Obituary : Edward Berry, Moderator, The Elephant Commentator and friend of Asian Elephants

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

It is with great sadness and regret that I bring you news of the

death of Edward Berry, former Moderator of the Elephant Commentator, an MSN

Group that was devoted to discussion and campaigning on elephant welfare. As

many of you will know, Edward was at the forefront of many elephant

campaigns in USA, Canada, Africa and Asia that he tirelessly highlighted in

The Elephant Commentator and I was very honoured when he asked me to join.

He wrote a very poignant statement against elephant polo that I reproduce

again. I very much doubt if the elephant polo campaign would have got where

it did without Edward's constant support and encouragement.

I never met Edward but we corresponded often and shared many views on a

range of topics : animals, human rights, politics, Noam Chomsky and India.

He was unfailingly courteous and highlighted many AAPN Asian animal issues

on the Elephant Commentator website. Edward was also a devotee of the

Bengali mystic Ramkrishna.

His friend, Cora Moore informed me yesterday that he died on September 9th.

Thank you for all your help Edward, nice to have known you and rest in

peace. We can assure you that your beloved elephants will not be forgotten.

Best wishes and warm regards,

 

edpipeline <edpipeline

Thu, Oct 12, 2006 at 6:37 PM

Re: Elephant Polo Issues

aapn

 

 

Dear and Azam,

According to a recent book, THE MEDICI GIRAFFE And Other Tales of Exotic

Animals and Power by Marina Belozerskaya,1. the New York Times reviewer,

William Grimes, noted that Pompey, an infamous Roman emperor,

 

..... gathered hundreds of animals for a mass slaughter in the Circus

Maximus to restore his fading popularity with the Roman public. For four

days, before crowds of 150,000 or more, man and beast fought to the

death. Predators attacked terrified prey. The crowd roared with delight.

And then something strange happened. Late in the games, a group of

elephants, realizing that they were cornered by hunters with spears,

began to wail and moan. The sentiment of the crowd moved in favor of the

elephants, regarded by the Romans as intelligent and virtuous. (Pliny

told the story of an elephant who once wrote in the sand, in Greek

letters, " I, the elephant, wrote this. " ) Miscalculating, Pompey ordered

the elephants slain, bringing the curses of the crowd down on his head.

The games failed....2.

 

Now, over 2000 years later, in the 21st century, we are using elephants

for the entertainment of the populace, arranged by our rulers, in the

form of " elephant polo " . Well, the populace is once again just beginning

to side with the elephants. Not only does elephant polo bring to mind

the Roman Circus, it also brings to mind fox-hunting, big game hunting,

circus acts, elephant culls, the ivory industry, and the many miserable

zoos all over the world. The exploitation and torment of elephants goes

on. And with the blessing of the elite and of course, governments.

 

The members of The Elephant Commentator have occasionally discussed

elephant polo, but as the " sport " isn't well known in North America,

there has been a lack of background information, whereas there is with

circuses and zoos. There isn't the plethora of information about the

abuses happening behind the scenes, as there is with our usual subjects

of investigation. So the discussions have drifted off, without the

needed factual background to make sense of this somewhat alien

entertainment. Now, with Azam, , and Dame Daphne pointing out

what should, perhaps, have been obvious to elephant-lovers, we are

beginning to develop a slow burn about this spectacle. Much needs to be

ferreted out about the behind-the-scenes treatment of the elephants and

to reflect about why this is allowed to continue in our times, and to

take appropriate action.

 

Edward Berry, Moderator,

 

The Elephant Commentator

 

http://groups.msn.com/TheElephantCommentator

<http://groups.msn.com/TheElephantCommentator>

 

 

 

1. Belozershaya, Marina. The Medici Giraffe And Other Tales of Exotic

Animals and Power. Little, Brown & Company, 2006

 

2. William Grimes, " Where Wild Things Are Perks of Power " The New York

Times August 25, 2006

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

This is just so shocking Shubho, I just cannot believe that 'ED' has left us

so suddenly!

 

My sincere condolences go to the whole family.

 

Indeed, it was only because of ED that we now have this platform called

'United against Elephant Polo'.

It was ED who posted on AAPN (if I am not mistaken) that since there so less

talked about or heard of about 'Elephant Polo', maybe we should compile the

notes/ comments/ etc on a word document and circulate or have ir ready for

our campaign.

What resulted is before all of us to see: http://www.stopelephantpolo.com

Dr. John would it be possible to trace that particular email from ED, I will

try searching the archive too.

 

It was the platform of 'Elephant Commentator' which carried forward

the campaign from Asia and sowed it in the minds of the developed world.

