France Considers a Ban on Bullfighting

Supporters and opponents of bullfighting recently marched on the streets of several cities in southern France.

Earlier this month, an opinion study said about 75 percent of the French public want to ban bullfighting. But a small group of supporters say it is a tradition that should continue.

Baptiste is a 16-year-old boy training to be a bullfighter in southern France. He lives in Arles, a town close to the Mediterranean¹ Sea.

Baptiste says the people who want to ban bullfighting do not understand Corrida, another name for bullfighting.

"Corrida is a tradition, an art, a dance with the bull," Baptiste said. He is one of about 12 students in Arles learning how to fight bulls.

The people in France who do not like bullfighting wonder how it can be called an "art" when an innocent animal is killed at the end.

During a recent protest march, one sign read: "Corrida is not a fight, it's the execution of a tortured innocent."

Aymeric Caron is a French lawmaker who sent a bill to parliament that would ban bullfighting. It is currently being debated.

He said some parts of France permit bullfighting as long as fewer than 1,000 bulls are killed each year. Just because it is a tradition, he said, does not "morally justify² a practice."

Other lawmakers in Caron's party are not supporting his bill, so it is not likely to pass. But the news of the anti-bullfighting proposal started a discussion in France.

Frederic Pastor³ oversees⁴ the bullfights in the city of Nimes. He said the bull is "glorified⁵" during the fight although it is killed.

Nimes is home to 14 bullfighting shows each year. They bring in over $60 million to the city, which is just northwest of Arles.

Tiphanie Senmartin Laurent is one of the protesters. She said most people are against bullfighting. "Torture is not a show," she said.

Spain is considered the place where bullfighting began. People there are also questioning the practice. Bullfighting was banned in the Spanish province of Catalonia in 2010 but later brought back. A major court in Spain called the practice a "cultural asset." That means it is considered a tradition that has value. A new proposal on animal safety in Spain does not discuss bulls.

Yves Lebas runs the bullfighting school in Arles. He said some have wanted to ban bullfighting forever. "But they never managed, because people said ‘no.'"

Words in This Story

practice –n. an activity that is done again and again

glorify⁶ –v. to make something seem better or very important

manage –v. to succeed in doing something

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

3 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

4 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

5 glorified   

美其名的，变荣耀的

参考例句：

• The restaurant was no more than a glorified fast-food cafe. 这地方美其名曰餐馆，其实只不过是个快餐店而已。
• The author glorified the life of the peasants. 那个作者赞美了农民的生活。

6 glorify   

vt.颂扬，赞美，使增光，美化

参考例句：

• Politicians have complained that the media glorify drugs.政治家们抱怨媒体美化毒品。
• We are all committed to serving the Lord and glorifying His name in the best way we know.我们全心全意敬奉上帝，竭尽所能颂扬他的美名。