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171 Comments
- fadeout, on 05/20/2009, -12/+60Nothing says romantic like brutally butchering an animal for the entertainment of the crowd.
For the inevitable defenders of this "sport" should this go popular.. what, exactly, is the moral difference between this and dog fighting? - awggie, on 05/20/2009, -13/+50as historical and rich a culture as they have.. i find this particular part, a bit barbaric.. what'd the bull do to you?
i think its time.. we need to grow up as a species and hold ourselves to a higher standard... with this and many MANY other things. - chaos7, on 05/21/2009, -19/+48ban this inhumane *****
- SBolivar, on 05/20/2009, -12/+40Right. Just like we still have gladiatorial battles since otherwise it would be taking a piece of history away from Greece.
- inactive, on 05/21/2009, -4/+31I lived in Spain for a while and got to witness the spectacle of Bullfighting season. I got to watch the televised death of about 3 matadors over the course of the season. I'm opposed to bullfighting (they mame and torture the animal to sufficiently weaken it, so that the matador has chance), but it was the most visceral experience to watch it with a room filled with guys who were into it.
One bull learned quickly and when, after the 5th or 6th time of missing, he was making a pass, he hooked up and to his right instead of following the red cape to the left. He got the guy in the chest and the matador died almost instantly. They got the body out of there and continued the show.
*****. - mgbuddy, on 05/21/2009, -2/+26Uhmm.. I suppose you and all your diggers are confusing Greece with ROME.
Did you ever see Gladiator movie? - pintomp3, on 05/21/2009, -6/+28Great, next they will ban tossing virgins into volcanoes. People have no respect for tradition.
- anabpel, on 05/21/2009, -2/+24Spaniard here! The article is BS, they aren't going to ban bullfighting any time soon, maybe in 10 or 15 years. There are a lot of people here who supports bullfighting, specially old people.
BTW, i'm totally agaisnt this barbaric practice, i'm just being reallistic - thiver, on 05/21/2009, -3/+20blah blah blah, ..... declaration, .... blah blah blah.
Not going to happen. Anyone who lived or lives in Spain knows that. Not that I support bullfighting but this article is *****. - awggie, on 05/20/2009, -4/+21safer for who? the animal or the human?
i say we take away the matador's sword, spikey things, and any other sharp weapon... make it more of a fair fight.
wait, we should give the matadors some horns... just so its even.
now THERE's a sport i'd go see... - eled, on 05/21/2009, -0/+15I have often wanted to see the coliseum in Athens.
- splinter09, on 05/20/2009, -12/+26Can't see that happening, it is part of Spanish history, banning bullfighting will be like taking a piece of history away from Spain.
- hitkaiser, on 05/21/2009, -1/+14I'm from Spain and I don't see this happening in the southern regions of the country.
- Yazilliclick, on 05/21/2009, -0/+12Humans are consenting animals. Please show me where the bull signed up to be tortured and killed for show and I'll accept your argument.
As to hunting nobody is against killing a bull. It's the way that bullfighting kills the bull for show by basically torturing over a prolonged period prior instead of trying at least to kill it instantly. Bullfighting is NOT about killing the bull, it's about putting on a show while inflicting pain on the animal. - azurechaos, on 05/21/2009, -9/+20You call that art? At least when people hunt they often are killing for food, but in bullfighting it's all about pride and to me is a truly sickening thing. People spear the bull before it's even started, with its blood spilling out all over itself, you call that dignity? Not to mention the fact that you're killing an animal of very limited intelligence. It's just cruel and silly. And this is coming from someone who used to kill animals.
- Bekey, on 05/21/2009, -24/+34I for one will be very sad if they ban bullfighting.
In its defense, animals like that are slaughtered here daily with no dignity whatsoever. Bullfighting is an art. It's a man staring down this huge creature, and he has to kill it with only his skill. Men here hunt with powerful rifles all the time with no risk to themselves. Many bull fighters are gored repeatedly by the end of their careers.
Dig me down if you want, but it's true. How many of you could do it? - SamSks, on 05/21/2009, -1/+8In hunting, you aim for the heart or somewhere else where it kills the animal almost instantly. Having a very large caliber gun helps, too. Otherwise, you're chasing it.
- gcleaves, on 05/21/2009, -6/+13I think the point isn't how brave the bull fighters are or how graceful they can be. It's about inhumane treatment of the animal. The slaughtered animals aren't first poked, taunted, infuriated and finally killed with a sword through most of their body. The slaughtered animals are killed quickly.
- TheBigSquid, on 05/21/2009, -1/+7PETA and the Homosexuals would be an awesome name for a band.
- inactive, on 05/21/2009, -0/+6Pesky human virus
- azurechaos, on 05/21/2009, -5/+11Giving a ***** about people killing purely for the enjoyment of it is PC? You have a very tainted view, my friend.
