. But the college name does. So, it wouldn't hurt to let them know that you are concerned with the negative effect this would have on them.

Also, while not surprizing, the comment by Ringling President Larry Thompson is a copout. By having their art gallery in the building owned by PP they are giving tacit approval. This is the same PP clinic that tried to get help from the local Habitat for Humanity so it could open. The negative reaction convinced them to back out. Hopefully the same could happen with this.

In writing to any of the contacts below, do so in a respectful manner. Don't attack them at the school by saying things like "how dare you". Rather ask them to please reconsider because of the harm it could do to their image. (Important to any college.)

Ringling College and Planned Parenthood

At the beginning of each performance of the Ringling Brothers circus, the ringmaster exclaims, "Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages ..."

But, the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida is near a final decision on a lease with Planned Parenthood in Sarasota that will put artwork from the college’s students directly below a Planned Parenthood abortion facility – where future circus attendees will be killed.

Under the lease, reportedly at $1 a year for 99 years, the school would display student art in a 1,000-square-foot street-level gallery in the new Planned Parenthood building. The gallery would be visible from the sidewalk through a large glass wall. Patrons could go inside to view the art closely and the school reportedly would have at least some of the art for sale.

On the floor just above the proposed gallery is Planned Parenthood's new abortion facility that will commit an estimated 1,000 abortions a year.

In a previous statement, Ringling college president Dr. Larry Thompson said the school would not be supporting Planned Parenthood but its own students. He added: "As an organization, Ringling School does not espouse any views on the activities of Planned Parenthood or any pro-life organization. We are not a part of any of those organizations and do not intend to be."

Can you imagine a college bearing the prestigious Ringling name not caring about the killing of children? Can you imagine students proudly displaying their art while wondering if blood will drip from the ceiling onto their work? Can you imagine how gallery visitors will react when they learn what is occurring over their heads?

The Ringling family has a long and proud relationship with the arts. The Ringling Museum of Art was established 82 years ago by John and Mable Ringling. Their home, Ca d'Zan, is a treasure trove of art, visited by millions from around the world. Sarasota was the home of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for decades and its legacy remains throughout the community. The art museum grounds include a circus museum.

Now, all of this grand history will be tarnished because the Ringling College administration wants a free facility to show the students’ art. With this 99-year lease, the Ringling name will be linked to Planned Parenthood, operator of the nation's largest abortion chain, forever.

Every time the Ringling Brothers' circus arrives in any town in America, people will be reminded of the association between Ringling College and Planned Parenthood.

ACTION ALERT: Now is the time to speak out. To express your views on a student art gallery at Planned Parenthood’s killing center, contact these key people:
Larry Thompson, president

lthompso@ringling.edu

941-359-7601

Christine Meeker Lange, special assistant to the president for media and community relations

Clange@ringling.edu

941-359-7594

Dr. Tammy Walsh, dean of students

twalsh@ringling.edu

941-359-7509

(50 students are in the Catholic student group FOCUS, which operates under her authority.)
Christine DeGeorge, vice president for human organizational development

ccarnegi@ringling.edu 941-359-7619

(She is very concerned about Ringling's image and wants to keep everyone happy. Cigarette butts on campus or offensive art displayed there or bad food in the Ringling cafeteria are major concerns to her and she takes action immediately to correct the problem)
Jim Dean, dean of admissions

jdean@ringling.edu

941-359-7524

(Each student is worth $140,000 to the college.)

Contact Feld Entertainment

Please read this item carefully as we do not want to give out wrong information. There is, as far as we can tell, no connection between Ringling College and Feld Entertainment – who owns and operates the Ringling Brothers Circus. However, having the name Ringling connected with Planned Parenthood will certainly hurt the name value of the circus.

We are asking you, then, to please contact Feld Entertainment and explain to them what is about to happen in Sarasota, Florida and ask them nicely if they would please do whatever they can to influence Ringling College to not lease the space at the Planned Parenthood abortuary.

Again, the circus has no direct influence on the college, but we are hoping that the circus will want to protect the good name of their show.

You can contact Feld Entertainment at:

Worldwide Headquarters:

8607 Westwood Center Drive

Vienna, VA 22182

Phone: (703) 448 - 4000

Fax: (703) 448 - 4100

Email: Information@feldinc.com

And their media relations department at:

Media Relations:

8607 Westwood Center Drive

Vienna, VA 22182

Phone: (703) 448-4120

between 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern time.

media@feld-entertainment.com

(6:01 am Note: I just got a message that my e-mail to Ringling media relations was undeliverable as feld-entertainment. I have no idea why it didn't as that address was taken directly from the Ringling website. I tried sending it to media adding the @ the rest have, @feldinc.com. It didn't work either. So I resent it to the 1st address for the WW HQ.)

Source: STOp Planned Parenthood