Spain and bullfighting go hand in hand. Yet bullfighting was banned in the Spanish province of Catalonia July 28. The bullfighting ban will have to start by year 2010 in Spain. The ban was passed by Catalonian parliament in Barcelona while animal rights activists cheered with job and happiness. Many suspect animal cruelty wasn’t the reason the bullfighting ban was put into place. Numerous think that Catalonians are just trying to be different than the rest of Spain in this political act.
Catalonia bullfighting ban not about the bulls
The Catalonia bullfighting ban appears to be more about politics than animal cruelty. NPR reports that Catalonia has only one bullring and about 15 bullfights a year. Anti-bullfighting activists denounced the longtime Spanish custom as cruel, when supporters insisted ending it will damage Spanish culture. Catalonians want to be independent from Spain by breaking from Spanish tradition. Barcelona is when all this began when bulls seem unharmed by the activity. About 1,000 bullfights take place in Spain yearly.
Madrid and Catalonia separated through bullfighting
Bullfighting fans and Spanish conservatives have taken the Catalonia bullfighting ban very seriously. The Associated Press reports the center-right Popular Party, which vigorously supports a unified Spain run from Madrid, sees a stinging anti-Spanish rebuke in the grass roots, anti-bullfighting drive which started within the region last year. Catalonia is a wealthy and powerful province with its own language (Catalan) and culture, also as a strong penchant for self-rule. Many in Spain have seen the pressure here for a bullfighting ban as a political statement by Catalonia to stand out from the rest of the country.
Using bullfighting to work up rebellion
Damian Corrigan, Spanish travel blogger, the Catalonia bullfighting ban had nothing to do with bulls that die within the sport. Corrigan says that it doesn’t even matter if you are independent in today’s Europe on About.com. Really, all that Catalonians want are less taxes going to Madrid. Coherent political stances are optional and rebellion exists simply for the sake of rebellion.
Additional reading
NPR
npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/07/28/128817532/bullfighting-banned-in-spanish-province
Associated Press
google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hoSaaIUwsevwg2RB34sY8mHh7tNAD9H82A704
About.com
gospain.about.com/b/2010/07/28/barcelona-bullfighting-ban.htm