- xeic, on 05/21/2009, -7/+13I wish it'll happen soon. Those ***** animal killers steal 57€ of my taxes every year. And I'm pretty sick of it.
The "Plazas" are full of two kinds of people: elders and tourists. The elders are a hopeless case, but, you tourists, please, when visiting Spain don't go to see such a disgusting spectacle. Thank you. - bballfiend06, on 05/21/2009, -0/+5I lived in Spain for a while, specifically in Barcelona, and after traveling around the country a little bit its pretty easy to see that bullfighting will probably never be completely banned because it is so deeply embedded within the Spanish culture (especially in the south). As far as it being banned in Catalonia, it is one of the most nationalist places in the country, and what is done in this Autonomous community can barely be seen as a barometer for the rest of the nation.
- godofpumpkins, on 05/21/2009, -0/+5Not only drugged, but have lances jabbed (you can even see them in the thumbnail to this story) into their upper neck muscles by men on horses at the beginning of the show, so they can't keep their heads up. The reason the bulls always keep their heads down (not just when charging) is because it "looked cooler".
- commiecat, on 05/21/2009, -1/+6The petition is to ban it in Catalonia, not all of Spain. If it were all of Spain then you'd be correct -- it wouldn't go over well.
I've visited Barcelona and bullfighting was never part of Catalan culture. Franco forced it upon them while trying to "unify" the country. When we passed by the bullfighting arena in Barcelona, you could clearly see red paint thrown all over the ticket gates by protesters and lots of anti-bullfighting graffiti. - wolfing, on 05/21/2009, -7/+12I've been to a few bullfights in my life. It's totally unfair for the animal. See, before the 'matador' even appears, there are some dudes in armored horses with spears making holes in the bull's back, so by the time the matador gets there, the bull is already tired and weak, having lost a lot of blood.
But to play devil's advocate, how's this different than going hunting (unless you eat what you hunt, that's different) - ShingoEX, on 05/21/2009, -2/+7You mean like how banning slavery and allowing women to vote took a part of American history away?
- jayfallon, on 05/21/2009, -0/+5"Spain is edging ever closer to banning the sport."
Not in this lifetime. Bullfighting remains alive in well and deeply ingrned in Spanish culture. I recently returned to Madrid after a twenty-year hiatus and attended a mid-week bullfight in the permanent Madrid bullring, Las Ventas, during the San Isidro festival. The place was packed.
I understand that many people oppose bullfighting and seek active opportunities to bring their ideals out into the public discussion, but rearranging a newswire item into an opinion piece and stating a nebulous ideal as fact are far from a convincing method of doing so. I'd suggest to Mr. Novey that he do some personal research before declaring the cultural activities of over ten million people to be coming to an end. - draculthemad, on 05/21/2009, -0/+4It isn't just the result, its the method.
Read up a little on bull fighting. It isn't just the matador that does the deed.
They stab it with lances in the neck from a horse, at least twice.
Then they put barbed flags in its shoulders to bleed it further.
Only after the matador keeps it moving and exhaustion is it finally killed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish-style_bullfig ...
It is usually a matter of law that animals slaughtered for food be killed humanely.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfighting :
Bullfighting guide The Bulletpoint Bullfight warns that bullfighting is "not for the squeamish," advising spectators to "be prepared for blood." The guide details prolonged and profuse bleeding caused by horse-mounted lancers, the charging by the bull of a blindfolded, armored horse who is "sometimes doped up, and unaware of the proximity of the bull", the placing of barbed darts by banderilleros, followed by the matador's fatal sword thrust. The guide stresses that these procedures are a normal part of bullfighting and that death is rarely instantaneous. The guide further warns those attending bullfights to "Be prepared to witness various failed attempts at killing the animal before it lies down." - covertbadger, on 05/21/2009, -4/+8"I for one will be very sad if they ban bullfighting."
Yeah, me too. I went to Pamplona a few years back and did the bull run (same year some American tourist got killed doing it - though I didn't see it happen), which ends up in the plaza (bullring) itself, with a capacity crowd. Awesome. Been meaning to go back, though just to spectate this time... - Dubbleyew, on 05/21/2009, -0/+4What exactly is respectful in an unblanaced fight, where the bull is essentially brought to within an inch of its life and only then does the matador have a chance to kill it. How do you define respect?
If killing a bull slowly while a crowd cheers is respect, then you are a twisted individual. Respect would be to fight the bull on equal terms. Instead a cowardly bullfighter is handed the victory on a silver platter and the only question of victory is, can this cowardly bullfighter capitalize on all the advantages he has been given. If a man is gored, it is because he has failed to win a fight that is tipped completely in his favour. - Yazilliclick, on 05/21/2009, -4/+8The purpose of bullfighting is not to kill the animal like hunting is that you so poorly compare it to. Bullfighting is all about the show at the expense of the animal by draging out it's death in a most unpleasant, painful and slow manner with absolutely no justification for it. There is no quick death in bullfighting as that wouldn't be a good enough show for the crowd, have to bring on the suffering for a while first.
