Bullfighting: Where do you stand?
Damn, I’ve missed it! I’ve not been into town much for a couple of weeks, just in and out to do the shopping, and haven’t noticed the bullfighting posters. Maybe they’ve not been there long or maybe I’ve been in my usual semi day dream state and just passed them by without thought.
However, today it somehow registered and I realised it looks like I’ve missed the opportunity to see some bullfighting over in Vera.
When we moved to the mainland I said it was one of the things I wanted to see. No doubt some readers are now branding me as some sort of barbaric animal hater right now. Not so.
There are many inhumane activities that occur here in Spain. Bullfighting is just one of them. Often, as bullfighting is, they are explained away by the perpetrators as being matters of culture and tradition that should not be interfered with (not dissimilar to the argument for fox hunting in the UK).
Like it or not, Southern and Eastern Europe, as I’ve said elsewhere, have a different attitude to animals to us Northern Europeans. Take for instance the hanging of dogs, the capture of song birds for the table (very common in Italy), and the dancing bears I’ve seen (no longer legal) in Eastern Europe…. There is a far bigger list if you wish to delve into the subject!
At this point, don’t go off thinking that ALL Spanish people support bullfighting as a sport. That simply isn’t true, according to this article from the Humane Society International a few days ago only 29% support it, and even less, at 13%, support it strongly.
So why, all that considered would I want to go and see it?
There’s a number of reasons…
- Despite being an animal lover (except for cats :)) and, despite being anti-bloodsports, I would really like to see the spectacle. I’m not a great football fan but enjoy going to the odd big match to experience the atmosphere.
- It is on its way out; of that there can be little doubt. To see one in the few remaining years would be experiencing a bit of history.
- I don’t like to think of myself as an armchair critic. You can’t truly understand something like bullfighting without seeing it. (also from being anti-bullfighting as I am now, I suspect if I attend a bullfight I’ll likely come out vehemently opposed)
- I’m also a photographer. Last year I almost (long story) went to Afghanistan. Not a pleasant place – but as a photographer would I have left my camera at home and missed the opportunity to take some interesting (if possibly unpleasant) pictures, hell no!
Where do you stand?
Alan, along with Elle, is the owner of Spain Buddy. He was born in the North of England (Lancashire) and travelled extensively before eventually settling in Almería. Alan has 3 sons from the first of his 18 marriages, (Sam, Joe & Ben) who are all now adults. You can read more articles by Alan on his personal blog at AlanGandy.com and see more of his photography on his photography website as well as on Instagram.
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Ben Cooper
September 28, 2013 @ 10:12 am
Pro. Against all my better judgement (I’m a soppy, left-leaning animal-lover) and any philosophical justification (it’s unjustifiable to torture and kill animals for sport). I’ve been a few times now, though, and… it’s just an incredible, troubling, awe-inspiring, sad, elevating, base, beautiful, primeval, stylised – and contradictory – occasion/spectacle. I don’t really have the stomach for too much of it, but there’s something in me that says when it’s gone – and it will go (it has to go) – we’ll have lost something that links us to our collective past.
Alan Gandy
September 28, 2013 @ 12:30 pm
Totally get where you’re coming from Ben.
Josh
September 28, 2013 @ 6:55 pm
Against. I just can’t grasp how people get a kick out of watching an animal die – brutally – for mere entertainment value. You said it yourself – it is inhumane, therefore why it is quite rightly on its way out. Fair enough, I’ve never been to a bullfight, but I really don’t think it would change my mind. I’d take watching Madrid at el Bernabeu any day. Bullfighting, frankly, can kick its hind legs and go trotting back into the 19th century.
Alf
September 28, 2013 @ 8:08 pm
This is an ever so slightly edited version of a previous post I submitted to you when you published that photo of the bull titled EL TORO on August 20th.
Beautiful photograph of a majestic animal. Although I might seem a bit of a hypocrite because I love beef etc. I would hope that eventually before dying, that bull made mincemeat of the effeminately dressed, posturing, posy, preening ( oops, tautology alert ) macho prat that was waiting to kill it. After it had been tortured first by the picadores, they’re the ones on horseback that stab the bull in the muscle behind the neck with the lances they carry, then the crowd would have been further entertained by the banderilleros, they’re the ones that stick all those nice pretty coloured barbed mini spears in the bulls shoulders. This all serves to “anger & agitate ” the bull ( I imagine it would be a bit more than just angry & agitated by now ) and also to weaken and tire it out it through blood loss and from chasing the twats on horseback. Sometimes the torero ( matador ) decides the bull doesn’t look pretty enough and sticks some more pretty coloured barbed mini spears in the bulls shoulders, then he does some more poncy cape waving and mincing about before trying to kill the bull with a single sword thrust through the heart. It doesn’t always work the first tim, so he’ll sometimes have a few more goes before he gets it right and the bull finally obliges and falls to its knees and gratefully dies to the sound of wild approbation from the bloodthirsty mob….sorry, crowd. The murdering bast…. sorry, torero ( matador ) then receives rapturous applause from the crowd who are almost pi..ing themselves with excitement, and overcome with joy and happiness that they were there to witness and celebrate this fine display of traditional culture and art in its highest form.
