Why Elephants Attack

2006-03-29

I watched the National Geographic Channel program ?Explorer?. They were discussing the increase in attacks on humans by elephants. Apparently the number of attacks has increased quite a bit, particularly in areas where people and elephants live close together. (Oddly enough, there have been no elephant related attacks where there are no elephants.) The goal of the program was to explore reasons for the attacks.

Well, I?m no expert on elephants. We haven?t had elephants roaming around freely in Iowa for about ten thousand years, and even then they were long-haired hippy elephants. Anyway, modern life has given me a good explanation for increases in violence.

Obviously the young elephants have been playing violent video games and listening to rap music. Everything I have heard about the causes of violence say that these are the only causes and must be reacted to without further thought. It used to apply only to human teenagers and pumas. Now these blights have moved to the elephant kingdom.

It is imperative that you look for the ?Explicit Lyrics? labels on CDs and ?adults only? labels on video games before you give these items to elephants in your neighborhood. Just as important, you should try spending time with the elephants in an effort to show the elephants that they are welcome into society and that they have hope for the future.

Education is also important. Try to get elephants in your neighborhood to remain in school at least through high school. It?s better yet if the elephants go on to college.

Another thing you can do is to write your legislators. They have the power to remove the violent games and the explicit rap lyrics that cause the elephants to attack. We all have a responsibility to get involved.