Letter dated 25 January 2014 to Hon. Victorino C. Rodillas.pdf
Victorino en inglés · world, from professionals to the millions of lovers of the bull´s culture...
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Ladies and gentlemen, It is an honour to be able to intervene today in this House, representative of the Spanish people and their territories. I stand on my condition of bull breeder. On behalf of a lineage which has selected for hundreds of years an animal, the bull, which besides being the most recognized image of Spain at any point on the planet, it is one of the genetic treasures of our heritage. But I appear today mainly as president of the Fundación del Toro de Lidia, an entity of the civil society that represents everyone within the bull´s world, from professionals to the millions of lovers of the bull´s culture in its multiple expressions. That of the bull in the arena, but also the bous al carrer, the cortes and recortes, the correbous, running of the bulls, the toro de cuerda, the sokamoturra or many others. The bull structures our territory since centuries. It is not a free random so that the Bull is our unquestionable hallmark throughout the world. Therefore, no better than this place to talk about bullfighting, an ancestral cultural expression, which in each of the Spanish territories finds a way of manifesting itself. I wish that my speech today in the Senate’s Culture Committee sheds a light that could help interpreting more clearly some of the aspects that today are at stake when we talk about bullfighting. And to do so, the first thing is to properly frame the frame of discussion. Abandon for a moment the almost folkloric debate of "bulls yes - bulls not", to deepen a little more on the essence of things. We understand that the debate on the bulls requires to separate it in two, if we are to conduct a successful analysis of the same, away from vulgar common places. The first concerns our relationship with animals. How should that relationship be?
Transcript of Victorino en inglés · world, from professionals to the millions of lovers of the bull´s culture...
Ladiesandgentlemen,ItisanhonourtobeabletointervenetodayinthisHouse,representativeoftheSpanishpeopleandtheirterritories.
Istandonmyconditionofbullbreeder.
Onbehalfofalineagewhichhasselectedforhundredsofyearsananimal,thebull,whichbesidesbeingthemostrecognizedimageofSpainatanypointontheplanet,itisoneofthegenetictreasuresofourheritage.
ButIappeartodaymainlyaspresidentoftheFundacióndelTorodeLidia,anentityofthecivilsocietythatrepresentseveryonewithinthebull´sworld,fromprofessionalstothemillionsofloversofthebull´scultureinitsmultipleexpressions.
Thatofthebullinthearena,butalsothebousalcarrer,thecortesandrecortes,thecorrebous,runningofthebulls,thetorodecuerda,thesokamoturraormanyothers.
Thebullstructuresourterritorysincecenturies.
ItisnotafreerandomsothattheBullisourunquestionablehallmarkthroughouttheworld.
Therefore,nobetterthanthisplacetotalkaboutbullfighting,anancestralculturalexpression,whichineachoftheSpanishterritoriesfindsawayofmanifestingitself.
IwishthatmyspeechtodayintheSenate’sCultureCommitteeshedsalightthatcouldhelpinterpretingmoreclearlysomeoftheaspectsthattodayareatstakewhenwetalkaboutbullfighting.
Andtodoso,thefirstthingistoproperlyframetheframeofdiscussion.
Abandonforamomentthealmostfolkloricdebateof"bullsyes-bullsnot",todeepenalittlemoreontheessenceofthings.
Weunderstandthatthedebateonthebullsrequirestoseparateitintwo,ifwearetoconductasuccessfulanalysisofthesame,awayfromvulgarcommonplaces.
Thefirstconcernsourrelationshipwithanimals.
Howshouldthatrelationshipbe?
Ourculture,ourcivilization,hasbeenbuiltfromthedomainofthehumanbeingonotherswithwhomwesharetheplanet:inanimateobjects,plantsandanimals.
Homosapiensbeginsitsspectacularsuccessstorythemomenthestartstodominateboththeplantsandtheanimals.
TheNeolithicrevolutionhasmadeusarrivetowherewearenow.
Thinkingmodelshavenotdonenothingbutcollectthisstateofmatters,themasteryofmanovernature,whichcouldbesummedupinthatsentenceofProtagoras:"Manisthemeasureofallthings".
Withinthisframework,whichhasmadeustobewhoweare,thehumanbeingusesanimals.
Andtheyareusedformanythings,notjustbyanurgentfoodneed.
Weusethemtoeat,tosurvive;butalsoinHautecuisine,intellectualrefinementtoourdelight.
