Spanish MPs give TORTURE cultural status
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Spain moves to give bullfighting special cultural status
In a 180-40 vote, the parliament backed a petition signed by 590,000
people.
If the idea becomes law, it may roll back the ban in Spain's regions of
Catalonia and the Canary Islands.
It may also provide tax breaks for promoters of bullfighting (corrida).
Opponents describe the tradition of killing animals as barbaric.
'Barbaric' tradition
On Tuesday, the popular petition was easily backed in parliament, where the governing conservative Popular Party (PP) has a majority.
Under the proposal, bullfighting would be promoted by the authorities who would also push the UN to recognise it as part of Spain's cultural heritage.
A parliamentary commission is now expected to fine-tune proposed legislation and the vote could take place later this year.
The parliamentary vote is an attempt by pro-bullfighting conservatives to keep this controversial tradition alive, the BBC's Tom Burridge reports.
About 2,000 fights are still held every year in Spain, but the numbers are falling.
Bullfighting was banned last year in Catalonia, in the north-east, with supporters of the measure describing the blood-soaked pageants as barbaric.
The ban in Catalonia was also seen by many Spaniards as an attempt by Catalan nationalists to distinguish the region from the rest of Spain and its traditions.
Bullfighting was also banned in the Canary Islands in 1991.
Vocabulary:
a move (=a step) -
to overturn -
a ban -
to back (=to support) -
to roll back -
a tax break -
to fine-tune -
to take place -
to hold (an event) -
blood-soaked -
to be in charge -
to award -
a tail -
a hoof -
to date back -
What do you think of this move?
Comments
This is another achievement we’re going to lose in our back to the past. It’s incredible that a cruelty like this be more important for the government than to approve a law against the evictions.
The only reason that bullfighting was banned in Catalonia was to do with politics. It had nothing to do with concern for animal welfare. I'd love to think that there was a huge change in public opinion but I'm not blind.
Politicians from left and right support bullfighting. http://www.pacma.es/n/14370/en_unos_dias_conoceremos_al_ganador_del_premio_nacional_de_tauromaquia
I don't understand why Spanish people don't get upset about taxes going towards bullfighting.
Animal rights isn't an issue that concerns many people here.
I just despair.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think the PSOE, IU or UPyD have ever proposed banning bullfighting.
However, you are probably right that the PP are the only party that would try to overturn the ban in Catalonia.
But let's be clear; the only reason that there is a ban on bullfighting is down to nationalist politics.
The only party that will fight for the rights of animals is PACMA.
What is more, the fact that this government is even asking the UN to recognise bullfighting as part of cultural heritage is beyond ridiculous.
This is another achievement we’re going to lose in our return to the past. It’s incredible that a cruelty like this is more important for the government rather than approve a law against evictions.
Politicians have left me disappointed but I keep thinking right and left aren't the same thing. There are some issues which have trouble being erradicated but a path has been opened and I am sure the left have never done anything like that.
I'm not sure what you mean. Do you mean that the left would never try to overturn the ban?
How are your classes going? Say hello to the gang for me.
I think we’ll never agree in this issue. You see it as an activist and my point of view is political. If the PP achieve what they want it is going to be much more difficult to do disappear this shameful tradition.
I think we have our wires crossed. We more or less agree.
There will never be a ban on bullfight as long as the PP are in office.
On the other hand, IMO, there would never be a ban if the PSOE were in government.
I don't think Catalan politicans care about animals. They may have banned bullfighting but they allow the "correbous" to continue.
I think we’ll never agree on this issue. If the PP achieve what they want, it is going to be much more difficult to make this shameful tradition disappear.
Now that I am a vegetarian, I can't be accused of being a hypocrite.
I have never understood the arguement that bullfighting is a tradition so we have to keep it. I always say in that case, Romans should revive the tradition of the Gladiators - throw people to the lions. Now that would be a spectacle worth watching.
I don't think that bullfighting is a fair fight. The moment that the matador is in trouble, six or so of his colleagues jump into the ring to save him. When the bull is being stabbed, no other bulls enter the ring to distract the matador.
Gandhi said that we can judge a society by the way it treats its animals. Where does that leave Spain?
I don´t agree with providing tax breaks for promotors neither. (Without these tax breaks, bullfighting could not survive)
In Spain,for example,we eat a lot of pork...the pig is killed by cutting its throat,and then people wait for a few minutes,until the poor animal bleeds completely.I think that´s very cruel too!
On the other hand, boxing, for example, is banned on public TV because politicians say it is violent,but ...
Enjoy the weekend.
I'm really proud that I've managed to do it. I doubt that I'd go back to eating meat.
That reminds me. I'd better get back to the gym. I stopped going in May when I had my appendix out.
I follow a guy on Facebook who is a fitness freak as well as being vegan. He offers all sorts of advice.
They say that meat eaters get too much protein; you can get enough protein from legumes, eggs, soya and nuts.
It was difficult for me because I needed a lot of proteins when I was training, so I started to eat a bit of everything (meat and fish,because I used to eat eggs,cheese,soya,yoghurt,dried fruits...).But even today I don´t eat too much meat.