'Elephant Commentator' was abuzz with wide ranging issues involving the

Asian elephant in crisis.

 

His death is a BIG blow to the end number of issues that we are fighting

for.

It is a vacuum that will be felt for a long time to come.

 

ED was a regular on MSN messenger and I have such fond memories of rushing

upto him whenever I could see him online and coming out with sensible ideas.

 

Shubho, please throw some more light on his tragic demise.

 

May you rest in peace Dear ED and bless us all to continue the fight for the

rights of the voiceless.

 

 

Azam Siddiqui

 

 

 

On Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 1:30 PM, <

journalistandanimals wrote:

 

>

>

> Dear all,

> It is with great sadness and regret that I bring you news of the

> death of Edward Berry, former Moderator of the Elephant Commentator, an MSN

> Group that was devoted to discussion and campaigning on elephant welfare.

> As

> many of you will know, Edward was at the forefront of many elephant

> campaigns in USA, Canada, Africa and Asia that he tirelessly highlighted in

> The Elephant Commentator and I was very honoured when he asked me to join.

> He wrote a very poignant statement against elephant polo that I reproduce

> again. I very much doubt if the elephant polo campaign would have got where

> it did without Edward's constant support and encouragement.

> I never met Edward but we corresponded often and shared many views on a

> range of topics : animals, human rights, politics, Noam Chomsky and India.

> He was unfailingly courteous and highlighted many AAPN Asian animal issues

> on the Elephant Commentator website. Edward was also a devotee of the

> Bengali mystic Ramkrishna.

> His friend, Cora Moore informed me yesterday that he died on September 9th.

> Thank you for all your help Edward, nice to have known you and rest in

> peace. We can assure you that your beloved elephants will not be forgotten.

> Best wishes and warm regards,

>

>

> edpipeline <edpipeline <edpipeline%40>>

> Thu, Oct 12, 2006 at 6:37 PM

> Re: Elephant Polo Issues

> aapn <aapn%40>

>

> Dear and Azam,

> According to a recent book, THE MEDICI GIRAFFE And Other Tales of Exotic

> Animals and Power by Marina Belozerskaya,1. the New York Times reviewer,

> William Grimes, noted that Pompey, an infamous Roman emperor,

>

> .... gathered hundreds of animals for a mass slaughter in the Circus

> Maximus to restore his fading popularity with the Roman public. For four

> days, before crowds of 150,000 or more, man and beast fought to the

> death. Predators attacked terrified prey. The crowd roared with delight.

> And then something strange happened. Late in the games, a group of

> elephants, realizing that they were cornered by hunters with spears,

> began to wail and moan. The sentiment of the crowd moved in favor of the

> elephants, regarded by the Romans as intelligent and virtuous. (Pliny

> told the story of an elephant who once wrote in the sand, in Greek

> letters, " I, the elephant, wrote this. " ) Miscalculating, Pompey ordered

> the elephants slain, bringing the curses of the crowd down on his head.

> The games failed....2.

>

> Now, over 2000 years later, in the 21st century, we are using elephants

> for the entertainment of the populace, arranged by our rulers, in the

> form of " elephant polo " . Well, the populace is once again just beginning

> to side with the elephants. Not only does elephant polo bring to mind

> the Roman Circus, it also brings to mind fox-hunting, big game hunting,

> circus acts, elephant culls, the ivory industry, and the many miserable

> zoos all over the world. The exploitation and torment of elephants goes

> on. And with the blessing of the elite and of course, governments.

>

> The members of The Elephant Commentator have occasionally discussed

> elephant polo, but as the " sport " isn't well known in North America,

> there has been a lack of background information, whereas there is with

> circuses and zoos. There isn't the plethora of information about the

> abuses happening behind the scenes, as there is with our usual subjects

> of investigation. So the discussions have drifted off, without the

> needed factual background to make sense of this somewhat alien

> entertainment. Now, with Azam, , and Dame Daphne pointing out

> what should, perhaps, have been obvious to elephant-lovers, we are

> beginning to develop a slow burn about this spectacle. Much needs to be

> ferreted out about the behind-the-scenes treatment of the elephants and

> to reflect about why this is allowed to continue in our times, and to

> take appropriate action.

>

> Edward Berry, Moderator,

>

> The Elephant Commentator

>

> http://groups.msn.com/TheElephantCommentator

> <http://groups.msn.com/TheElephantCommentator>

>

> 1. Belozershaya, Marina. The Medici Giraffe And Other Tales of Exotic

> Animals and Power. Little, Brown & Company, 2006

>

> 2. William Grimes, " Where Wild Things Are Perks of Power " The New York

> Times August 25, 2006

>

>