Bull charges bullfight spectators (Mexico)

BBC ^ | Monday, 30 January 2006

[HairOfTheDog]

Bull charges bullfight spectators

At least two people are being treated in hospital in Mexico City after a bull leapt into a crowd during a bullfight.

The half-ton bull - named Parajito or Little Bird - breached the safety barrier and landed on the fans.

The rampage ended when a fight participant entered the stand and killed the animal with his sword.

Mexico City's bullring was built 60 years ago and is one of the biggest in the world, with a capacity of 48,000.

Television images of the bullfight showed the beast jump over the heads of journalists and into the most expensive seats at the capital's vast ring.

One woman spectator received a six-inch (15-cm) gash in her chest.

The bullfight resumed 30 minutes after the incident. Little Bird is the first bull in the ring's history to jump into the crowd.

[technochick99]

I'm always rooting for the bull.

Ditto that.

[YoungCurmudgeon]

Those rodeo bulls look like they're having fun. Once the action is over they almost always just trot back to the proper pen. At least that's what I've witnessed,though I'm sure there are some troublemakers. Quite unlike a bullfight where the bull is poked and enraged before the fight begins. Terrible, gory, and nasty thing bullfighting. I see nothing positive in it - only slow torture.

[Calpernia]

>>>You shouldn't ping yourself... you'll go blind

That works out better then all the bruises I get from bumping myself :)

[Galveston Grl]

I agree. Bull fighting has over stayed its day in the sun.

[Ditter]

Some of the bulls do seem to enjoy it especially the older ones. My husband owns an old bull named Sauce, he planned to retire him after the PBR finals in Las Vegas because he is 9 years old but he is bucking better than ever . He doesn't get mad and try to hurt anyone, he just strolls out of the arena after he has slammed the rider to the ground.

[DUMBGRUNT]

An American touring Spain stopped at a local restaurant following a day of

sightseeing. While sipping his sangria, he noticed a sizzling, scrumptious

looking platter being served at the next table. Not only did it look good,

the smell was wonderful. He asked the waiter, "What is that you just

served?" The waiter replied, " Ah senor, you have excellent taste! Those

are bulls testicles from the bull fight this morning. A delicacy!" The

American, though momentarily daunted, said, "What the hell, I'm on

vacation! Bring me an order!" The waiter replied, "I am so sorry senor.

There is only one serving per day because there is only one bull fight

each morning. If you come early tomorrow and place your order, we will be

sure to save you this delicacy!" The next morning, the American returned,

placed his order, and then that evening he was served the one and only

special delicacy of the day. After a few bites, and inspecting the

contents of his platter, he called to the waiter and said, "These are

delicious, but they are much, much smaller than the ones I saw you serve

yesterday!" The waiter shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Si senor.

Sometimes the bull wins."

[PAR35]

It's been a long time since I've been to a bull fight, and I don't plan to go again, but when I was there, first the guys on horseback poked it to get it bleeding, then a guy stuck the spears into the neck to weaken the animal, and only then did the matador come out to play with the injured animal.

[MotleyGirl70]

I agree with you.

[coconutt2000]

What does PETA think when one of its protesters is mauled by a bear?

I really do want to find out...

[groanup]

Take away the matador's cape and sword. Make him use karate. Then it will be fair.

[fortheDeclaration]

You are comfortable with animals being killed without a ritual that honors them, but want to have the government put people in jail for killing an animal in a ritual that brings viewers pleasure.

Where did you get the impression I was 'comfortable' with animal's being killed?

The issue in killing an animal should be the lessening of pain to it, not its 'honor'.

(If you don't like it, change the channel. And I'll bet you have never actually attended one.)

No, I haven't engaged in any such deviant, cruel behavior.

I hope if you are engaged in such 'amusements' you are caught and punished for it.

[cowboyway]

Those rodeo bulls look like they're having fun

Our way is much better.......for the bull!

[AD from SpringBay]

I think bullfighting is groovy. It should be on pay-per-view.

[Lockbar]

"bull bites man"

[Ramius]

I've only seen the one bullfight. I went so that I could see for myself something I'd only ever heard about. It was every bit as gory and disturbing to watch as you might think it is. I'm not going to defend the practice but I think I can explain it.

It is real. In a world of make-believe conflict where "entertainment" invents situations that look dangerous but really are not... a bullfight is a real fight to the death. No fake blood. No fake risk. The real deal.

No, it's not a fair fight, but it is an honest one. I was surprised at how great the risk was to the matador. I expected a more contrived bull-killing show where the staging of it made it basically impossible for the bull to really get to the matador. Not the case at all. No, the bull doesn't have much chance of leaving the bullring alive, but the matador has a very real chance of death as well. Not a big chance, but a real one.

Compare this to entertainment like "The Fear Factor" or other such TV shows. The "fear" is all in the mind. Any real risk is carefully engineered out with safety equipment and staging. In the bullring there is no safety cage and no harness to pull the matador out of trouble. In fact the matador doesn't merely face an angry bull-- he intentionally makes the bull even angrier and more unpredictable. The picadores are there to try to help him, but its pretty obvious that they'll be there only after he's already in pretty serious trouble.

There is a certain cruelty to it, no way to deny that. In life and in nature there is unspeakable cruelty and pain all around us that we pretend to be insulated from. The gazelle that dies in the teeth of a lion suffers just as the mouse that is killed by a cat. The bull suffers at the hands of the matador. It is a predator/prey story in cinema verite. There's no pretending. No insulation. No play-acting.

So there's my take on it. I'm glad I went, but I'm not sure I'd bother to go again. It was mezmerizing, disturbing, thrilling and revolting all at once. Sure, I cheered for the matador... because he was ~really~ good at what he did, and it did require real courage, not TV-show courage.

But once is probably enough.

I don't suppose that bullfighting will survive much longer in today's world. People today need to know that their entertainment is harmless, and frankly... I'm OK with that too.

[HairOfTheDog]

I see art and culture in the photographs and paintings of it. But I know myself to know I would not enjoy watching it.

[republican4ever]

Yep, me too. Every time I unvoluntarily catch a glimpe of one of those horrific events I secretly (and many a time very vocally) wish for the bull to get someone... preferably more than one!

[republican4ever]

Well, if I had the b.... to jump off from a plane, I would. Don't see the point of comparison here. Skydivers are not torturing, nor killing anything for the "fun" of it!

[Constantine XIII]

At least the critter gets to fight back, unlike the slaughterhouse.

[Constantine XIII]

LOL