In this blog you are to comment on one or more of the assigned articles in relation with any of the topics touched on in the lecture PDFs every week. Your posts should be brief (150 words or the equivalent to 1 paragraph) and, most importantly, a reflection of your preparation for class.
Sec 1F - Week 7
Spain in the Eighteenth Century: Enlightened Despotism
Carlos Gutierrez El articulo de toros se me hizo interesante al saber de que hace años se podía ver visto en televisión y también al saber que otra vez va a poder ser visto. Yo estoy en contra de esto porque no pienso que este bien que se le enseñe violencia a niños en televisión publica. Ojala que cambien esta ley otra vez. Por otro lado tenemos la conquista de california por los españoles y este articulo me pareció interesante al saber que toda esa zona no fue conquistada al mismo tiempo que las otras partes y la razón por la cual los españoles invadieron estas tierras fue porque otros querían estas mismas tierras y también el otro articulo que habla de cómo se piensa que los españoles no ayudaron a las colonias de las américas a luchar contra los americanos me pareció interesante porque en verdad si les ayudaron aunque se piensa lo contrario. Finalmente el articulo de la boda del príncipe de España me pareció interesante y una buena obra por parte de ellos al eliminar algunos lujos para poder donarlos a las victimas de los ataques terroristas, aunque hay gente que no esta de acuerdo con la boda y con el dinero que se gasto siquiera trataron de ayudar, algo que muchos no hubieran hecho.
I was very interested in the article about televised bullfighting. I had not previously known that this tradition was televised at one point but is not longer on network television. The fact that the government is now bringing the fights back to TV is a little concerning, considering the violent nature of bullfighting. As the article mentioned, the fights are televised at prime time, when many young viewers are watching TV. The tradition of bullfighting is essential in history of Spain, and should still be celebrated; however, it should not be publicized to all viewers. Since it is already on cable TV, many Spaniards have access to these channels. And those who are huge vans of the fights can still go to the venue to experience them first hand. The long lasting tradition of bullfighting shaped Spanish culture to what it is today: passionate, energetic and prideful. Thus, the practice has every right to be continued since it is a symbol of national identity. However, I believe that the government should not broadcast the fights on national TV since it is too violent and disturbing for some viewers.
After reading the article about the Spanish bullfighting ban lifted, I saw the perspective of people for and against the practice. I understand that animal lovers believe this practice is cruel and unnecessary while I also believe this “art form” has been deeply rooted in Spanish culture for centuries. Removing this practice would be an attack Spanish culture itself. Bullfighting is considered a stereotype that emerged from the 17th century that exemplifies the country. This practice is a way for men to prove their bravery and has been documented since the Middle Ages. However, bullfighting was almost removed during the reign of the Bourbons.
A couple things I learned from the Gypsy article was that they were often called Roma. These people have been segregated and expelled from several countries. I still can’t comprehend why these people are discriminated against or what they have done. Their origins can be traced back to India and they have contributed greatly to the flamenco.
For the article about Spain’s royal wedding, I didn’t see how it really related to the topics covered in class because it just talked about the extravagance of the wedding. Maybe it was that now Spain’s royal family isn’t having succession issues like during the time period of the war of Spanish succession.
What I found interesting from the article about Spain in the American Revolution was that Spain assisted the colonists to spite the British for their colonial empire in the New World. France and Spain were under Bourbon control at the time and John Jay got these empires to aid in return for lost land. They provided crucial financial support during the 18th century.
During the colonization of the New World, Conquistadores named “California” after a mythical island in a popular Spanish novel at the time. What surprised me was that the diseases the Spaniards brought eliminated about two-thirds of the indigenous population. The dynamic yet violent settlements in California witnessed a system of racial hierarchy and missionary trips that were dominant to spreading the Spanish influence.
The article of “1768-1820s: Exploration and Colonial California” talks about how the Spanish arrived in the area of California and how they went about colonizing the new territories. I find it terrible to read how people who were mixed denied part of their heritage because they wanted to be considered “gente de razon” and not people like “gente corriente.”
The article of “Spain in the American Revolution” is quite a surprise for me. I did not know that Spain was involved in the victory of the “Americans” vs. the British. But reading about the reasons for Spanish involvement in this war makes perfect sense. British win over the people that would later be Americans, would have brought trouble for already Spanish territory in the North American country and while there were no Spanish, and even French troops who were also supporting the Americans, they did loan a lot of money to the American people to fund the war. This is all new to me.
The “Wedding Bells for Spain’s Royals” article talks about the royal wedding between ex-TV anchorwoman Letizia of Asturias and Prince Felipe. It was a wedding that came at a good time to give the country a moment of happiness due to the terrorist’s attacks that Spain suffered where about 200 people died. It is also the first marriage between a royal person and a commoner in Spanish history. Now this is interesting because it shows how the country has progressed since the past history where royal family would intermarry within their family members just so that they wouldn’t allow other non-family, let alone, non-royal people have a chance to rule the country.
