Jose Escalante: Tijuana September 15, 2001

The Ricochet Podcast's featured title this week is Why America Must Not Follow Europe by Member of British Parliament Daniel Hannan from Encounter Books. Why is this special?  Daniel Hannan and I are both Alumni of the California Academy of Tauromaquia, otherwise known as bullfightschool.com. Check out his latest article on the subject. He's my hero. 

Daniel Hannan Member of Parliament.
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Mike LaRoche
Joined
Oct '10
Mike LaRoche

I'm quite happy to see that bullfighting is still alive and prospering in Spain - and in southern France - despite the Catalan ban.  Last time I mentioned this a minor flame-war erupted, but what the hell: one of my most treasured memories was when on a trip to Madrid several years ago, I attended a bullfight during the Festival of San Isidro at the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas.  Sitting in the stands and smoking a Montecristo, the atmosphere brought to life the stories of Ernest Hemingway and the exploits of such legendary matadors as Manuel Benítez Pérez ("El Cordobés").

It was one of those moments I'll remember for the rest of my life, and I'm heartened to know that most Spaniards continue to revere and defend this unique aspect of their culture.  According to rumor, King Juan Carlos has said that if the European Union ever bans bullfighting, he will push for Spain to leave the European Union.

¡Viva la corrida de toros!

Foxman
Joined
Dec '10
Foxman

Morally, I see no difference between bull fighting and dog fighting.


Joined
Jan '11
MLH

Does Tijuana still have a ring, out by the sea?

Stan Hjerleid
Joined
May '10
Stan Hjerleid

 I agree with Foxman. They bring in a fresh bull and then torment him with guys on horses enclosed in some protective box.  When the bull is tiring and with picadillos sticking in him, finally enter the matador.  I say bring the matador out while the bull is fresh.


Joined
Jan '11
Clem Comly

 Hannan is a British citizen who is a member of the European Parliament.  Per Wikipedia he is not a member of  British Parliament.

Andrea Ryan
Joined
May '10
Andrea Ryan

<Double post.>

Edited on Mar 1, 2011 at 7:33am
Andrea Ryan
Joined
May '10
Andrea Ryan

I have no problem with bullfighting.  It's a large aspect of the culture in some parts of the world and I find it exciting to watch.

Foxman
Joined
Dec '10
Foxman

 Chicken fights and dog fights are a large part of some cultures around the world and some subcultures in the US.  Torturing and killing animals for entertainment is heinous and we should reject it.

Kenneth
Joined
Jul '10
Kenneth

What a manly thing it must be to sit in the stands and watch an animal be tormented and murdered for your amusement.

Mike LaRoche
Joined
Oct '10
Mike LaRoche
Andrea Ryan: I have no problem with bullfighting.  It's a large aspect of the culture in some parts of the world and I find it exciting to watch. · Mar 1 at 7:19am

Exactly, Andrea.  Bullfighting is an integral part of traditional Spanish culture and the world would be a poorer place without it.  The bullfight is an artistic, almost sacred event.  As Ernest Hemingway wrote in Death in the Afternoon, "Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death and in which the degree of brilliance in the performance is left to the fighter's honor."

Andrea Ryan
Joined
May '10
Andrea Ryan
Kenneth: What a manly thing it must be to sit in the stands and watch an animal be tormented and murdered for your amusement. · Mar 1 at 10:43am

Admit it, Kenneth.  There's nothing more wonderful than hanging out with Sarah Palin and watching a good bullfight.

Kenneth
Joined
Jul '10
Kenneth

Andrea Ryan

 Kenneth: What a manly thing it must be to sit in the stands and watch an animal be tormented and murdered for your amusement. · Mar 1 at 10:43am 

Admit it, Kenneth.  There's nothing more wonderful than hanging out with Sarah Palin and watching a good bullfight. · Mar 1 at 1:36p

 One wonders how the "aficionados" of the "sport" would feel about someone coming to their home and torturing their domestic pets with barbeque skewers before dispatching them with a meat cleaver.

As for Palin, papering over the slaughter of a reindeer in order to bolster her Grizzly Mama creds for a viewing audience by claiming that she did it to fill her family's freezer speaks for itself.  My guess is that reindeer's carcass didn't provide the margin between starvation and bounty for the Palin family.

Edited on Mar 1, 2011 at 2:04pm
Mike LaRoche
Joined
Oct '10
Mike LaRoche

Andrea Ryan

Kenneth: What a manly thing it must be to sit in the stands and watch an animal be tormented and murdered for your amusement. · Mar 1 at 10:43am

Admit it, Kenneth.  There's nothing more wonderful than hanging out with Sarah Palin and watching a good bullfight. · Mar 1 at 1:36pm

You've read my mind, Andrea.  Dionysius himself could not have conceived of a more pleasurable event.

show MLH's comment (#14)

Joined
Jan '11
MLH

Joe, Mike, Andrea,

The Matador is a must see. You'll appreciate the art, history and culture even more. http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Matador/70110616?trkid=2361637#height2167

Andrea Ryan
Joined
May '10
Andrea Ryan

Kenneth

Andrea Ryan

 Kenneth: What a manly thing it must be to sit in the stands and watch an animal be tormented and murdered for your amusement. · Mar 1 at 10:43am 

Admit it, Kenneth.  There's nothing more wonderful than hanging out with Sarah Palin and watching a good bullfight. · Mar 1 at 1:36p

 One wonders how the "aficionados" of the "sport" would feel about someone coming to their home and torturing their domestic pets with barbeque skewers before dispatching them with a meat cleaver.

As for Palin, papering over the slaughter of a reindeer in order to bolster her Grizzly Mama creds for a viewing audience by claiming that she did it to fill her family's freezer speaks for itself.  My guess is that reindeer's carcass didn't provide the margin between starvation and bounty for the Palin family. · Mar 1 at 1:49pm

Edited on Mar 01 at 02:04 pm

Lighten up, Francis.  I was just kidding.

Mike LaRoche
Joined
Oct '10
Mike LaRoche

MLH: Joe, Mike, Andrea,

The Matador is a must see. You'll appreciate the art, history and culture even more. http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Matador/70110616?trkid=2361637#height2167 · Mar 1 at 2:18pm

Thanks, MLH.  I just added it to my Netflix queue.

Andrea Ryan
Joined
May '10
Andrea Ryan

MLH: Joe, Mike, Andrea,

The Matador is a must see. You'll appreciate the art, history and culture even more. http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Matador/70110616?trkid=2361637#height2167 · Mar 1 at 2:18pm

I vaguely remember that movie when it was out.  Thanks for the tip.  I'll go find it on Amazon.

flownover
Joined
Aug '10
flownover

Andrea Ryan: <Double post.> · Mar 1 at 7:18am

Edited on Mar 01 at 07:33 am

<I liked that and I'll double that>

Andrea Ryan
Joined
May '10
Andrea Ryan

flownover

Andrea Ryan: <Flownover promised me a bullshot.>

<I liked that and I'll double that> · Mar 1 at 4:41pm

Oh, good!  I get two.

Joe Escalante
MLH: Does Tijuana still have a ring, out by the sea? · Mar 1 at 5:28am

This picture was taking of me fighting right after September 11, 2001, during a grim period for traveling across the border. It's still thriving. The downtown ring was torn down about 3 years ago sadly. 


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