Wealsouseanimalsforourclothing,whenweusewoolorleathergarments.Garmentsthatcoverourneeds,butalsoourwhims,intheformofexquisitehandbags,belts,jacketsorshoes.
Andweusetheanimalsforourleisure,forhorsebackriding,admiringananimalinazoooraspartofourancientfolklore.
Thus,onlyinSpain,andwithoutconsideringthefish,approximately26animalsarekilledeverysecond.
1,560animalsperminute.
Ifweconsiderthefish,whicharealsoanimals,wecouldprobablytriplethesedata.
Irepeat,ladiesandgentlemen,26animalspersecond.Thisis,therefore,thecoldreality.
AgainIposethequestion.Canwestilluseanimals?
Andtothisquestionwemustrespondwitha'yes'ora'no'.
Andtheanswercouldbe'no'.Thisis,inessence,whattheanimalismmovementdefends.
Animalismisanideologywhich,withdifferenttinges,imposesthatthemenhavenorighttouseanimalsforanyofitspurposes.
Animalism,wantustoputupequalmenandanimals.
Animalism,Lordssenators,isamovementthathasitsoriginintheAnglo-Saxonworld.
AnditisfromtheAnglo-Saxon,NorthAmericanworldmorespecifically,fromwheretheanimalist´sagendaisbeingpromotedaroundtheworld.
Therearedozensofanimalistentitieswithbudgetsofmillionsofdollarsperyearthatarepermanentlyimposingthisagenda.
Itisdifficultnottoseeinthemediadaybydayanynewsrelatedtotheadvancementofanimalism.
Wehavethusanorganizedinternationalmovementwiththesolepurposeofimposinganewmoralordertotheworld,soitbecomesflatterculturally,morehomogeneous,withfewernuances.
Aflatworldculturallyspeakingreadysothatthevacuumleftbyourculturalexpressionscanbecolonizedbynewcustoms,asolethinkinginaworldwithhomogeneousconsumers.
AndLordssenators,unfortunatelyitisnotaboutofasciencefictionfuture,toodistanttousstill.
Animalismisalreadyverypresentinourlives.
Thus,thePACMAparty,alreadyclosetoparliamentaryrepresentation,seekstoexpresslyimposetheanimalist´screed.
Butalsootherstrongerpartiesareworkingtoimposethedoctrineofanimalrights.
Letmereadyouafragmentofaproposedlawpresentedin2018intheAndalusianParliamentbyapartywithparliamentaryrepresentationregardinganimalwelfare:
"Toquestionthedeath,theabuseorthedeprivationoflibertyoftheanimalsareconsolidatedadvancesintheconsciousnessofmillionsofpeopleinAndalusia,whileatthesametimeadvanceothertypesofinquiriesaboutitsuseforentertainmentevents,forexperimentation,forclothingorevenforfood".
Asyoucansee,itistheanimalrightsideologyexpressedinanorthodoxway.
Animalismisinouropinionaphilosophyabsolutelyinconsistentwithourculture,withtheMediterraneanhumanism.
Animalismwouldmeanacultural,economicandecologicalcatastrophe.
Cultural,becauseanimalismwouldbetheendofhundredsofculturalexpressionsthatdefineusaspeople:therapadasbestas,thepilgrimageoftheVirginofRocio,thedragofstones,theRoyalAndalusianSchoolofEquestrian,thecorrebous,falconry,thepigslaughtering,therunningofthebullsinPamplonaorinMedinadelCampo,thefeastofthelamprey,ofthecampanu,thedroveofhorsesinAtienza,Octopuspartyandsomanyothers.
Economic,becauseitwillendwithfarming,ofcourse,butalsowiththeleatherworksinUbrique,theBasquetuna,Jabugo,TeruelorGuijuelo´sham,Ezcarayblankets,handmadeshoesinMallorcaorAlicante,thecheeseinhundredsofstyles,Salamanca´scoldcut,theCatalanporksausage,theendoftheGalicianshellfishorthealmadrabainZaharadelosAtunesandBarbate.
Andfinally,animalismwouldalsomeananecologicalmeltdown.ThelandscapeinSpain,oneofthemostbiodiverseofEurope,isalandscapelargelycomprisedbytherelationshipofmanandtheanimalsthatweuse.
Assuchanimalismwouldendthemeadows,aglobalecologicaljewel,butwouldalsobetheendofCantabrianmeadows,thepastureforgrazingorthepricelesscarethatsheepandgoatsmakeinourfields.