In the “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration” talks about a particular group of people in Europe who are not really mentioned anywhere but who are more prominently living in Europe. I am talking about gypsy people. Unfortunately, gypsy people are not really wanted in Europe, but that is different in Spain. In spain there is actually more and more programs opening as years pass by that help gypsy people establish their lives in a country that might have once kicked them out. Gypsy people are now able to establish their homes in that country and while other people from other country’s might frown upon this hospitality from the Spanish, this country really is working hard to attempt and not exclude anyone from the Spanish country, well for only some groups that is.
Lastly, in our last article of the week, we have the “Live Bullfights Return to Spanish public TV after six years” reading. Bullfights are returning to television after an overturn by the conservative prime minister of Spain, Mariano Rejoy helped in this. He argues that this is a cultural thing, something that should even be considered an art. Everyone seems to be in on this so as to be a successful overturn that will stay and continue the broadcast of the sport that was banned six years ago.
This week, I found interest in the LA Times article entitled "Live bullfights return to Spanish public TV after six years" because I found it rather contradicting, yet also relates to a few points from this week's lecture material. According to the article, the anti-socialist government in Madrid banned live bullfighting from television; however, I found this rather contradicting! Bullfighting is a historically renown vital characteristic in Spanish, as well as the Iberian Peninsula, culture. The fact that the Spanish government banned such an essential Spanish movement really surprised me because Spanish modernization consisted of conservatives that basically want to restore Spain to classical, historical times which is when bullfighting began. Therefore, I found it rather contradicting that the government would ban this historical part of Spanish culture. However, the ban has been lifted and is no longer illegal in Spain besides in Catalonia, which is also surprising because it is such a historical city of Spain that you think would honor this historical practice. I think that it makes deeper sense according to true conservative values to uplift this ban, because bullfighting has been practiced in Spain for centuries despite people's personal opinions regarding the morality of bullfighting itself. According to the lecture, in the mid-18th century under the Bourbons bullfighters were initially associated with ferocious criminals. I am slightly confused on why exactly this stereotype emerged, when there was also a new stereotype that was essentially anti-French everything! I feel like the Bourbons established confusion regarding who exactly to frown upon: the French, or Spanish people who support the historical movement of bullfighting. I understand why people are opposed to bullfighting, but I also think that it is something that is simply cultural and historic that the Bourbons took out of context-personally. Thus, I find it rather interesting and confusing regarding why exactly bullfighting was banned to begin with, in addition to making broadcasting it illegal; however, such changes represent the push for modernization of Spain studied in this week's lecture.
The article about the 2004 royal wedding is demonstrating how this marriage is unique not only due to the fact that the queen was divorced but also because she is not from royal blood. HOwever, the article clarifies that the church agreed to the wedding because her first marriage was not done in the Roman Catholic Church. I also think that the royal family responded wisely in light of the recent terrorist events that left 200 people dead.
I found it interesting in the bullfighting article that Catalonia refuses to allow bullfighting as a sport has requested to refuse to air it live. It seems that the decision is more to show its autonomy in decision making from the rest of Spain than it being an animal rights problem.
The article about the gypsies shows how Spain is willing to embrace a group that has been and is still being looked down upon by Europe. In France, Sarkosy had driven many gypsies to Romania. Spain is trying to teach them higher skilled jobs and to assimilate them in the community.
