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Press Release: Kingston Shock Jock Defends Circus, Blasts Marineland

In a somewhat odd and ironic twist last night, K-Rock 105.7 FM shock jock Rick Choma defended the Shrine Circus on the K-Rock FM Facebook page offering that demonstrators in Kingston would instead be better served to protest against Marineland. Calling demonstrators claims “unfounded,” Choma repeats known falsehoods about the Shrine Circus as truths - the Shrine Circus is actually the ONLY Shrine event that is NOT a fundraiser for Shrine Hospitals and defends one animal use industry as being regulated while finding fault with two other industries that have similar regulation. Marineland Animal Defense organizer and spokesperson Dylan Powell who is also an organizer and spokesperson with the Coalition for Circus Animal Freedom, an organizing hub that has worked to create a grassroots network across Ontario to oppose the Shrine Circus, had this to say, “Rick’s comments are typical of people who, driven by conflict and guilt, lash out before thinking critically about their stance. There is absolutely no way to defend the Shrine Circus within Rick’s own logic and his attempt to play one issue off of another is disingenuous and shameful for a public persona. If Rick would like to take his own advice, we’d be happy to have him expose the relationship between McCoy Bus Services (Kingston) and Marineland as bus tours are the backbone of Marineland’s profits. We hope he will take us up on this challenge and put an end to ‘whales…spending their life doing tricks in a pool.’ Maybe then Rick would understand the similarities between TZ Productions (Shrine Circus) and Marineland and the fundamental motivation between both - money.” Rick’s statement is posted in full below.


“I think we should give the Shriners a break. Animal rights activists and members of the Occupy movement are again protesting the Shrine circus in Kingston claiming animal cruelty. Circus animals are regularly inspected. I think a lot of the claims being made are false and unfounded. The Shriners give millions to sick kids across North America. If you’re going to pick on the Shriners maybe we should ban activities that make money in the name of greed such as horse racing and Marineland. I don’t like to see horses whipped in the stretch or legs broken and I’m sure killer whales don’t enjoy spending their life doing tricks in a pool. - Rick”

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