My world view has drastically changed - I no longer root for the bull

[Pekka]

Yes it's true.

For as long as I can remember, I've hated bullfighting. Well not like passionately, I've thought it as something that is cultural, something that I just don't really understand so I should not really criticize it too much... but I never liked that the bull has to die by default and that sometimes it can take quite a while, even though that's bad for the matador's rep but hey, it's the bull taking the beating.

So anyway... this was my view as long as I can remember it: cruel, not for me, but that it has some value and certainly I can see it capturing some kind of higher state of courage, pride and all these things wrapped in one.

But now, I'm all for the matador. Bullfighting is hella cool. Bullfighting RULES. Hey, if you don't like it, I understand. I was once like you. But then I grew up. It takes a lot of skill to be a really good matador and it's dangerous, and sure, I hope the bull gets his every now and then. In fact I'd wish that if the bull wins and mauls the matador, then the bull gets to live, goes on some fatty diet for the rest of his life and never gets butchered. But that's not up to me.

However, I say let's have more of this. But it has to be in that same cultural setting, we'd just make it crap if we adopted the sport but not the context. THEN it would be mostly just killing bunch of bulls and drinking beer and cheering.

But yes, I'm all for bullfighting. If someone is against bullfighting, they're women or girly men, because it doesn't get more manlier than that. Would I take up bullfighting? No, I don't think so. I wouldn't dare to do that. Standing in a huge arena, waiting for this big bastard to maul me and I get to have a .... carpet. Then at some point some douchebag brings me a sword, and I'm supposed to hit it exactly to that spot? No way, I'd get mauled.

Bullfighting is pure, it captures the essential of life. I mean the actual moment when the bull and the matador are staring at each other, that's a great battle.

[SlowwHand]

Bullfighting is bull****. Put the matador down on the ground with a Buck knife.

[Winston]

Whether viewed as an expression of "culture" or not, bullfighting remains a barbaric practice. It's not very decent to approve of - or even relish - the infliction of pain and death upon an animal for the purpose of mere entertainment.

I find it quite unsettling that there isn't more outside pressure placed on Spain and other countries to abandon it.

[Zevico]

I find it quite unsettling that there isn't more outside pressure placed on Spain and other countries to abandon it.

Hate to break it to you padre but there are somewhat bigger fish to fry.

[SlowwHand]

Not really. It's the same mindset. A bully (no pun intended) is still a bully.

[notyoueither]

I suppose there is no trophy hunting or sport fishing in Denmark.

I'm meh about it. The Spanish and their bulls... I'm on the side of the bulls and cheer them on, just like I would cheer on the grizzlie or the tiger that is being hunted for sport.

It would be really cool if the odd marlin jumped out of the water and speared some posh twit sitting at the end of an oversized fishing rod.

[Barnabas]

Winston, are you being serious?
You think the international community should tell Spain to stop that?
It would be unrespectful...

Plenty of spaniards dont like bull fighting, Also, in the communities with some degree of separatist feelings in Spain, they are very against bullfighting, because they see it as typicaly spanish, and they try to be the less spanish they can be, it also gives them an opportunity to call their "spanish opressors" barbaric


I associate opposition to bull fighting with vegan commie hippies

[Barnabas]

How do bulls die in nature? animals generally have ugly violent deaths while hunting or getting hunted, or while competing with other males for an opportunity to breed, or they get old and die of starvation.

It is not like getting killed by a bull fighter is so much worse, and those bulls do have a great life

[SlowwHand]

Bull fighting is wimpy. Hunting is only marginally better. Sitting in stands and blinds. Give me a break.

[Winston]

Well..

*cringes*

Once in a blue moon, even vegan commie hippies can be found to harbour a sensible position on very isolated matters, such as this one.

[Straybow]

It isn't like bulls who get hit with an electric stunner and then their necks slit have it so much better. They'd probably rather go down fighting if they could choose.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Bull fighting is wimpy.

I find this statement wierd. How is it wimpy?

[Pekka]

Sloww, hunting is less wimpy when the hunter attacks a bear with a sword or a knife.

I can shoot an animal with a rifle. I can't fight a bull with a sword.

It's also like Straybow says. At least the bull gets to try to kill his killer first, sometimes they succeed as well. You don't see that happening in the food industry. These bulls have it good comparing to others that are produced to.... meet certain criterias of... human preference .

Dick Cheney hunts. He doesn't even fit a matador's suit. Cheney shoots birds that are released just before he shoots, for his hunting pleasures. He would not survive a bull even in an arena. I don't know about you, but I'd call hunting Cheney a wimp, and a highly trained matador less of a wimp.

Besides, bulls are bastards. They deserve to die just like any other animal deserves to die. We need to show these animals who the boss is. Animals do not have the right to live anymore than humans.

It's hypocricy to say that this bullfighting business is so cruel and then go eat some meat bought from the store. LIke that was a humane act from the producing part, because that's what people usually worry about, the pain an animal goes through when facing death. But the bull gets to fight and maim the killers, plus at least they're treated with the respect of a battle, and if the sword hits the spot, the death is pretty much instant anyway. I'd consider that, a good execution by matador, a much better and less painful than the tazing jerks.

People think it's not really the same but how does it differ? How many cows are slaughtered because we like to eat their meat? How many bulls are killed in bullfights every year? Measure the pain factor as well, it's not much different. And that's why it's hypocricy.

[notyoueither]

You can't see a difference between killing to live (food) and killing for pleasure (sport)?

[Pekka]

Buuuuut.. I do understand that it's seen as cruel and unnecessary. Then again, lots of things are unnecessary and cruel. At least bullfight brings entertainment and excitement to many people, every single bull, whereas my evening with few beers adn 20 chicken wings ... well count the legs, that's to satisfy one beer drinking ogre .

But I'm thinking we need some more variables in this bullfighting game. Let's put in 3 bulls, 2 matadors and none of those helping guys who come in to distract the bulls if the matador gets into trouble, so no help for matadors. I think this is only fair.

Now, 3 vs 2, and throw in few guys with spears and a tiger. The spear guys only gets to fight the tiger and the matadors fight the bulls, but of course team strategy is allowed. Then we could have like... sudden blackouts for 5 seconds etc, just to make it more exciting. Bear fights, we could have bear fights, I mean bear vs. human. The hu man shouldn't get a sword, just a pipe and some chain, maybe rollerskates, make it an asphalt surface.