Motion for debate: Bullfights, tradition or bloody spectacle?
Proposed by Lucía Suárez Fernández
Bullfights are a deep-rooted tradition with a great number of fans. However, it has turned into a controversial issue and doesn’t leave anyone indifferent. Some people advocate for the protection of animal rights while others only want to keep an old tradition.
Political parties and organisations are asking for the prohibition on bullfights in Cataluña because they consider that they are bloody spectacles where bulls are tortured and killed and apply for Portuguese-style bullfights, where animals are fought but finally they aren’t killed in the bullring.
However, the Association for the Defense of the Bull Tradition says that it shouldn’t finish due to political decisions, and adds that bullfights are cruel because of the blood but there isn’t torture and suffering.
These arguments are supported by studies carried out by the Complutense University in Madrid, which say that bull’s hormonal system makes them able to put up with the pain. So these assertions can encourage those in favour of bullfights who declare that there isn’t reason enough for banning it.
Now it’s your turn! Should we fight for animal rights or keep the Spanish tradition? What do you think?
Comments»
Radically against bullfights. What is more ridiculous, is the research mentioned, which says that bulls have an especial hormone in order to avoid them suffering while they are humillated and maltreated in front of thousands of people. What would you think if all these horrible things were made to your dog? Would you define this disgraceful spectacle as a “national party”?
Bloody spectacle!!!!!! Tradition or not - this is an outdated, barbaric show. It’s true that in certain parts of Spain it could be considered a “tradition” but in provinces like Asturias it is nothing more than an imposed tradition. To illustrate this idea, it is enough to listen to Oviedo’s mayor and the general population of the city who disagree on the subject.
I’m totally against. I think it’s a regrettable spectacle full of blood and suffering for the animal. Although some people try to deny it, I’m not really sure that bulls don’t feel anything when they are fought.
Those who insist on the protection of bullfights as a Spanish tradition, should know that society advance consists of exactly overcome old traditions, otherwise we would still live in the time of the slavery.
One of Spain’s most famous dances, el paso doble, is an imitation of a bullfight, with all its moves and footwork. Many people think that if Spain lost bullfighting, it would lose a part of its history, I totally disagree with that poinf of view. I’m among all those who look out for the rigts of animals. I strongly feel that is not a fair contest that the bullfighter always has the advantage over the bull.
Remember bullfighters even sharp objects into the bull´s body causing it very serious injuries and also its death.
Like English people who hunt foxes,pakistanis who attack bears with dogs or Canadians who kill baby seals, spanish bullfight’s tradition is quite grotesque and barbarian, although not only bullfights but also the annual ”running of the bulls” or ”Encierros”during the’San Fermín festival´where this way of cruelty is a cause for celebration or joy.
Bullfights are both things…a bloody spectacle and a tradition. A lot of people don’t like bullfights, and it is reasonable, because in this kind of spectacles the blood and the violence against the bulls are horrible.
Lucia says: “Those who insist on the protection of bullfights as a Spanish tradition, should know that society advance consists of exactly overcome old traditions…”
I’m not agree with this. Why have the spanish society to overcome old traditions? We have a lot of old traditions that atract to a lot of people (not only Bullfighting, the one that I hate more), for example the Easter processions, the carnivals or giving flowers to the Virgin in Zaragoza or Fallas. If we overcame this…what will rest to us?
I think that no tradition can be built over the suffering of any animal, bullfighting is such humiliating and ancestral such cock fight.I am sure that if not it is now in the future it will be seen like that.
How can we explain the suffering of an animal because it is just tradition?
it should be forbidden
Parra, I recommend you reading it better. I’m not talking about overcoming old traditions, just bullfights and “these kind of traditions” so don’t mix up things please.
You should specify when you write, specially the first time you write your opinion…
Remember: “…of exactly overcome old traditions…”
It’s an advice…you can avoid writting 2 times to explain one thing. (the first time is not clear, as you see)
Sorry for mixing up things.
Oooooh! I’m sorry, it was my fault… perhaps I write for clever people
because as you can see, you are the only one who don’t understand what I say, so I insist on recommending you reading it better.
I´m totally against bullfights.I know that is a spanish tradition knowing all over the world,but out of spain they think that is a usual activity, for example I have a friend studying in Germany,and he was asked several times if he was able to dodge…Sincerely like a spanish woman I don´t want to be associated like a bull killer,I prefer to be known for dancing pasodobles or other traditions,better than bullfighting
And I insist on recommending you specifying…Read again your comment and you will see that you only wrote “old traditions”, not only bloody traditions…so it’s not only my fault…
I’ll just ignore that insinuation…
Bullfighting has existed in Spain for hundreds of years and it´s even called the national “fiesta”, but for me it is a bloody spectacle. I don´t understand why bullrings are always crowded, it remembers me gladiators who killed each other for the pleasure of spectators.
