Thoughts on Banning Bullfights?

I'm sure this has been discussed before but this is a quote from El Mundo and I'm wondering how valid it might be refernce the general status of public opinion ....

"In an editorial published Tuesday, centre-right daily newspaper El Mundo wrote that the issue had become a "political issue" in a region where the "idea is to ban everything that is Spanish".

MM - this is not intended to be a political discussion ....

I say let the vote stand, no matter who wins. Catalunya is voting next week, I think, on whether or not to ban bullfights in their region. Afterall, Catalunya is not Spain - everyone knows that.

Money usually talks and bullfights create a huge economic industry from the ranchers and land owners to the feed sales to the magazine/news paper sales to the concession stands to the ticket sales themselves. That's hard to deny, especially in times of worldwide economic crisis.

I've no doubt a similar industry would surround human, public executions should they be made so. Revive the Gladiators and, If they're in the majority, well, let that vote stand too.

My 2 pesetas.

Saludos, MadridMan

LOL @ your response!

Any one else have comments?

Please make your bullfighting-related comments here instead of in the shout box - which only lasts for a short period of time. Here, they're posted fo'-evar!

Saludos, MadridMan

i wonder if in years to come they would have illegal bull fights like cock or dog fights, wold be fun to see them try to get those bulls down a back ally

I'd doubt that, billy the man, since bulls are not as easily transported/housed as are cocks and dogs, but it would force people to travel to Mexico, for example, to see the bullfights.

And apparently, although the rule/law won't take place in Catalunya until 2012, there's no possibility of appeal.

Saludos, MadridMan

Nearer to "home" , Portugal and France still have bullfights though I believe in one of those countries they don´t actually kill the bull . In South and Central America , Perú has a bullfighting tradition as does Costa Rica .. In Costa Rica the bull is also not killed .
The problem is that those against the bullfight play the emotional card and that can be a powerful weapon , even in politics .
And as an aside in response to "Catalunya isn´t Spain " .. well they certainly changed their tune when Spain won the world cup ... but that´s for another thread !

Portugal is where they don't kill the bulls at the end of the fight.

The kill the bull in France, and in Portugal I think they have one or 2 corridas where they kill the bull in the ring, but the majority of portuguese bullfights , they kill the bull afterwards in the corral out of sight of the public .
The ban is defintely a political one , Spanish Catalunya sticking its nose up to the rest of Spain . Where as in French Catalunya, they love the bulls there, sticking their nose up to Paris.
Bullfighting has been bannned in Catalunya , but they still allow bull festivals including toro de Fuego

Interesting to see , at the European athletics championships in Barcelona , that the Spanish champion , Marta Dominguéz ( 3000m hurdles ) , paraded the Spanish flag with the tradtional symbol of a toro . The papers have picked up on it ! La Razón , a popular newspaper here , has a big front picture of her with the flag and banner headlines saying "Los Toros Se Rebelan" ( The bulls are rebelling ) . Jejejejejeje

So it looks like the backlash has started with pro-bullfight people out on the streets of Barcelona . A group of highly esteemed toreros will be meeting with the culture minister . The opposing political party the PP has been vocal about their unhappiness at what happened at El Parlament in Barcelona .
Zapatero is still insistent that it´s a decision for the individual regions .....
Try and ban it in Madrid ! They´ll be hell on the streets if that happens !
I also think Zapatero is wrong . Bullfighting has been part of the culture of SPAIN for centuries . Banning such an important aspect of this country´s culture should not be taken lightly . A referendum would be the best idea I guess .
Imagine if the government said they were banning art in El Prado because it contained nudity and was therefore morally wrong . Or if they suggested that , due to European strict health laws , they were banning Jamón . Maybe banning gay bars in Chueca because the Vatican dissaproves . etc...
Some of these issues are of such great importance to Spain culturally , such as the bullfight , and maybe the vote should be put to the people and not the politicians .

ZP is wrong on many things Steve, unfortunately he is still around for a while.
Catalunia became the second region to opposed after the Canary Islands.
Actually the reading is unconstitutional as bullfights is part of the culture ministry designated national treasure, and the regions cannot overrule it. Its a messy issue, will see more in the coming months. Every bullfight ring in Spain has proclamation in its defense as I see many spanish Tv channels from different regions.
The sad part is that it has to be politized, and for that Catalunia is the champion.

Pedmar .. That´s a very interesting point that you bring up . That the bullfight is a designated national treasure . I´m going to look into that a bit more . Seems people have ignored this fact .

yes STeve, it was all over the papers, I read it in El Mundo.and on the Spanish TV program in TeleMadrid ,Claro something that has a round table of five persons led by a woman journalist.

Like I said it will be lot of debating from now until 2012.

a couple of good articles in English by Alexander Fiske-Harrison and Robert Elms

Excellent articles especially Fisle-Harrison's comments on land usage and conversion should bull fighting, hence bull raising, disappear in Catalonia. Certainly puts a viable second financial & political aspect to the recent vote.

