11 year old bull-fighter

[hoppybird]

I'm not sure that this is an appropriate hobby for a child. In fact, I'll go as far as to say it's rather dangerous, amongst other things. Apparently he started at age 4 .

disgusting, for so many reasons.

Well, I'm not sure hanging around on street corners drinking vodka and smoking dope is an appropriate hobby for an 11 year old, but there are plenty in Britain who do it. I'm convinced that being a pageant queen is not.

Have you heard of cultural differences?

Some things are quite obviously wrong, even if it is part of a country's culture.

I don't understand your point, duchesse.

Being a pageant queen is something aspired to in a different culture (the US), and they think it's great, when we think it's a bit if not downright weird.

I was deliberately showing sarcastic caution in my opinion so as not to immediately write off cultural differences, which would explain why a parent would think it was ok for a child to enter the highly dangerous environment of a bullring and kill animals, which the boy was doing at age 6.

Bullfighting is sick and should be banned worldwide, culture or not, cruelty to animals for entertainment is backward.

pageant queens dont kill animals for fun

So are you bothered by bull-fighting per se, or by the fact that an 11 yr old is doing it? They are two separate issues. There are 11 yr olds in the world (eg the Congo) who are forcibly drafted into armies and are trained to rape and kill people- that is a bad thing for them in my view. Whether or not it ought to be legal for any bulls to be killed for entertainment is a completely separate issue from whether or not an 11 yr old should be doing something that is legal in their country (albeit maybe not legal at his age).

duchesse - are you happy to enjoy animals being killed for fun and entertainment?

would stamping on a cute rabbits head also cause you to whoop with delight and excitement?

Now you're just being ridiculous and sentimentalising. You must have some argument other than sensationalist sentamentalism. If you don't, I don't see any further need to discuss this with you. Have you actually read my comments?

ooops sorry didnt know it was wrong to get sentimental about a bull

From my own cultural reference, I do not agree with killing animals as a form of entertainment, and although I understand some cultures do this, I am also surprised that a parent would encourage a child to start participating in such an event at an age younger than my own ds, given the nature of the event and the danger involved.

duchesse, I realise there are far worse things in the world (like your Congo example), but are those parents happy for such things to be happening, as the father obviously is in this bullfighting item?

Fair points, hoppy, but you have to bear in mind that Mexico is a very poor country in which bullfighters are very highly regarded (and good ones, highly rewarded). The parents may be thinking they are doing the best they can for their child. Or they may be basking in reflected glory, like pushy parents everywhere...

ahh well that's ok then isn't it duchesse??? clearly sending a 6 year old into a bullring with the express intent of killing the animal is fine because the parents just have his best interests at heart???
I don't think so.

just because bad things happen elsewhere, does not make this any less of an issue. it matters not a jot what 11 year olds in the rest of the world are doing.
it is still wrong to be killing animals for fun and training a child to do it.
it is also incredibly dangerous and irresponsible.

as much as I abhor bullfighting I do think there are 2 separate issues here.

1. Whether an 11yr old boy should be participating in something so dangerous

1. The wrongs (can't think of any "rights") of bullfighting.

Hmm, you have a point about the money aspect, duchesse. I can see how the financial lure of bullfighting could lead parents to consider it as a viable career for their child in a country where it is an acceptable event, whatever we may think of it. But it's one thing to think that, "maybe in the future, my son will be a bullfighter", and quite another to lead him into a bullring when he's still at primary school.

What I find particularly is objectionable is this -

"Merida's mayor had suspended the record attempt, saying it was illegal for youths under the age of 18 to take part in high-risk public performances.

But the state prosecutor's office overturned the ban just hours before the fight after Michelito's father - a former French bullfighter - launched an appeal."

I far prefer the other Mexican world record we heard about today on MN.

FAQ- Indeed.

thisisyesterday- my point is, why home in on this one event? Particularly when 6 yr olds all over the world are living in dreadful and dangerous conditions. It seems an odd thing and very isolated event to get in a lather about when you could be worrying about the thousands of 11 yr olds being raped in Sudan and Congo, and the thousands of 6 yr olds in Indian slums sewing sequins onto Primark and Gap garments.

why home in on it? why home in on anyhitng.

op saw the article and wanted to comment on it. why not???

I saw it as one of those "questionable parenting decisions made in the public eye" stories, like choosing to dangle a baby over a balcony, for instance.