All practices which involve maiming or causing willful suffering to people or animals should be banned. No excuses regarding ‘cultural customs’ (what irony!) should be permitted to have any sway. This is an area where the will of an enlightened minority should, in need, prevail over that of any majority whose views are rooted in cruelty and ignorance.
I have in many posts identified ritual sacrifice, ritual slaughter, trophy hunting, and foxhunting as being some of the practices which have no part in the modern world. Dog fighting should be added to this list. Ritual or customary mutilation (e.g. cutting of genitalia or foot-binding) should also be banned outright.
Also, bullfighting.
Six years ago, Catalonia was enlightened enough to ban the ‘sport’ in that province of Spain. For those who have only a vague idea of what it entails, bullfighting boils down to tormenting and torturing a bull until it is ultimately killed. Why the bravery and skill of the in-humans taking part is celebrated is a mystery. The dice are always heavily loaded against the poor bull, which is condemned to death even if (particularly if!) lucky enough to kill any of its tormentors.
Now, the Spanish Government has seen fit to declare bullfighting as ‘Cultural Heritage’. It is therefore legal, and the powers of local or provincial governments to decide otherwise have effectively been removed.
I would urge those who have not yet done so to express their disgust at this ruling by going to the following link and adding their names to a very simple petition: ..’Please, stop considering bullfighting as “Patrimonio Cultural” (Cultural Heritage)’.
I would like to add, ‘ … or we will resume wrecking your ships at sea to continue a British Cultural Heritage established by Sir Francis Drake,’ but perhaps that wouldn’t be tactful.
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In the US we aren’t that many years past legal cockfighting and dog fighting. And we still impose the death penalty, however clumsily and inhumanely. Not sure we’re in any position to point fingers.
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At least they ARE past. And pointing fingers reminds one of any remaining shortcomings back home. So feel free to point!
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Well, those are illegal, but not totally gone – more and more prosecutions, but some still claim that brutality is also “cultural heritage” . Even some famous football players whine when caught being involved.
Bah.
I could never stand bull fighting when in Spain either.
Thanks for the link. Love the last paragraph
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agreed and signed 🙂
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Good! Thanks.
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Reblogged this on LordBeariOfBow and commented:
And don’t forget to go sign that petition!
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Thanks – I hope more noticed it from that.
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The Spaniards are, to my mind, a cruel and nasty race.
The last official garrotings took place as recently as 1974, a means of execution/torture much admired by these people.
I believe you meant English Cultural Heritage, in Drakes time there was no Great Britain/Britain or United Kingdoms (1603) the death of Elizabeth, ascension of James VI of Scotland to the English throne and put paid to that!
And as an Englishman I approve of your proposal to sink their ships!
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Interesting area of speculation. You are thinking of modern Britain and the Empire. Ancient Britain and the Britons go back to Stonehenge and beyond, and encompass all the peoples, including Celts. So British surely remains an accurate collective for all ages in considering the inhabitants of those islands in general. But I grant you that things like kilts (Scots) and bagpipes (an Irish invention) and dealing with Armadas are specific to certain sectors!
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We can protest against bullfighting and some Spanish areas are phasing it out, but when do we say genital mutilation and sharia executions and maiming and whipping are too hard to deal with. Great post.
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Thanks for comment. All of these things should continue to receive as many expressions of disgust and derision as possible. The water on a stone principle does work.
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Look at https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/mar/29/death-penalty-countries-world
Guess which country is worst after china and then be surprised where the US is on the list.
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Surprising statistics. Not only in the countries involved, but the fact that so large a proportion of executions are not part of a death penalty system.
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It mystifies me how people can consider themselves as enlightened and still delight in torture and calling it entertainment. Then again, I don’t know of any limits to human cruelty.
. . . we can look back to the Spanish Inquisition and wonder if they miss it . . .
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That petition requires membership and agreement to be targeted by ads and have one’s information sold. I’m trying to limit the exposure to targeted ads. I also don’t like giving out my address and other personal information. Sorry. Spaniards will have to be shamed some other way. Also, these petitions are routinely ignored and are of dubious value.
Perhaps an e-mail to their tourism office might be more effective. Say something like “I would visit your country but it appears to still be struggling with barbarism and trying to replace the Inquisition. I’ll visit France, instead.”
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I have found this bunch to be pretty innocuous in the number of ads etc generated.
It is interesting to compare the two extremes of reported impact these petitions enjoy. Deflated by those who wish to avoid them; inflated by those who run them. In the final analysis, if enough people add their names to something, notice IS taken.
I do like your alternative, though.
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Could be petitions have gained in efficacy; I admit to not having researched them in the past few years. Before then, they were firmly in the “feel good, do little” camp. It’s also an easy way to feel like one is “doing something” while expending minimum effort. That was why they were deemed as low efficacy tools. Perhaps now they have gained in effectiveness. I doubt it because the attention span of most people is still little more than how long as it takes to click something.
My typical approach is to write directly to senators, congressmen, mayors, and so on. Here, however, I also recognize the dishonesty of it. I have no intention of visiting Spain and hence my economic threat has zero teeth.
. . . for that matter, not planning on visiting France either.
I do have a strong opinion about personal information. Name and e-mail address I’ll hand out all day long. Beyond that, no.
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I confine myself to the ones where one need not go beyond those particulars.
People have become aware that even taking the trouble to tick a box is a clear indication of opinion. That is why these things only have impact if they attract really impressive numbers. Effort may not be present, but the assessment of an opposition with the potential to exert a lot more effort is still there.
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Eek! I need a SA to tell me what is happening where I live? Prob cos Inclose me ears and eyes. See nowt, hear nowt.
Barbaric is the word. It is despicable. I thought Catalunya was leading the way … .
Worst record after Rumania for abandoned dogs, bullfighting and yeah, cultural heritage. My arse. Don’t start me on it.
Currently trying to share support for seven podenco puppies that a hunter handed in. Perrera (pound) was full so they are asking for ten euro donations. WTF is wrong with these people? It cost us €140 to spay Tosca. But seven puppies? Needing spaying, neutering, jabbing, chipping? Jeez Spaniards. Grow up.
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Inclose!
I close. Touchscreens. Or too sleepy!
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I immediately identified that as a lapsus digitum — and only an editor would come back with a correction! 🙂
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It is particularly saddening when one considers that Spain has been ‘civilized’ for so long. It is to be expected that they would have entered into an age of enlightenment, but all this bull and the pathetic podenco puppies show otherwise.
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Civilized? Spaniards? Never!
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Si! But they have had every opportunity.
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