Bullfighting: The Culture of Our People

The world’s media holds its breath as the Catalan Parliament will soon cast votes to ban bullfights, in
favor for animal rights and the well being of the Spain’s Matadors involved in these events. This however is no
match for the genuine sadness that is felt by the countries supporters who love the bulls and the men who
dance with them.
Complete misunderstanding of what this spectacle stands to mean to the people in our country is
evident is news headlines and media throughout the world. What sets bullfighting aside is the fact that this
tradition is viewed as an art form, reviewed in the culture section of Spanish newspapers alongside operas,
and art. Bullfighting is commonly mis-compared to as a sport, but could never be properly viewed as one for it
has arranged endings, repetitive actions, and competition based performances are completely absent.
This art form is a beautiful spectacle celebrating a ritual slaughter of wild animals. It is a public
acceptance and justification of death and when done in the right manner, becomes a celebration of life. The
Matador is challenged with the task of delivering a just end to a powerful being, laying his own life on the line in
order to do so. When witnessing this, one can understand how thousands of rational, decent people are drawn
back in time to a place much different than Spain.
Not only is the event one for the bucket lists, it also happens to be very ludicrous in consideration of
tourists. There was an economic recession which hit Spain pretty hard but the bullfighting traditions have show
how lucrative they can be. All of the Matadors starts are loved by the people of Spain, a large fan following
continues to grow for this art form. Without this tradition where would the bulk of the money from tourists come
from?
The main argument against this grand tradition is that bullfighting will always be viewed as cruel. It is
cruel that man should breed and kill animals for his enjoyment whether as a dinner or a dance. When saying
that it is wrong to kill the bulls at the end of the fight, a very mechanical way in which death is thought about is
revealed. The people who support the on goings however, are much more in tune with the natural course of
life, accepting that death is inevitable.
The truly scary part about Spain possibly losing apart of who the country is and stands to be, is the fact
that losing this will force Spain to become like every other country, the vibrant and vivid culture is truly being
threatened. Only true Spaniarids will understand the devastating loss that we as a nation are suffering from. As
long as Spain sends out young powerful warriors into the ring, risking their lives in order to dance for the
adoring crowd, it is our right and job to join in celebrating our lives and our harsh realities about death.
Post by Amanda Calvo
October 19, 2018
I am appalled after reading these beliefs and opinions. I simply just do not view this spectacle as
“beautiful”, “an art form”, or a “tradition”. These "traditions" that this event follows are an evil act against
mankind; the people participating in and allowing this “tradition” to continue are evil as well. Every night the
same ritual is followed: a 15 minute “dance” is put on for a crowd until a man plunges his sword between the
bull’s shoulders, killing the animal for the sole sake of the crowd’s entertainment. Being a supporting member
of an animal rights group, I must push the idea that it is never a fair fight. It is unthinkable and inexcusable for
the abuse and killing of an animal to be considered a cultural event and celebration. Bullfighting should be a
thing of the past.
The death of the animal is a long and painful process. Matadors rarely succeed in killing the bull on the
first try, meaning that more often than not, there are multiple attempts in the killing of the bulls. The animal may
still be conscious even while the ritual of cutting off both of the ears and tail to award them to the matador is
carried out.
The event is also very unsafe for the Matadors involved. There have been a few fights that ended with
the Matador not leaving the ring. The effect of watching a human be crushed or stabbed by a bull in such a
public setting has to have its traumatic effects on spectators. There is nothing to celebrate about life if this
spectacle causes another to die.
The public display of abuse towards these animals can never truly be justified. The media is starting to
realize this too, the audiences for the bullfights are dwindling, the numbers falling to 8.5% of the population of
Spaniards attending bullfights in 2011 from 9.8% in 2007.
Bullfighting has also been outlawed in the provinces of Catalonia and the Canary Island and is being
pushed to other provinces in hopes of further ban laws being created. I can only hope that the young people of
Spain realize what a huge problem this stands to be in their culture and media. The people behind these
events are as bad as the devil himself.