- TheBigSquid, on 05/21/2009, -6/+10And then torture them. What a relationship!
- Yazilliclick, on 05/21/2009, -2/+6Killing with a sword is not the problem with bullfighting. You can kill an animal quickly with a sword/knife in about as humane a way as there is to kill anything I guess. Bullfighting however revolves around draging out the death for show and inflicting needless pain on the animal for the spectators. It's never a quick kill or even an attempt at one.
- seanayb, on 05/21/2009, -0/+4are you an idiot
we can complain about more than one thing at the same time, you know. - SamSks, on 05/21/2009, -1/+5Ewwwe! I just got this image of mixing PETA's love for animals and homosexuality!
- thespiff, on 05/21/2009, -7/+10I digg the Hemingway reference. Ever since reading that book I've wanted to see a bullfight in Spain.
- Tirsogar, on 05/21/2009, -0/+3I wish that was true, but it isn't. Bullfighting as brutal as it is it's still considered a sport by many people in Spain.
I won't say I like it, but you should have this in mind, the only reason that particular race of cows is not extinct it's bullfighting.
Btw, I'm spanish and I know what I'm talking about. That is just not going to happen...for now. - dman24752, on 05/21/2009, -0/+3Yeah the point is that it's not safe for the bull. They die always.
- gcleaves, on 05/21/2009, -1/+4The article actually mentions that the ban would be in Catalunya, not all of Spain so the title is misleading.
I don't see how you can compare boxing, a sport that two individuals knowingly partake in, to bull fighting. That is just silly. Or hunting, where the animal is often killed instantly or within a few minutes. The bull didn't ask for this and ends up suffering for quite some time. - asgardshill, on 05/21/2009, -1/+4So does this mean that I'll never get to go to a bullfight on acid?
- Cannonballkid, on 05/21/2009, -3/+6Anyone who dugg for Gladiator fights in Greece is a moron. If your gonna make an argument at least be historically correct. Gladiator fights as we know it came from Etruscans/Romans not the Greeks.
- Carnil, on 05/21/2009, -0/+3Not a big chance about that. Specially keeping in mind that the bulls are drugged before entering the fight ( uh, if you can call it a "fight" ).
- bundwallah, on 05/21/2009, -0/+3They kill the bull!?!?! So what I learned about bullfighting watching Looney Tunes as a kid is factually incorrect?
- DankBuddz, on 05/21/2009, -5/+8So how would the ethics of this differ from the approximate 100,000 cattle that are slaughtered daily so everyone can eat their 79-cent hamburgers?
At least the bulls have a chance to defend themselves in a bullfight. - sotonohito, on 05/21/2009, -0/+2When the bullfighter dies 50% of the time, I could get behind keeping bullfighting legal. But basically its just an exercise in letting a "macho" guy with a tiny dick and a lot of sadism torture an animal to death.
Give the bull equal odds, then lets see how many of those "brave" bullfighters keep up the tradition... - sotonohito, on 05/21/2009, -1/+3Hell no.
If it isn't banned they should make it vastly **LESS** safe. Let the macho ***** bullfighters take on the bulls in a fair fight. If the odds of a bull killing the bullfighter were 50/50 I'd still object (the bull doesn't exactly consent to being tortured to death), but it wouldn't be nearly the travisty it is today.
And, of course, it'd have the beneficial side effect of removing a lot of people suffering from terminal small dick syndrome from society, which can't be a bad thing.
Seriously, what kind of ***** up, needs to make up for a tiny dick, ***** becomes a bullfighter? They're not brave, if they were brave they wouldn't have all those picadores torture the bull until its basically got no chance of victory before they haul their loser asses into the ring.
Give the bulls an equal chance, then we can talk about bullfighting being a sport.
But making it safer? ***** no! I want to see even odds for the bullfighter dying. - Carnil, on 05/21/2009, -0/+2Well, I live in Spain and I know it will be difficult to ban it in all the country, but I can assure you that there are many people here who oppose it, specially in some regions. As another digger said above, in Catalonia for instance, there is a strong movement to ban it, and I can see it happening in the near future. After that other regions may follow.
- Dubbleyew, on 05/21/2009, -1/+3HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Bekey you are one stupid ignorant moron seriously. Do you even know anything about bullfighting? They drug the bull, it isn't a fair fight in any stretch. Now, if they just gave the guy a sword and no horse, then that would be fair. But they don't do that do they?
Yes you're right, a bull is very powerful, but in a bullfight, the bull is not killed quickly (THAT would require skill). Killing it slowly with stabs here and there is the epitome of cowardly.
I have actually become physically angry with your idiotic assertions that bullfighting is an art. Again, if the fight was fair, then maybe. There is nothing noble about an unbalanced fight where a cowardly little matador kills a drugged, weakened, exhausted bull. -
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