I hope the aprecocious little git meets the same fate as the guys below. And I too amazed that a fellow EU state is still allowed to torture defenceless animals to death in this way. Not only bullfighting - there are other 'festivals' intrinsic to Spanish culture which involve for example throwing myriads of darts at bulls running loose in the streets, forcing them into the sea so they drown, or lighting fireworks on their heads the sparks from which cause them such agony they try to brain themselves against walls rather than endure it. I would never go to Spain as a tourist.
As Spain is a staunchly Roman Catholic country, you can see the connection. A the time when Christianity was being introduced to Rome by the likes of St Paul, the predominant religion was Mithridatism - involving ritual slaughter of bulls, blood rites etc. Thus the new religion had to be "sold" to the Romans as a compromise with the old religion - "This is the cup of my blood etc" (in fact the modern Orthodox churches are probably closer to the original Jewish Christianity). Bullfighting is steeped in symbolism and mysticism and the Spaniards thus wholeheartedly celebrate bringing poor old Ferdinand to a bloody and miserable end with the same enthusiasm they devote to sanctifying themselves with
el sangre del Christo.
Oh yes - those links:
El Yiyo RIPMonolo Montiliu RIPDoes anyone else get the same vibes seeing them cart the matador off as you get in the Pink Panther film when Peter Sellars keeps getting carted off to the local gendarmerie?
It's a pity that bulls that 'win the fight' as above aren't allowed to fight another day (in fact even the ones that are 'spared' and return to the ranch seldom survive due to infections). One of the matador's problems is that bulls learn very quickly ie not to attack the cape but the man behind it; I'm sure a talented bull could notch up quite a score in this way and it would only be fair to let the bulls compete on equal terms with the macho poofters in sequined jackets, pink tights and fancy slippers.