Animalismisthecompleteandutterannihilationofourcultureandalsoofourruralworld,withallitsmaterialandimmaterialculture,withits
heritageofwaystodo,say,sing,danceorfeel.
Andthebull,asthetotemandthemostrepresentativeculturerepresentationofSpain,isthefirstheadthattheywanttocollect.
Buthaveitclear,ladiesandgentlemen,aftertheBullsitwillgoeverythingelse.Animalismisnotgoingtostopwiththeprohibitionofthebulls.
Thinkforamomentonhowanimalismwillaffecttothedifferentregionsthatyourepresent.
Andthendecideifyouwanttofollowtheanti-bullfightinggameofthoseinternationalforces.IunderstandthatitmightbeeasytodefendtheanimalismfromanofficeinMadrid.Iamaproudlycountryman.
AndIwouldsaytoallthosewhodefendtheanimalism,tocometotheruralSpainandthentellus,lookingustotheeyes,thatwecannolongerliveofwhatwelive.
Maybesomeonemaythinksomethinglike"well,letthemreinventthemselves,theyletthemengageinsomethingelse".
Inwhatexactly?WhatisitthatwemillionsofpeopleoftheruralSpainsupposedtobedoing?Developingmobileapplications?Becomegraphicdesigners?Orinnovatorsinwhateveriscoolatthetime?
Butinwhichworlddothesepeoplelive?
Iinviteallthoseanimalistpeopletoleavethecityandtosteponthefieldofreality,totellustofacetofacethattheywanttodestroyus,thatthewanttoputanendtoallourreality.
Animalismisnotaboutcaringforcatsanddogs,animalismwantstoannihilatetheruralSpain,sosimple,soclear,andsooverwhelming.
Andanypartythatsupportstheseideologicaloptions,willbejointlyresponsibleofthatattemptofdestruction.
Inanycase,therealityasoftodayworldwideandinSpain,ofcourse,isthattothequestionofwhetherwecanuseanimals,theansweris“Yes”.
Andifwecanuseanimals,whyarepeopleaskingtoforbidbullfighting?Itisacruelspectacle,isusuallytheanswertothisquestion.
ButIwonder,canbullfightingseriouslybeconsidertougherthanthelifecarriedbythevastmajorityofanimalsintheindustrialfarms?
Orwhatisrelevantisthefactthattherawnessinbullfightingispublic?Istheproblemthatweseeit?
Thisisanextremelyinterestingtopic,senators.
Whatkindofsocietydowewant?Dowewantasocietywhereapartisspewtheauthoritytosaywhatcanbeseenandwhatcannotbeseen?
Aninquisitorialcasteandcensorwhodecideswhatismoralandwhatisimmoral?Whatiscultureandwhatisnotculture?
Willthiscastebreedthatonlyacertaintypeofartmaybeexposed?Willtherebemoralandimmoralartforbidden?Willtheydecidehowweshoulddresstobedecent?Willtheydecidethelengthofskirts?Willtheydecidewhereandwithwhomwecankiss?
Ladiesandgentlemen,youareguarantorsthatnoonedarestomakeSpainalessfreecountry,youcannotconsentthatsomeonespewstherighttosaywhatiscultureorwhatisnotculture.
AlthoughIcanalmosthearsomeprotestsaying"no,itisnotthesamething,herethereisananimalinvolved".
Yes,thereisananimalinvolved,itistrue.Wehavealreadysaidthatthemanusesanimalsforitsprofit,foritspurposes.
TheUNESCOonlyputsaredlineforaculturalexpressiontobeadmissible,thisisabouthumanrightsandfundamentalfreedoms.
Andbullfighting,obviously,doesnotsurpasssuchredline.
Wethehumanbeingshave,ofcourse,aseriesofethicaldutieswithanimals.Andwithoutanydoubtwehavethesedutiesverymuchpresentinthebullfightingworld.
Thosedutiesarepresentsincetheyaretakencareinourmeadowsyearsuntiltheydieinthearena,intheframeworkofacentury-oldritual,surroundedbyrespectandadmiration.
Onlyfromthemostabsoluteignoranceormaliciouslie,wecansaythatpeoplecometoBullringtoenjoythesuffering.
Ifpeopleenjoyedthesuffering,besurethatalongtimeagothattherewouldbestandsintheslaughterhouses.
Andtherewillbemanypeoplewhodonotunderstandit,thatseeitunnecessary.
