“Teach In’s are meant to be practical, participatory and oriented toward action” ~ Wikipedia
The Teach In concept is a means of inspiring constructive activism. Historical precedents include: the resistance to the military draft for the Vietnam war, alarms about the impact of corporations on the environment, and the Occupy movement. Citizens gathered in local groups to learn from one another, teach one another, and discuss effective means of affecting political change.
Elephant Teach In has evolved from, and been inspired by, these effective means of change. Teach In implies “from the ground up” rather than “from the top down”. Inform the people and they will make informed choices. Information is the means, the people are the movement. Let the citizens know and they will act. Create the conditions for change and the change does itself.
The intention of Elephant Teach In is to provide facts, motivation and means for the urgent project of getting the elephants out of the zoo and into sanctuary. Seattle City Council has neither the will nor the courage to negotiate with the zoo for elephant retirement unless there is an enormous indication of public support. Yes, friends, even more enormous support than has already been expressed. As large, enduring, powerful and long-memoried as our large local elephant ladies, Chai, Bamboo and Watoto. We have to have a ground swell of support as big as their intelligence and emotional complexity, and as persistent as their patience in dreary captivity. We need you and everyone you know. We need a peaceful and fully impassioned wave. Now.
The structure of every Elephant Teach In event is conversational rather than lecturing. Folks who are experts in the area of elephants in general, elephants in captivity, and these 3 elephants specifically, will be able to answer questions. Videos will be shown. The idea is for people to be inspired and informed so they can act with clarity and purpose.
We welcome each and all to the pro-elephant ground swell!
Elephant Teach In
December 12, 2013 6:15-8pm come early, some later, just come!
Phinney Neighborhood Center
6532 Phinney Ave N
Blue building, room 6, Seattle
Please also visit Elephant Teach-In on Facebook. Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants has an excellent website with history, information and action steps: