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AIBU?

to think bullrunning is sick and wonder why anyone would go?

27 replies

strawberry34 · 13/07/2013 15:10

In the news I keep seeing stories of tourists in Spain being gored by bulls in the annual Spanish bullrunning 'festival'. It involves frightened and disorientrated bulls (therefore 'angry') being released in cobbled streets while locals and tourists run ahead of them, sometimes getting injured or occasionally killed. The bulls get directed towards the bull ring where the run finishes and are then subjected to a torturous bull fight ending in their death how this is entertainment I don't know, but one injured participant this week was from America and one from Ireland, so they come from far and wide.

Aibu to wonder why anyone would do it and think the whole thing is cruel and sick to the bulls? It may be traditional, but why not bring back public hanging or gladiator fights if you want sick public spectacles?

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LadyBeagleEyes · 13/07/2013 15:12

The idiots that take part, especially the foreign tourists, deserve everything they get.

FriendlyLadybird · 13/07/2013 15:27

I've been to Pamplona. I rather thought it was an opportunity for the bulls to get their own back. The ones that run don't get killed in the bullring afterwards, or at least they didn't when I went. Bullfighting is pretty sick, not least because the bulls are drugged and don't really stand a chance (I've never been to one). But the bulls that run looked to me to be much younger and livelier. I don't know if they're frightened and disoriented. I hope not.

Anyone who chooses to run in front of the bulls is crazy, but it is their choice. Some people like danger. Another thing that people did when I was there was get very drunk, climb up a tall fountain and jump into the crowd. Also v. dangerous. So I would say, definitely ban bullfighting -- and foie gras, come to think of it. But many PEOPLE put themselves into dangerous situations for the hell of it. How do we stop that?

sittinginthesun · 13/07/2013 15:29

I don't like it either, but the bulls usually don't get killed (at least, not in the villages I know). They are put back in a horse box and taken to the next fiesta.

strawberry34 · 13/07/2013 18:42

I can't link right now, but if you look on sky news website it says the bulls are usually killed in the evening bullfight and then served as a novelty in expensive restaurants...pleasant

OP posts:

AKAK81 · 13/07/2013 18:49

YABU - you're not being forced to go or watch it on TV.

sittinginthesun · 13/07/2013 21:03

The smaller fiestas are not that hard core. The bulls (or bullocks) seem to spend a lot of time eating flowers out of window boxes.

harrietlichman · 13/07/2013 23:09

the bulls or bullocks that are used do get killed at the end of the fiesta season. Spain is a civilised country. It is a total aberration that this hideous cruelty is allowed to go on. Tradition and culture is no excuse for this kind of practise and it is unbelievable that this kind of thing is allowed to go on.

Alisvolatpropiis · 13/07/2013 23:49

I do think the practice is cruel but I think the foreign tourists who attend deserve what they get. It's their choice,it just happens to be a grossly stupid one.

FredFredGeorge · 13/07/2013 23:49

Surely bullocks large enough to run are generally killed at the end of a season anyway for their meat, bullocks have little value over 2 years old. So the question would be if having them run through a town, or stand around in a field made any difference, personally I'm not keen on the idea of the run through the town, but I struggle to see it as so overwhelmingly bad that it's obviously barbaric as suggested here.

Gingersstuff · 14/07/2013 00:03

I don't think YABU. The whole idea of bullfighting is abhorrent to me, as is watching an orca or a dolphin jumping through a hoop for a bit of dead fish laced with antidepressants. Both exploiting animals' fear and disorientation for human entertainment. I thought we were in the 21st century but apparently we're stuck in the Dark Ages

AgentZigzag · 14/07/2013 00:06

It's bad Fred because it's distressing the animals (more than they need to be compared to being slaughtered for their meat) and exposing the darker/bloodthirsty nature of humans who know they are distressed but get a kick out of the situation.

Absolutely fucking barbaric.

It's not civilized, and it's anything but a bit of fun.

PerdyJade · 14/07/2013 00:28

It is totallly barbaric and I cannot understand how any person can get any enjoyment from seeing an animal inso much obvious distress.

Dont even get me started on bullfighting, I cant believe it is even legal it is like medieval torture.

TabithaStephens · 14/07/2013 00:35

Surely the meat industry is far worse than bullfighting? The bulls used in bullfighting live happy lives before their demise, far better than cows used for milk and beef.

AgentZigzag · 14/07/2013 00:37

If they were demonic cars they were running from, I could probably understand the elation they'd get from having a near death experience and surviving.

But I wonder how much of the animals distress is important to accentuating their pleasure and entertainment at surviving the run.

It's that bit that isn't right, and anyone who likes animals being hurt in front of them has got huge problems.

PerdyJade · 14/07/2013 00:39

Tabitha I understand animals used for meat, milk etc dont have good living conditions, but they are killed humanely. Bulls in bullfights are drugged and then speared repeatedly with no chance of fighting back until they bleed to death.

AgentZigzag · 14/07/2013 00:39

They're nothing like each other Tabitha.

It's a pretty basic rule, don't distress animals for 'entertainment'/sport.

PerdyJade · 14/07/2013 00:43

I totally agree AgentZigZag I think it must say a lot about of person if they get satisfaction from seeing an animal in pain or distress

AgentZigzag · 14/07/2013 00:52

I can't help but draw parallels between this and the power some people enjoy at taking a human life.

They're very similar, murderers have often progressed onto humans from animals.

Very disturbing.

PerdyJade · 14/07/2013 00:57

I remember a very disturbing case of animal cruelty that happened local to me. It affected me so much, I couldnt sleep and it made me feel physically sick. I wont go intodetail incase I upset anyone the same way I was.

It really disturbs me people that are that way inclined are around, getting a kick out of harming defenceless creatures. Some sort of sick, twisted power trip.

Sativa · 14/07/2013 01:46

I don't know if this link will work but it's a myth that animals are killed humanely.....

Secretswitch · 14/07/2013 01:50

I wonder what kind of human gets thrills from this sick "sport"?

AgentZigzag · 14/07/2013 02:18

The same deviants who get off on cock/dog fighting, badger baiting Secrets.

I bet they're really 'normal' in their everyday lives and you'd never guess where they got their kicks.

The wrongness of it is stimulating like in so many other similar nasty situations.

Secretswitch · 14/07/2013 03:33

My heart gets wrenched anytime animals are forced to participate in cruelty...I cannot even abide going to a circus.

TabithaStephens · 14/07/2013 03:35

They don't have animals in circuses any more. Not the circuses I see advertised anyway. Well they do have horses I guess.

Secretswitch · 14/07/2013 03:39

Tabitha, I am currently living in the US where the Barnum and Bailey Circus comes round every year. They close off the street near our house to walk the elephants down. Every year my children ask to go watch, every year I say no. My oldest dc understand why, my youngest still gets pouty.

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