Sarcasm mode off. ART, MY ARSE, it’s nothing more than state sponsored animal cruelty dressed up as ” tradition and culture “.
I have no doubt that those guys have got cojones, big ones too. But personally, I would rather see them hanging from the bulls horns.
Rant over.
Gran Canaria Local
September 28, 2013 @ 9:59 pm
Definitely against. So proud there’s no bullring on Gran Canaria. Having said that, Pedro Almodóvar’s Matador is well worth viewing. As is The Matador. But I stray from the point.
Alf
September 28, 2013 @ 10:14 pm
Alan, you say you’re an animal lover except for cats ( definitely with you on that ) but you would like to see the spectacle, then go to equate it with going to see a big soccer match. I would respectfully suggest that watching a bunch of overpaid, preening prima donnas ( That’s the publishable version. ) chasing a ball around for 45 minutes X2, interspersed with moments of high drama when one of the little mummies boys trips over a blade of grass, does a reasonable impersonation of Tom Daly and then has to taken off the pitch by air ambulance. Or even when one them actually does what he’s grossly overpaid to do and puts the ball in the back of the net, cannot, in any way be compared to going to watch a bullfight to experience the atmosphere. I know, or least I’ve been told by soccer fan friends of mine that watching some games are tortuous but, at least, they’re only maybe experiencing mild mental discomfort, not watching an animal being painfully and viciously tortured to death in front of their eyes.
As for experiencing a bit of history, slave auctions were ” a bit of history “, would you want to experience one of those, or bear baiting? I doubt it. If you feel the need to see a bullfight, you can now watch them live at the ” traditional ” time of 6pm on TVE thanks to Rajoy and his lot, ” Pro-bullfighting supporters include the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and his government, who say the tradition is an art-form deep rooted in Spanish history. Thus the 6-year ban on live bullfights broadcast on the state-run TV Chanel has been lifted and live Bullfights are shown at the traditional 6 p.m. time on TVE as of September 2012. “. Source Wikipedia. Despite being more of the right than the left, that’s given me another reason to dislike the bearded prat as well as his macho posturing over Gibraltar, ( what is it about the Spanish and macho posturing? ). You mention hanging of dogs in this article, in that article you said what you’d do if ever you saw someone doing it, well, I would happily join you in that. I don’t know what images you looked at to have tears rolling down your face when you were researching that article but, I was affected in exactly the same way today to the extent of my wife asking what the hell I was swearing at and why did I have tears ( of rage ) rolling down my face. I was looking up info on other Spanish ” festivals, fiestas and traditions ” and came across this page https://web.archive.org/web/20180312014007/http://www.animal-rights-action.com:80/spanish-festivals.html , it wasn’t only about Spanish festivals, it includes some other counties ” traditions ” too. Some of them make bullfighting seem like the annual day out and conference of the League Against Cruel Sports. Like you Alan, I’ve seen stuff I wish I hadn’t and I’m not usually affected too much apart from swearing a lot but, that page of info and images is going to haunt me for a very long time. As far as I’m concerned there is no punishment great enough or painful enough for the bastards that inflict torture and pain on defenceless animals. As for you being a photographer, ( If you’re responsible for some of photos of the week I think you’re a very good one by the way. ) I think there are enough photographs of bulls being tortured to death in front of baying mobs/crowds without you feeling the need to add yours to their number.
My point is that you don’t have to experience it to form an opinion or disapprove.
Rant over, time to get back on my fence.
PS. The story of you almost going to Afghanistan could be interesting
simonharrisbcn
September 29, 2013 @ 9:16 am
I went once in about 1989, Alan, as your first commentator states I found it both awe-inspiring and disturbing and felt it was some kind of pagan man against beast ritual. Then as I became more integrated I started going to a bar where it was on telly most afternoons and two things occurred to me. Firstly, it began to lose its power through repetition and it struck that the ritual was only significant if was practised on a few occasions, not 500 times or whatever a year. Secondly, the reactions and blood lust of the people watching in the bar began to sicken me.
Then in the summer of 1991, I went on a month’s tour of Central Spain with an Orquesta de Baile and we began our set every afternoon after ‘los toros’. The bulls were rarely killed but were terrorised and chased round the main square by bunches of cretinous hooligan brandishing flaming torches or driving beaten minis. It remains one of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen and I came back totally against anything to do with bulls and bullfighting (And that includes Catalan correbous, by the way!)
