Why Bullfighting or Toreo?By Manolete-je
I myself wonder why sometimes. Is it cruel? I can't say it is cruel, necessarily. Does the toro suffer or feel pain? Yes and no. Does the torero suffer or feel pain? Yes and no.
May be you do have to be Spanish to get it. May be not. I'm not sure. I am Spanish.
I just know that ever since I was about 10 years of age or so, I've liked la fiesta brava. Why? It's exciting to me! It's colorful! It's musical! It is fun. Indeed it's dangerous as well. It's a sport, it's a spectacle, it's an art. There is beauty to toreo which is a part of the colorful event that it is. What the torero does is amazing, I think! His art demands tremendous skill, heart, and courage to overcome the initial nervous fear. And then, there is the main character- the toro or the fighting bull- it is an amazing creature! What the toro is and does is especial. It has a natural instinct to do what it does. It is fearless when it does what it does. The fighting bull is an ancient bovine beast, quite differe
nt from other cattle. No person in his or her right mind wants to torture or be cruel to it (Or even confront it!). On the contrary, as it is written, "The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast." (What about the toro or fighting bull? Does it have to die? The fighting bull does not, of course, have to be killed in the ring. Some bulls actually do not; many more, however, do. So, it would be sad when its life comes to an end- be it through natural causes or because the beast must go to the slaughter house. Either way, death comes to the animal as it does to all creatures. I happen to think, it's better to see such a majestic creature- as is the toro bravo- die in the ring rather than at the slaughter house. The majority of cattle and fighting bulls are killed at the slaughter house; a few more die naturally or through neglect, or other reasons, good and bad, and a small few die in the ring. It does not, then, "have to" be killed in the ring. But, most toros that are selected for toreo, do. Why? That's toreo! Whether we like it or not. (Better, perhaps, would be bloodless toreo- as is the case in central California. In Portugal, though it is not bloodless, they don't kill the bull). But, I shall not philosophize about it. (I would rather ask you about other sports. Boxing, for one. It's violent and dangerous! Or what about the danger to teenagers playing football? Or Rodeo- and the way all those animals are sometimes mistreated! Or, doesn't hockey promote violence? The list can grow). For me, pure, straightforward, honest Toreo is exciting, fun, and captivating! Ole! Música, maestro! Strike up that pasodoble!
nt from other cattle. No person in his or her right mind wants to torture or be cruel to it (Or even confront it!). On the contrary, as it is written, "The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast." (What about the toro or fighting bull? Does it have to die? The fighting bull does not, of course, have to be killed in the ring. Some bulls actually do not; many more, however, do. So, it would be sad when its life comes to an end- be it through natural causes or because the beast must go to the slaughter house. Either way, death comes to the animal as it does to all creatures. I happen to think, it's better to see such a majestic creature- as is the toro bravo- die in the ring rather than at the slaughter house. The majority of cattle and fighting bulls are killed at the slaughter house; a few more die naturally or through neglect, or other reasons, good and bad, and a small few die in the ring. It does not, then, "have to" be killed in the ring. But, most toros that are selected for toreo, do. Why? That's toreo! Whether we like it or not. (Better, perhaps, would be bloodless toreo- as is the case in central California. In Portugal, though it is not bloodless, they don't kill the bull). But, I shall not philosophize about it. (I would rather ask you about other sports. Boxing, for one. It's violent and dangerous! Or what about the danger to teenagers playing football? Or Rodeo- and the way all those animals are sometimes mistreated! Or, doesn't hockey promote violence? The list can grow). For me, pure, straightforward, honest Toreo is exciting, fun, and captivating! Ole! Música, maestro! Strike up that pasodoble!
Well, dear reader, what do think? Let me know.
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