It is surely hypocritical to outlaw bullfighting and bear baiting and allow foxes to be ripped apart by dogs, and cocks to rip each other apart. Last week the UK finally imposed a ban on the traditional ‘sport’ of riding to hounds and chasing foxes, and in the United States the Supreme Court refused to overturn a ban on game bird fighting in Oklahoma.

Fox hunting is not big in the world of gambling but cockfighting exists entirely on the proceeds of wagering and the breeding and selling of game birds. It is still a popular event in many countries, from South America to Asia. In the United States the state of Massachusetts was the first to ban cockfighting, in 1836, and Oklahoma is the 48th. A federal law passed two years ago made it illegal to transport birds across state lines for fights, and now Louisiana and New Mexico are the only two states where cockfighting is still legal.

Millions of Americans are hoping that there will soon be no legal cockfighting in their country, and they have every chance of success. The practice of fixing razor-sharp blades to the legs of fighting cocks and encouraging them to maim and kill each other must surely be abhorrent to most. As in fox hunting, supporters of the ‘sport’ claim that to allow a ban will cost thousands of jobs and people will go out of business. As in fox hunting, the issue is frequently seen as urban tenets against rural ones.

Supporters of cockfighting can claim it is part of their cultural heritage, but so were many unacceptable practices such as cannibalism. It could also be argued that time and money spent by charities, organizations and governments could be given to the probably more important issues of child welfare and human rights. However, banning cockfighting and policing the resultant underground industry with severe penalties should eventually wipe out a barbaric game. As the President of the American Humane Society says, the risks must be greater than the rewards.

In Spain there is a growing voice against bullfighting and in due course this will probably expand to other continents where it occurs, and to other so-called sports such as cockfighting. It is surely only those with a mediaeval mentality that still consider such events as sport.

© Copyright 2004 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage