tonight marks the beginning of the self-promoted,
"greatest outdoor show on earth!" aka the calgary stampede and rodeo...
it is neither great, or much of a show for that matter, perpetuating the old myths of western 'culture' and heritage, at a time of increased suspicion of such transgressions against individuals, and the resultant deaths and injuries.
let's face it, both rodeo and chuckwagon racing rely on the exploitation of non-humans to derive an income, cheap entertainment and some kind of pleasure, and it is an absolute lie to claim that these victims are 'well taken care of' and that they are much loved....this goes waaay beyond tough love-these victims are either having their trip to the slaughterhouse delayed while the human animals delight in subjecting them to all kinds of atrocities,or they are 'raised' to be trapped into a life of cruelties and injuries, even death, so as to allow their captors a cushy way of life.
using 'hotshots' and other cattle prods to compel someone to buck, is scarcely a sign of love.
tail twisting a child so as to get it to flee its 'pen' and then have a rope draw tight around its neck prior to being jerked down also seems to rank far below the concpt of 'love'.
forcing horses to ingest a compound known as a 'milkshake', in order that they run faster and with more intensity during the chuckwagon races is also a horrific reality that 'seems' incongruous to claims of loving their animals.
for the first time ever, last year they admitted that every year results in some deaths of animals. this is something we have long insisted to be the case-to the echoes of their denials.
there are no justifications whatsoever to such spectacles being allowed to continue; the callous disregard to life and individual is something that begins with the treatment of the non-human, continuing on to the abuses 'we' heap upon our own.
for those visiting calgary-please do so, just boycott the 'shampede'.
