AR-News: (US CA) Bullfight loses rodeo's blessing

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

TheCalifornian.com
Bloodless sport must be part of religious event 
By MIKE NEMETH
The Salinas Californian 
Don't expect any bullfights -- with or without Velcro -- at the rodeo grounds 
this year. 
California Rodeo Salinas officials Thursday announced they've canceled a 
bloodless bullfight tentatively scheduled for next month at the Salinas Sports 
Complex. 
Rodeo officials say they've called off the event over concerns it wouldn't 
meet state requirements that bullfights be part of a religious festival. 
Officials hoped to make the bullfight legal by linking it to the summer-long 
Portuguese Festa of the Holy Ghost. 
The plan was to partner with a local Portuguese group, AFDES, which would 
have a priest provide a 15-minute blessing before the bullfight, said Doc 
Etienne, an attorney for the Rodeo. 
But under the law, bullfighting must be part of an event that is primarily 
religious, and a 15-minute blessing doesn't seem like enough, Etienne said. 
"We couldn't substantively comply," he said. 
The event was supposed to be June 13. In the bloodless version of the sport, 
matadors with Velcro-tipped swords attach the spear to another piece of Velcro 
wrapped around the bull's back, instead of stabbing the bull in the back. 
A co-sponsoring organization is necessary because under state law passed in 
the mid-1970s, bullfights must be held in conjunction with a religious 
festival, and proceeds must benefit the organization celebrating the festival. 




full story:
http://www.californianonline.com/news/stories/20040514/localnews/421302.html 






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    "The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those 
rights which never could have been withholden from them but by the hand of 
tyranny. - Jeremy Bentham 1748 - 1832 
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