What a shame some people can't see they are being manipulated for purposes they might not approve of!!!!

Thanks for researching, sharing and sharing, Eskimo Joe.

indeed good articles eskimo joe.
In Catalunia they are doing similar things with the cule stadium, changing the real estate zoning laws for profit.

and yes Puna, many people there still dont see the light, unfortunately all is tainted in politics,and in Spain that is daily life bread and butter.

Did anyone see the footage of a bull leaping over the barriers into the crowd in Northern Spain . Wow !!! Complete panic and quite a few injured , including a 10 year old boy . It was in the town of Tafalla in the autonomous region of Navarra .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11020599

Steve, it was all over the networks morning news in the US. Reporters were in awe of the entire scene - especially the chap that grabbed the bull's tail

Puna ... the crazy thing is , i´ve been catching up on the news since arriving from Barcelona a few hours ago . The Spanish national news is not reporting it ... I don´t know why . I watched it on BBC news !
I might add that the Spanish Royal family were taking their vacation at the summer palace in Palma de Mallorca . The Infanta ( princess ) Elena made a point of attending the bullfight on the island . The king has also made comments in support of the bullfight . This debate will go on and on .

Puna ... the crazy thing is , i´ve been catching up on the news since arriving from Barcelona a few hours ago . The Spanish national news is not reporting it ... I don´t know why . I watched it on BBC news !
I might add that the Spanish Royal family were taking their vacation at the summer palace in Palma de Mallorca . The Infanta ( princess ) Elena made a point of attending the bullfight on the island . The king has also made comments in support of the bullfight . This debate will go on and on .

Good for the Royal family and their support of a cultural and artistic tradition. As we've agreed - it's an individual choice to/to not attend ... but banning bullfights is no different than burning books!

Hope you had a good time in Barca w/ Mum

Puna, I like your photo ::) Do you follow the team?
I do since playing for it alevin/benjamin in Madrid way back ...!Now honorary member of 5 peñas all over Spain, go there often to see the games

just a though as I see we have the same photo ::)

The kings mother was a patron of bullfighting. The king is also a big fan and can be seen sitting in the tendido's when he is not there on official capacity.
Maybe I wont take the bairns to a corrida when im over next month.

Seems the bull was Scottish

Pedmar - just sent you a private message.

and responded Puna ::)

I just got a ticket for the bullfight !!! Sunday .. Novilleros .. just €10 ( special promotion ) .... can´t wait ! Fantastic seat too !! It´s a festival lasting maybe a month where they will be featuring at least one torero from outside of Spain .... " Los Ochos Naciones " .. I´ll be seeing a guy from Venezuela as well as 2 Spaniards with their Début in Madrid . ... Yeahhhhhhh . I can´t wait !!!!!!

Cool Steve, I will be going next weekend if you fancy another corrida!

Patrick was on a holiday in Madrid and went into a Spanish restaurant across the street from the bull ring. In the restaurant Patrick saw five waiters coming out of the kitchen singing. Diego the main waiter was carrying a large tray with a cover over it. The customer was very excited when Diego put down the tray in front of him and removed the cover. Patrick could see from his table large pieces of meat.

Later Patrick asked Diego about the food that the customer ordered. Diego replied that the food was the testicles from the bull that was killed yesterday in the bull ring.

The next day Patrick returned to the restaurant and ordered the bull testicles meal. Diego went into the kitchen and returned with the covered tray along with the singing waiters.

Diego places the tray in front of Patrick and removed the cover. Patrick was disappointed that the size of the testicles was small. He asked Diego why the testicles were not the same size that the customer had yesterday. Diego told Patrick, "Sometimes the bull wins."

Hahahahahahahahahahaha that made me laugh , Jim . I´m sure i´ve heard it before in a different form . I hear that you can order the bulls testicles . I´ve never seen it though , even in the bullfighting bars around the plaza de Toros . Investigation needed .

I love this story...so funny! I have my own version of it too. It always made me wonder who did the honors, the bull or the butcher! OMG! Don't faint MM!!! LOL

While doing research on bull testicles to eat, I found this site:
www.youtube.com
enter: Bizarre foods - Spain 3/6

Check it out with Andrew Zimmern a food critic.

Saludos

Hehehe, they are called "criadillas".

I'm happy wiht the Catalonian Parliament decision.

If you are in Spain and you want to depreciate a proposal, just say that it has a "political purpose".

Spain constitutional court will see about the recent event of banning bullfights as it might go against the magna carta of the constitution of Spain.
more by next year.

I´m not sure how the Catalan Government would accept that . I love the bullfights and would welcome a chance for Catalunya to re-introduce the corridas .
Catalunya is fiercely independent .
It´s my opinion that there would be big opposition to overturn the decision by the Catalan government .
Pedmar , you would know better than me , of course .

of course there all is political, no tapas, no flamenco,no corridas ,no spanish. However, as long as IN Spain, the constitutional court is the maximum law, we will see how they vote on that once the holidays are over.