Bullfights. Love ’em? Hate ’em?

Bullfights. Love them? Hate them? Not sure? Well, there are lots of opinions swirling around about bullfighting these days. Here are some highlights in the news…and my opinion further down.

Patricia McCormick, the first woman bullfighter from North America, passed away in 2013: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/us/patricia-mccormick-bullfighter-who-defied-gender-roles-dies-at-83.html?ref=bullfighting

The Spanish senate just passed a law recognizing bullfighting as a part of Spanish heritage…and will be providing public funding to the industry. Interestingly enough, Spanish state television has spoken out against bullfighting, and 76% of Spanish citizens are against public funding for bullfighting: http://www.wspa.ca/latestnews/2013/Spain-passes-law-to-protect-cruel-bullfighting.aspx

A story of activists versus tradition in the Spanish town of Tordesillas: http://pri.org/stories/2013-09-18/extreme-bullfighting-spain-activism-vs-tradition

Sonora recently became the first state in Mexico to ban bullfighting: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/agencia-efe/130504/mexican-state-bans-bullfighting

Barbara Drake, an American expat and freelance journalist living in Peru, wrote an article about bullfighting in her adopted country: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/levi-novey/the-twisted-temptations-o_b_472989.html

Lastly, did you know there are bullfights in China? Hm. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/picture/2013/jul/31/sport-picture-of-the-day-bullfighting-china

I do not support bullfighting. My opinion is: In this day and age, we have the resources available to us so that we do not need to excessively hurt or kill animals for our livelihood or entertainment. There are many alternative options. Livelihood: Veggie burgers! These delicious corn dogs! (They really are good.) Entertainment: Movies! Books – gasp! While those antiquey corrida de toros posters are lovely on a wall, it is a spectacle I will be happy to see put to rest. Yes, I do think it will be bid a clear adiós sooner rather than later.

And you? What is your opinion? A cultural staple or passé? Well, if you agree with my opinion and want to share your anti-bullfighting thoughts on Twitter, make sure to add #LoveSpainHateBullfighting to your post. PETA, 76% of Spanish people, and many bulls will thank you.

2021 update: A 2020 article in Forbes discusses the current state of bullfighting: “Will Bullfighting Survive the Next Decade in Spain?”