Alan Gandy
September 29, 2013 @ 12:38 pm
I know this can be read as self-contradictory. It is. But that’s just me.
I am anti – it is barbaric – I think it should be banned. However it’s not illegal (yet) and I do want to see one (and it would be only one) for all the reasons I described. I believe in experiencing life – good and bad.
Some might say it’s a hypocritical view. I think not. I’m talking about passive participation – it would be hypocritical if it was my wish to put on an elaborate suit and start waving around a sword!
Sabine Kern (@SabineMKern)
September 29, 2013 @ 4:00 pm
At last: against. I think killing animals for fun has nothing to do with culture and tradition. But to know at least what I’m talking about I watched ONE bullfighting in Spain this year, to know how it is, how it feels to see it. I have to admit that I felt a mixture of disgust and excitement and a sort of respect for this ancient tradition. I think watching once to get known to the stuff is ok, more than once is support for the bullfighting business and I won’t do it again.
Caroline Angus Baker
September 29, 2013 @ 11:29 pm
I’ve seen bullfighting in both Valencia and in the holy grail of Las Ventas in Madrid. I’ve sat among the cigars against the barrier and watched up close and the only thing that I felt (other than blood freezing in Madrid) was degraded. I am pro and anti-bullfighting at the same time. I don’t believe in animal cruelty and the thought of eating a bit of dead flesh makes me gag. I love the toreros, I love the tradition, the masculinity, the art form of it all. I write about it at length. Do I feel entertained by it all? No, not at all. There, against the smell of blood and animal (and cigars) there is no entertainment. The reality of up close is far removed to not being there, or even being back row. However, I would never protest against it, never tell someone not to give it a try. I don’t flinch when the weapons go in, but some may, so if you’re not 100% sure of your feelings, staying away may be the best option.
When a torero does his dance with death well, it’s amazing to witness, right until the kill has to be added to the mix.
The important thing to remember is that the bull is not the beast, the crowd who hungers for the kill is the beast.
Alan Gandy
September 30, 2013 @ 12:15 pm
I think your closing line might have hit the nail on the head for my motives Caroline! That’s what I’m imagining the ‘spectacle’ is that I’m looking to see for myself. The human thirst for violence fascinates me.
Mark Colenutt
May 10, 2014 @ 6:16 pm
Just seen this somewhat old link but I wish to add a few points that should always be present in any bullfight debate.
So here’s some food for thought then: First off, the argument that animal lovers are by default more humane is not supported by the evidence. Hitler loved his dog and there are plenty of other cruel individuals that have adored their fluffy friends. It’s your treatment of ‘people’ that makes you humane. Many animal lovers in fact dislike the company of people. It should be said here that I love animals but have no designs to turn my back on society.
The Spanish debate in favour of bullfighting turns on the point, ironically, of animal rights and the fact that the pro-bullfight campaign hold that they respect the bull more than anyone. This is a well-worn belief from Las Ventas down to La Maestranza. The bullfight ensures the animal has the most dignified life available for a bovine. He is left to his own devices out on the vast dehesa prairies until his time comes to enter the ring. The aficionado readily accepts that the act is brutal so it is impossible for the anti group to get one over them in this respect.
How can it possibly be that the bullfight fraternity claim the humane high ground if they butcher the beast in a public spectacle? This simply rests on the sound shoulders of the fact the animal killed for beef leads a rather luckless life by comparison. The farm animal is an industrial product and given none of the care and attention offered the Spanish bull, and its eventual slaughter is arguably far more gory. Would you really prefer an abattoir over la plaza? Both should appear equally abhorrent. The day comes when they are transported off to an outbuilding where a conveyor belt system of killing sees the cow, calf or bull sense that something is awry. The smell, the noise and herd instinct all combine to tell the unfortunate animal that this is the end and then they are shunted forward one last time in a life that has been one continual process of being pushed along.
The bullfight kills an animal for viewing pleasure and likewise we kill countless millions more for our eating pleasure. But you are right to add that there is a fundamental difference and that lies in the fact that the bullfight has not only given its hero a better and more organic life, but even the opportunity to win its freedom, no matter how slender the odds. The modern meat eater can therefore make no such claim for the animal that gave up its life so they could tuck into a nice piece of beef.
So before any accusations can be hurled against those in favour of bullfighting this anomaly faced by meat eaters must be attended to first. If not, the criticisms coming the other way may just stick. As it stands then, only the vegetarians are in any position to cast the first stone. As for myself I am neither a vegetarian, a supporter of the bullfight or a stone thrower, merely the Devil’s advocate.