November 10 of 2011.- Unbelievable but true. The Department of Culture of Spain, (just in case it be confused with some other unknown part of planet earth) has launched a ‘National Award of Bullfighting’ (BOE nº 269 of 8/11/11). The award is to be given annually and carries a prize of 30,000 euros, paid for from public funds. Even were Spain not struggling with the present financial crisis such an award would be completely unjustifiable. Spain is the only country not only in officially recognising the public torture of an innocent animal as a spectacle, but also promoting this barbaric practise through subsidies and awards. This is a last desperate act of a moribund socialist government who in ten days must go to the elections. Do they expect that with this decision they will find favor with the electorate?
Have they forgotten or somehow remained ignorant of the fact that the majority of Spaniards are in favor of ending these brutal spectacles?* How is it possible that al minority seem to have the power to thus stubbornly resist the wishes of the people they are supposed to represent?
* the last poll commissioned by ADDA in Madrid confirms this once again