I agree with Javier Parra. i don’t like bullfights and I’m not the best example of a catholic person but i enjoy ” Easter processions, the carnivals or giving flowers to the Virgin in Zaragoza or Fallas” as Javier wrote. In my opinion evolution is not oppposed to tradition
I think this topic doesn´t take anywhere. If you don´t like bullfights (I don´t like) don´t watch them, it´s very simple. If you think it´s a bloody spectacle, where the bulls suffer too much and that kind of things not watching them you avoid many problems. And above all in places like Asturies where bullfights have very few fans.
I totally agree with Daniel. I have never seen a bullfight, not even in television. Anyway, I think that, although it´s a Spanish tradition, they should respect the animal rights. Another thing is that humans eat meat, and bull meat is also eaten by humans.
To Lucia Suarez and Javier Parra.
I have read your contributions and to be honest I must admit that Lucia’s are not quite clear. I’m sorry Lucia, but what I get from your writing is exactly what Javier got.
You talk about getting rid of old traditions and never especify if you are only refering to bullfights or ‘old traditions’ in general.
I’m against bullfighting- I don’t like them- but I’m not against old traditions at all. Some of them are good and some of them are legacies of a past culture we don’t belong to any longer which we should overcome.
Anyway. Don’t kick up a fuss about it. We enjoy arguing about.
I see the tradition on bullfights, of course we cannot deny it, but in my opinion they’re a terrible bloody spectacle which shouldn’t be accepted in the 21st Century.
Anyway as he same that happened with gloobal warming or things like that, bullfights drive money, and so who cares about the poor animals rights? it’s very cool to send an email showing the horrors these animals have to go through to your friends; but society do nothing at all to change things
I’m strongly against bullfights. I really can’t understand how people have fun by seing the suffering of an animal. How can they enjoy such a horrible and barbaric spectacle? Although it is a Spanish tradition it’s about time Spaniards stopped it.
Bullfights are a tradition with many fans in Spain, Portugal, South America. Although here on the north it does not has too many followers and I´m not one of them for me it is a terribe bloody spectacle. It is said that Bullfights are our tradition and must not disappear but I consider that there are good traditions which worth existing and others not.
I am totally against bullfights because it is a torture for the bulls.
Traditions are overvalue in our siciety. I can´t understand why traditions are sacred in Spain. Throw a kidskin from the church tower was a very popular tradition and it was abolished so, why don´t we ban bullfights?
Marta, although I am also against bullfights, I think throwing a kidskin from the church was another story. It was only done in a village. However bullfights is practised in many places. Another important point to consider is there are many people who live of bulfights, many million of pounds are moved because of them. So, it´s very difficult to ban them. And another important drawnback to ban them is the tourism. Thousand of people from UK, USA and many other country come to Spain and want to see bullfights, in theese countries is thought as a very important Spanish´s tradition and they pay a lot of money to watch it. So after all theese reasonings I´m sure you”ll agree with me if I tell you neither you, none me, we”ll see the bullfights banned.
well I read in the street a poster that publice a demonstration against bullfigthing and I remind this debate…I think that is very cruel,I cant´t stand seeing bulls in such situations
Daniel, I´m sure gladiator fights also moved lots of money and people, and where are them now?
I take your point and I understand is a great business, but I also think it´s enough reason to allow them to kill animals. I also think people who live from bullfights, as well as the bullfighters, are just killers. I also don´t see why is so important and hard to be a bullfighter, since it´s been demonstrated that bulls are hit, cut and even drugged before the spectacle to make it easier to the bullfighter to kill them. In addition, with some months or years of training you can dodge the bulls enough, and even if you couldn´t you would have some advantages: if you get hit by the bull, you´ll be quickly rescued. If the bull is being slaughtered, who helps it/him?
Bullfighting is an ancient custom and we have to respect it . It isn´t as bloody as some people say. It´s just an entertainment and a tradition , nothing else.
Juan Carlos, there are many diferences between he gladiators fights and bullfights. Because gladiator fights were only practised in the Coliseum, and you can find hundreds of bullrings only in Spain. So this has an important consequence, when the Coliseum disappeared the gladiator fights also had to disappear. The gladiator fights disappeared but nowadays we have boxingor or wrestling and “sports” like this, we could considerate as the “sons” of gladiator fights.