The Gypsies are a group of people that live particularly in Europe. They originally came from North India and established themselves in Spain around 1425. The gypsies have remained the most marginalized group for centuries. Living as a gypsy in Spain in the past was difficult because there were laws forcing them to choose between adaptation and expulsion. They experienced discrimination and prejudice; however, they managed to influence Spain’s culture with flamenco. Flamenco was associated with the gypsies and marginal groups involving criminal, jails and prostitution. Fortunately for the gypsies, according to the article, In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration, Spain’s current government is passing laws and programs to ease the transition of gypsies into Spanish society. The government is founding programs that allow gypsies to have access to jobs, housing and integrated schooling for their children. Gypsies in Spain’s past were seen as beggars, thieves, and having to live isolated in marginalized areas; these stereotypes needs to be eliminated in Spain and other European countries. Today, Spain has an estimated 700,000 gypsies that are taking advantage of these government programs that ease their integration; hopefully, other nations will follow their example. -Mitzi Marquez-Avila
An interesting reading for this week was the “Spain in the American Revolution” reading. Before going into the reading I just want to point out that I had no idea that Spain had helped the colonists during the American Revolution. This is one of the reasons why I find this reading very interesting. Although the author says that he is not completely sure that Spain helped in order to regain back the territory what Britain had taken from them I believe that this is part of the reason why they decided to help the colonists. Like Professor Torrecilla said during lecture, Spain once believed that they were invincible and that nothing could ever bring them down. Believing this was the biggest mistake of Spain’s life as a powerful empire because they were soon struck down and had a terrible fall. It is very likely that the Spaniards felt humiliated by being defeated, which is why they may have taken this opportunity to regain the territory that Britain had taken from them. The article describes that they helped the Americans with financial support, although today it would have been illegal to do it the way Spain earned the money. There were also land battles between Spain and Britain in Florida and Louisiana. Spain was able to succeed territory from Britain during these battles. There was also naval support from the Spaniards to the Americans. For this, however, Spain joined other Britain’s competitors to defeat Britain. This, of course was a smart strategy because it caused the British to surrender. This article depicts Spain’s eagerness of being a world power once again
In the LA times article "Live bullfights return to Spanish public TV after six years" I feel like Spain is trying to keep bullfights in the Spaniards identity. Bringing them back to television is a way I think they are trying to revive the tradition and try to stop other regions of the country to ban the bullfights like Catalonia. People might argue that they are not apt for children and that they are violent and cruel but there are other shows or movies that are shown on TV that are also violent. The article that interested me the most this week was the "In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration." I feel like this article gives an example of what happened years ago with Jews and Muslims trying to fit in to the culture but as a problem in the present time. I am glad that Spain has the best statistics regarding the integration of gypsies. I like to hear that people are accepting them and that the gypsies are willing to accept help and try to become part of the society. The other article that had me thinking was the "1768-1820s: Exploration and Colonial California" article. Sometimes I forget how this continent came to be and think that it was set ready for us to live in it. This article reminded me of how mixed people are here in Latin America. We might think of ourselves as "Latinos/Hispanics" but we might have spanish, jewish or moor ancestry, and maybe even mixed with british or french specially here in the United States.
The article “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration” sparked my interest, due to the fact that it portrays a very different side of Spain, than the image exemplified throughout history, in which Spain is illustrated as hostile toward foreigners. The article discusses various governmental programs that have been implemented over the past 30 years that were created in order to help gypsies lead a successful and prosperous life. The governmental programs created by Spain concentrate on particular issues such as housing, jobs, and education; these programs have been so successful that they now serve as a model for other European countries hoping to help the impoverished gypsy community. In lecture, we learned about Spain’s expulsion of the Muslims and the Jews, and of Spain’s religious intolerance in general, although, the gypsies do not represent a particular religious group it is still important to acknowledge that Spain is now moving toward becoming a nation that is more accepting and tolerant of differences. In lecture, we learned that although Philip IV’s reign saw some spectacular victories, it also was plagued with domestic crisis. One of the main factors of this crisis on the home front was due to a lack of population base, which can be seen as a direct result of the expulsion of the Moriscos. This new tolerance toward difference in Spain can be seen as an attempt to learn from the nation’s past mistakes and refrain from repeating them.
Despite all of the interesting and informative articles that we had, Spins's gypsies completely grasped my attention. I was thrilled to know that we were going to know a little more about the Romane culture. The prejudice notions that were attached to the culture itself was a contributing factor that did not allow for the enhancement of culture that has truly contributed many things (i.e flamenco dancing ) to the contemporary spanish culture that we associate to in one way or another. True they may still have many of their beliefs but they are also adapting to new ideologies such as staying in school and pursuing a carrer rather than continuing the tradition their parents have held on for, for many centuries. Moreover the fact that public housing is now available to many gypsy communities adds on to the contribution of having somewhere to live instead of being a nomad and moving constantly from place to place. Their allocation to one specific city allows for them to prosper within the nation. Hence the articles stresstes the value of having a situated location where they and their families can thrive as a family. Yes there are a diaspora of communities scattered throughout Europe and thus so far Spain has provided the 'best" living situation compared to the rest. Nonetheless the emphasis can be heavily imposed unto the government who has become tolerant of the romane culture as a whole
The article about the gypsies finding it easier to assimilate and thrive in Spain today was very exciting. After learning in lecture how important of an influence that the gypsies had in creating a Spanish national culture and separating itself from French influence through their dress, the Flamenco, and bullfighting (all stereotypes of Spain today). Even though gypsies have been looked down upon, especially in other European countries, it is nice to know that the government of Spain is fighting to help those that helped them. It’s not that they are giving them any special treatment, they are just giving equal opportunity to those who deserve and need it. It is also good that the children have a better way of life than their ancestors did.
