Child Abuse in the Mexican Bullring

Child abuse is alive and well in the Mexican Bullring.  Twelve and thirteen year old bullfighters are the new craze in Mexico, reviving what most culturally progressives refer to as a death sport.  Because Mexican law has no age restrictions on who can enter a bullring, more and more children and young teens are facing extremely dangerous animals.  Making matters worse, very few Mexican leaders, the courts, and educators are speaking out against what most nations would categorize as child abuse (Bull fighting is only legal in Mexico, Spain, France, Portugal, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador).

 

Bullfights -- A National Shame: Young animal rights activists took to the streets in central Mexico City on Sunday, chanting "Corridas de toros -- vergüenza nacional (bullfights -- a national shame).'' They were protesting the hundreds of bullfights that take place here in Mexico.  Continue Reading

In a number of instances, the bull fighting tradition is past down from one generation to the next - fathers to sons.   As part of their social fabric, Mexicans view bullfighting as intimately part of their heritage.  Mexicans with a growing number of tourists, applaud as bulls are taunted, injured, tortured, and killed in the name of entertainment.  Bullfighting creates an environment that desensitizes people – especially children and young adults by creating the illusion that violence and violent behaviors are acceptable.   

Bullfighting and Culture

Relativistic thinking suggests that bullfighting is no different than any other sport.  Relativism creates an ethical framework that ignores the impact of bullfighting on children and the desensitizing influence it has on all individuals who witness the torture of animals.  Relativists claim that humans can understand and evaluate beliefs and behaviors only in terms of their historical and cultural context.  More specifically, relativists believe we cannot externally evaluate bullfighting and that it can only be understood within the Mexican culture.   

ViolenceFree thinking suggests that bullfighting, disguised as sport, creates a violent climate and regressive culture.  When children are allowed to participate or view bullfighting they are conditioned to violence and destructive behaviors.  Equally important, the oppressive nature of bullfighting creates an environment that encourages other forms of violence, including child abuse and domestic violence. Those individuals and groups that advocate for children and families should seriously consider the dangers provided to the Mexican people from bull fighting and other forms of animal cruelty.  At a time when gangs, drugs, and human trafficking are on the increase, the Mexican people may want to re-evaluate the factors that drive and restrain a violent society by ending bullfighting now.