Yeah, really, what a lovely, valuable tradition.
http://www.sharkonline.org/bullfighting13.jpg
See all those things hanging off the bull? They're stabbed into the bull's skin. Barbs prevent them from falling off. Do you see all the blood running down the bull's body, all the wounds?
The sword just finishes the bull off after it's too exhausted to continue to fight for its life.
So, this guy gets into a ring with a bull that has been bred to be very aggressive. Then the bull is stabbed repeatedly. The goal is to madden the animal with so much pain that it won't even think about trying to flee--not that there is really anywhere to go. (Although at least one intrepid bull did manage to jump the wall and crash through the audience).
This guy dodges the bull while it repeatedly runs around the ring and trys to hit him in order to keep him from continuing to stab it with barbed poles. Sometimes it manages to injure him. Usually, it becomes exhausted, and he kills it with a sword. The huge crowd watches the entire thing, and rates him on how well he dodges and how pretty he can look while stabbing spears into a trapped animal.
He's considered to be an impressive specimen of manhood for his ability to torture and kill the aforementioned trapped animal.
I can't imagine why anyone would have a problem with such a beautiful tradition.
Reply With Quote