Butthebullfighting,Iassureyou,isnotasimplehobbyformanypeople.Itisaninherentpartoftheveryessenceofmanyofus.
Savatersaysthatmenneedartandritualstocreatemechanismsagainstdeath,balsamsagainsttheevidenceofourdestination.PerhapsthisisanexplanationforthemysteryoftheBull.
Bullfightingandotherexpressionsofbullfightingargueanintegralvisionoflife.
Inasocietywheredeathisobviatedandsometimesdeliberatelyhiddentogetherwitholdage,disease,orpain,thebullfightingfacesdeathfromalllevels.
Thisreminderofdeathallowstothosethatparticipateinthefiestafeelmoreattachedtolife.
Thisinvitationtolivemoreintenselyradiatesbeyondthebullringandthestreetwherethebullsareplayed.Theconsciousnessofdeathallowsthatlifecanbelivedmorefully.
Thebullsareuniversalbecausetheyconveytheneedtoacceptlifeinallitsdimensionsandhowtoliveinfullness
Thebullsarenotaspectacleofdeath,butofexaltationofwhatweare:confrontdeathtofeelalive.
Thisistherealityformillionsofpeoplearoundtheworld.Wedonotaskeveryonetoshareit.Butwedodemandthateveryonerespectsit.
AndIunderstandthatthereisstillaquestionthatdoesnotquitehaveananswer:Isbullfightingneeded?
Well,I'mnotsure...
Isdanceneeded?
Istheatrenecessary?
Arethedifferentculturalexpressionsnecessary?
HadwedevelopedourselvesasspecieswithoutCubistpaintingorrockmusic?AreGoya,FallaorGarciaLorcanecessary?
Perhapswecouldhaveexistedwithoutanyofthesethings.Surely.Butnodoubttheworldwouldbeamuchpoorerplace.
Aspoorertheworldwouldbeiftherewasnobullfighting.
Andprecisely,topreservetheculturalrichnessoftheworld,theUNESCOadoptedin2005itsConventionontheprotectionandpromotionofthediversityoftheculturalexpressions,approvedtopreventitfromthepossiblecensorsofanyculturalexpression.
Becauseanyculturalexpressionistheheritageofall,itmakestheworldmorerich,theoppositeofwhatsomepretend
AndtheUnescoapprovedthisconventionjustafewyearsafterthedestructionoftheBamiyanBuddha’sinAfghanistanbytheTalibanIslamicRegime.
Theywerebombardedbecausesomeonedecidedthatthoseancientstatueswerecontrarytomorality.
Areflexiononthissenators;theydestroyedaculturalheritageofallfortheonlyreasonthatforsomeofthemitseemedimmoral
Thisis,neithermorenorless,whatsomearepretendingwithbullfighting.
AndIfinishnow,ladiesandgentlemen
ThecultureofthebullwasbornonMediterraneanSeashores.Thebullasatotemicanimalisanecessarymythinourwayofunderstandingtheworld.
ItisnocoincidencethatitispreciselyabulltheanimalonwhichthefoundingmythsofEuropeareheld.
ItishowevertheIberiangenrewhofindsdeepermeaningsonliveanddeathinitsrelationshipwiththisuniversalbull.
Anditissowhen,intimesofourGoldenAgeisatitsfullnesswideningthecultureofhumanity,whenmodernbullfightingappearsasoneofthemostcharacteristicculturalexpressions.
Cultureisneithercreatednordestroyedbydecree,butitistheproductoftime,thecreationsofsomeandoftheassumptionbypeopleofthosecreations.
Thisishowbullfightingarisesanddevelops
Andalsothisistheway,sincetheIberianorigins,thatbullfightingisadoptedinotherplaces,peoplewithasimilarvitaldrive,asimilarwayoffacinglifeanddeath,ofcelebratingandexaltinginaradicallyvitalwaytheexistence.
Bullfighting,ladiesandgentlemen,istheculturalgiftofSpaintothehumanity.
France,Portugal,Mexico,Ecuador,Venezuela,Colombia,PeruandSpain,areguardiansofanexquisitepatrimonyofallandweareallresponsibleofitscareanditstransferfromgenerationtogeneration
Ladiesandgentlemen,beworthyrepresentativesofyourpeopleandfightforbullfighting,withpride,asthecommonculturalheritageofhumanity.
VictorinoMartínBullbreederPresidentoftheFundacióndelTorodeLidia
