What is your opinion about bull fight?

[Diane1]

Originally Posted by Diane1

Are Spanish or Portuguese john?

I meant, are you Spanish or Portuguese john?

[Veronica]

Originally Posted by John999

I don´t agree with your opinions. It is tradition and I can´t see how EU could ever get involved in matters like that. It is part of their culture and telling to the people of a foreign country, who receives us with open arms, that they are barbarians is a bit… One of the main rules of EU is to respect the individuality of each Country and their culture. Our opinion doesn´t matter, in the end of the day we are gests. The bullfight is above all about the demonstration of style, technique and courage by its participants. While there is usually no doubt about the outcome, the bull is not viewed as a sacrificial victim, it is instead seen by the audience as a worthy adversary, deserving of respect in its own right. Bulls learn fast and their capacity to do so should never be underestimated. Indeed, a bullfight may be viewed as a race against time for the matador, who must display his bullfighting skills before the animal learns what is going on and begins to thrust its horns at something other than the cape. A hapless matador may find himself being pelted with seat cushions as he makes his exit. Bullfighting is criticized by many people, including but not limited to activists, referring to it as a cruel or barbaric blood sport, in which the bull suffers severe stress and a slow, torturous death. A number of animal rights or animal welfare activist groups undertake anti-bullfighting actions in Spain and other countries. In Spanish, opposition to bullfighting is referred to as “antitaurina”. However, some commentators have called into question how much worse the welfare of the bull is across its life as compared to the lives and death of meat cattle in commercial farming. I can understand the love for the animal if you are vegetarian.
John999

It is tradition in certain Far Eastern countries to chop the top off a monkeys head while it is still alive and eat its brains while still raw raw and warm. Does that make it right?
Many countries have such "traditions" but that does not mean that the rest of the world has to turn a blind eye while our fellow humans maim and torture innocent creatures.

[John999]

Originally Posted by Veronica

It is tradition in certain Far Eastern countries to chop the top off a monkeys head while it is still alive and eat its brains while still raw raw and warm. Does that make it right?
Many countries have such "traditions" but that does not mean that the rest of the world has to turn a blind eye while our fellow humans maim and torture innocent creatures.

I have seen that in one of “INDIANA JONES” films. And I agree that is a bit… But when you say “the rest of the world”, sorry I have to laugh. The rest of the world fallowed the last Olympic games where they eat dogs, and the restaurants around the Olympic village was asked, by their own government, to avoid cooking and selling dog meat during the Olympics, around the areas where the games was going on. I have not seen the rest of the world saying, or you stop eating dogs or our country teams will not attend. Have you?? It seems that the rest of the world agrees with respecting the individual culture
John999

[Jamesie]

I agree with John 999 on this one.
Although I disagree with the principle of bullfighting along with many other "cruel" sports or pastimes I respect the choice of cultures different from ours to indulge in a tradition which has gone on for many years.
My partner is Portuguese and loves to see bullfighting and we can never agree on this one so in the interest of domestic harmony we stay away from the subject !!

Lets try an easy one we can all agree on :
Who likes fox hunting ??

[John999]

Originally Posted by Jamesie

I agree with John 999 on this one.
Although I disagree with the principle of bullfighting along with many other "cruel" sports or pastimes I respect the choice of cultures different from ours to indulge in a tradition which has gone on for many years.
My partner is Portuguese and loves to see bullfighting and we can never agree on this one so in the interest of domestic harmony we stay away from the subject !!

Lets try an easy one we can all agree on :
Who likes fox hunting ??

I never gave my opinion about the subject; I have only made a reminding about “local culture”. Fox hunting? 100 dogs, 1 fox! Hum. Royalty. I believe is finish, if you believe the media.
John999

[Veronica]

Any form of blood "sport"is totally abhorent to me. The animals suffer terror followed in many cases by agony in the name of "sport".
These monsters who partake in such activities are a disgrace to humankind.

[John999]

I have a new idea for a blood sport. Lets start hunting PM´S when they don´t fulfill their promises!!
John999

[Jamesie]

Hi John999
Like you (I think) I was just trying to make the point that we have to look deeper into these thing instead of just dismissing them as "cruel". They are part of a nations culture. I once was asked to go deer stalking in Scotland and was appalled at the idea of shooting a deer as I believed it was just a way of the rich venting their blood lust or getting their "kicks". It was not until I spoke to a gamekeeper that I understood that :
1, Deer are a big problem in the highlands that needs to be dealt with because they are breeding at such a rate that the species is killing itself through inbreeding and competition for food.
and
2. Stalking is the most humane way of dealing with the problem. The government introduced poisoning some years ago only to find they almost wiped out the red squirrel. The gamekeepers only shoot 7 year old bucks just before their 8th winter when they would die of starvation due to old age. This in turn meant only the younger bucks breed and make for stronger and fitter young. They never shoot young does or does with young.
Rightly or wrongly it gave me a whole new perspective of the process.
I don't say it's right but we need to look deeper into things that have gone on for centuries.

Enough of my waffle. Just grateful to be included in the conversation.

[John999]

That is exactly my point. We can´t see thing`s black and white. There are more gray areas than we think. Respecting other cultures gives us the right to be respected
John999

[Jamesie]

Spot on !!!