By the way, I am totally suggesting that Spain should alter its traditions to eliminate bullfighting because it is a bloodsport, and is an unnecessarily cruel practice.

I don't see any reason why I should not judge Spain for permitting it to continue. I do sincerely believe that Spain will eventually give up this tradition.

Spain has done some admirable things, as well. It had adopted the Great Ape Trust's suggestion of special rights for great apes into its laws. Great apes now enjoy legal protection as persons in Spain. These special rights include the right to life, freedom from torture, and freedom from unnecessary incarceration--the same basic rights afforded to humans under international law. This does not mean that Spain believes that apes are human, merely that their sentience is undeniable, and they should be afforded the same protection we would afford to our own as a result of that. Their intelligence level overlaps our own (within normal ranges for both species--a smart ape is brighter than Forrest Gump, even if it isn't going to build a space shuttle).

Where does one draw the line when it comes to such rights? Well...a being who can manufacture, conceal, and use a lock pick, steal a boat and use it to go fishing, or (entirely on its own without example to copy) create a spear to kill a monkey, seems like a reasonable place to set a line. This isn't Planet of the Apes--great apes are tremendously strong, and have little in the way of impulse control, so they will always pose a threat to humans if introduced face to face (they simply lose their temper easily, and tear your limbs off, not the best folks to sit down to a poker game with). But they whip our butts soundly when it comes to short term and spatial memory. Chimps are the first animals proven to exceed us fair and square at a MENTAL activity--one we created, no less.

So...the Spanish will give up bullfighting on their own, given a bit more time. At least, if they prefer not to be perceived as barbarians by the rest of the first world.