Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)DEBATE over the San Fermin bull runs has been reignited after the fatal goring of Spaniard Daniel Jimeno Romero.
The first fatal goring for 14 years, Romero’s death has raised questions over the safety of the Pamplona-based festival and the treatment of the animals involved.
Romero was charged by bull Cappuccino on July 10 after it became volatile when separated from the herd.
In a desperate attempt to scramble to safety under a wooden fence, Romero was gored in the neck and died from his injuries 40 minutes later.
British student, Alex Short, also experienced the anger of Cappuccino when he was tossed in the air and gored in the thigh by the bull on the same day following Romero’s death. Miraculously, Short was able to walk away relatively unscathed.
This year’s San Fermin is now regarded as the bloodiest, with nine runners seriously injured on top of the death.
I really hope that they let this continue.
There are very few occasions in our lives when we are truly allowed to take full responsibility for our own safety. Most of the time we are regulated and controlled and prevented.
Climbers, scuba divers, skiers, motor racers, sky divers, and a few others are almost the only free people left.
If you run with bulls you know that there is a significant chance you will be injured or killed. That is the whole point. There is no other reason for doing it.
I really hope that someone sees sense and stops this ridiculous ritule. Running next to a bull and being gored or trampled to death is NOT the same as an activity or sport such as skiing or motor racing, all of which need incredible skill; running with bulls is just that: a load of bull practiced by ego maniacs.
Go and do some skydiving, Peter.
I appreciate your comments.
I used to sky dive, I used to do downhill ski racing, I do sub-aqua, I swim in heavy seas and surf, and enjoy it.
I object to being told that I can’t or shouldn’t do something just because someone else thinks it is is too dangerous for me.
But I understand your point of view. This particular event is probably now somewhat tainted. Whether that is a good enough reason to ban it is another issue.
You have, if I may say, a rather arrogant attitude in that you first of all write a loaded question, and then you go on to say that you, i.e. people that participate in extreme sports, are the only “free” people left.
One can be just as “free” and not engage in an activity such as skydiving. Risk is everywhere and of course noone is really prevented from doing anything. Sure, there are laws to deter people, but you don´t need to abide by them, do you?
You are confused Peter – did you fall on your head when jumping out of that plane lol? ;-)
Getting back on point, the bull run serves no purpose; it is dangerous and people have been killed. Just another nutty activity in what is a totally nutty country. Health and Safety has gone too far in the UK, but on this issue it needs to be invoked (the concept of H&S needs first to be created in Spain however). Only my opinion btw; feel free to run with the bulls Peter.
I have celebrated San Fermen and only a very small part of the festival is the running with the bulls. There is music, fireworks, parades, dancing in the streets. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience a taste of Basque culture. The running with the bulls happens very early in the morning and in the ten days I was there to celebrate I only saw that part once. If you have never been you should go and then judge whether or not San Fermen shoud be cancelled. I know if you do go you will change your PC views about having it cancelled. We had a great time.
Anita,
You speak from a position of knowledge and experience. Those who would seek to ban things are not usually interested in either of those. Their minds are made up, and after a short time all they can do is resort to ‘ad hominem’ abuse of anyone who holds an opinion different from their own.
You can see above how quickly this happened this time. Sometimes they try to argue the point for a little longer than happened here.
Good luck, but be prepared for some vilification.
One does not need to attend a bull-run to know that it is a pointless and dangerous activity. I am not saying it should be banned, as I wrote earlier, indeed if you want to get maimed or killed go for it. Luckily this activity will die out, just as bull-fighting is currently.
Peter, you need to loosen up a bit. I said it was my opinion and I defended your right to participate. The only thing being vilified is your logic.
Anita, I take it that you didn’t actually run with the bulls (you did not say) so you are not speaking from any position of authority on the topic. Perhaps take up sky-diving, or do you do that as well lol?
As someone who has taken part I can safely say theres no point into even beginning to explain what the value of this event means to the people that participate….if you’ve not been, you just wont get it.
What did the value of the event mean to the family of the dead man I wonder? I bet they are so pleased that he now took part…
A subtle change from ‘ad hominem’ abuse to what is properly called ’emotional appeal’. It is also a fallacious argument as it does not address the main issue, but seeks to divert attention.
For the record I hope the family would feel sorrow, mixed with a certain resignation as if he had died in a climbing accident, whilst surfing, motor racing, walking in the hills, or whatever else he loved doing, rather than dying of a heart attack sitting with a six pack on the sofa in front of the television watching daytime game shows.
It very much does address the main issue. The main issue is the activity itself, which is dangerous and accomplishes nothing. Climbing a mountain at least culminates in a sensible achievement; dodging some bulls is not an achievement; it’s just pure luck if you get killed or not.
Another needless death reported today. The OP seems to be missing these for some reason.
Btw, sitting in front of a TV with a six pack has not been proven to give someone a heart attack. Even athletes, such as the Spanish footballer who died just last week, die of unexpected heart attacks. You are just conducting self-villification when you post this nonsense, Peter.
To Anita, and Jon,
I am signing off now. But isn’t it fascinating how the antis HAVE to include a bit of abuse at the end of everything they say. They make their point, and then just before they hit the “submit” button, obviously realise they haven’t included the statutory ‘ad hominem’ ending.
I hope you both enjoy the event again, along with the many thousands of other like minded people.
Lol, you have ad hominem on the brain mate – you use that as your shield for a losing argument. How anybody could enjoy such events when there has been both death and maiming associated with it, including children and adults, defies belief – to me at least, but there’s nowt as queer as folk as they say. Bye Peter.
Let me try to reply to the point you make.
QUOTE How anybody could enjoy such events when there has been both death and maiming associated with it, including children and adults, defies belief UNQUOTE.
If you take that to its logical conclusion you will include in your blanket ban, Rally driving, F1, Motocross, air shows, rock concerts, public meetings of almost all sorts, political demonstrations, living in a small village in a deep valley in almost any counrty of the world, living close to a power station, and so on.
ALL of these have involved accidental death and maiming to adults and children at some time.
In no case was this the stated aim of the event, but in each case they have this ASSOCIATED with it.
Ad hominem coming up… Just to feel I am part of the club
Stick to daytime TV, mate. It is safer.
Ohhh, and I thought you were signing off Peter.
The risk of death in any activity is possible, so I am not sure where on earth you are going with that, and you accuse me of subject changing! My point is that the bull run (keeping on topic) is not a proper competition with strict rules; it is not a properly organised event on the scale of a rock concert; it doesn’t have strict regulations like F1, nor league tables etc. It’s just a bunch of guys running down a road amongst some cattle, some of which get gored and maimed, and frequently killed, for no purpose other than because it is a tradition. Are F1, Motorcross, and air shows traditions? No, they are properly organised public events.
I am not for blanket banning anything. You keep saying that I want to impost a ban, despite me saying the complete opposite in the very first posts, because your argument is so weak and you obviously cannot tell the difference between proper organised events and bull runs. A ban is not needed since the tradition is dying out in any event.
Peter, please can you take part in as many bull runs as possible whilst they are still underway? All of this tutoring you’re getting from me is really disrupting my Coronation Street time.