One of the articles that interested me the most was “In Spain, Gypsies find an easier way to integration.” It’s interesting to see how Gypsies along Muslims and Jews were and still are one of the most marginalized groups in Spain. Nevertheless, Spain has tried to integrate them into its society. What interested me the most was how easily reverse influence changed the way Spanish people viewed Gypsies. At one point Gypsies were marginalized in Spanish society, but by the time the French took control of Spain, Spanish people identified with everything that was not French, including Gypsies. The article talked about Spain being the leading European country in helping Gypsies integrate into society by preparing them to have good jobs, helping kids attend schools, allowing them buy houses; things have helped break the stereotypes that have been attached to them and that often lead them to face prejudice. I see this as an effect of what happened in the 18th century. It is a result of the reverse influence against the French.
The article on Live Bullfighting was very interesting because I was surprised to see that Bullfighting was brought back. It took six years before it was legalized again. I was also able to see both sides of the coin through this article. I realize that it is cruel for bulls to be killed but I also see the perspective that fulfills the culture of Spain. Bullfighting has been around for a very long time; it has become one of Spain's national symbol. Today, Catalonia is the only Spanish mainland region where it is illegal.
The article about the Gypsies was another that I found to be very interesting because I have heard of the term "gitano" which is popular in Spain, but I had never heard of the term "Roma" which is popular in Europe. I was also very interested in knowing that Spain has become much more accepting of "gitanos" unlike Europe whom has deported thousands of Roma to Romania just to avoid contact with them. Something else I liked about the article was the honestly that Spain presented. They are trying hard to accept and welcome Gitanos but it is also difficult for them to have them learn of Spain's culture and beliefs. Such as almost an 80% of school dropouts are gypsies between the age of 12 and 18. I thought that was very interesting to know and very nice of Spain to realize that despite the fact that there are positive's, there are also negatives.
The Article on the wedding of Spain's Royals was also quite interesting. The first thing that immediately caught my attention was the the prince married a commoner; something that had not been seen before. I was also interested in the fact that they donated a lot of the money which was supposed to be for the wedding to the people who had suffered an earlier attack.
Lastly, something that spoke out to me the most was on the article of Colonial California. The racial hierarchy that was developed, in my opinion, was very harsh and unnecessary. The fact that the working class was known as the "gente corriente" really spoke to me. And of course, the fact that Spaniards were at the top of the hierarchy. It just reminds me so much of how unethical colonization was. I feel for the native people of this time. Discrimination is something that has definitely thrived in our history. :(
The way Spain is viewed today is mainly based on the stereotypes and attitudes adopted in the Iberian Peninsula during the eighteenth century. Once again, a strong sense of nationalism and the deep rivalry between Spain and France caused reverse influence in the Iberian Peninsula, which drove Spain to develop and embrace certain traditions that still characterizes this country. As this sense of nationalism increased, the views of Spaniards changed; everything opposing French traditions or practices was now viewed as truly Spanish. Bullfighting, for example, which was reserved to criminals, became a popular practice due to French disapproval of such; today, bullfighting is viewed as a tradition, even though it is merely a result of wanting to go against the “effeminate” beliefs of the French. In addition, reverse discrimination also had an important effect in Spanish living standards of gypsies and treatment that they receive today. In the eighteenth century, gypsies were viewed as a symbol of true Spanish culture; therefore they are still cherished and seen as an important part of Spain today. In contrast to other European nations, Spain seeks to provide basic goods, such as housing and education, to all gypsies and overall, the government is helping to promote their culture. Moreover, the beliefs developed in the eighteenth century, which were mainly a response to a strong sense of national pride, still influence the view we have of Spain today.
The pastime of bullfighting is such an important element of Spain that is seen throughout history. So the article “Live bullfights return to Spanish public TV after six years” tells of how this sport is returning to public television, after it was banned by a previous government. Bulls have been seen in the Iberian Peninsula for many centuries and bullfighting has gone along with this presence. There was a short disappearance of the sport during the 18th-century, since the Bourbon kings did not favor it and associated the act with criminals. Despite this, bullfighting still lives to this day. The six-year hiatus of bullfighting on public television is seen as a loss of “culture.” Many advocates have convinced the government to classify this as an art form instead of a sport - protected by the Ministry of Culture. This is a sign that the Spanish people are supportive of the pastime and wish for bullfighting to continue in the country for many centuries to come. Therefore, it is a victory to have the “art form” aired back on public television for people to enjoy.
In "Spain in the American Revolution", a question is answered about the lack of presence of a Spaniard army during Revolutionary battles. The answer to this question is that despite the lack of people there, Spain (and France) did, in fact, have an impact on the outcome of the Revolution. Spain's main donation to this was economic, financing the new (and less wealthy) America. Providing weapons was another main donation. We can see by this the physical presence of people is what most obviously makes people feel the source of assistance. That is likely the thought behind our current issues in the middle-east. Many Americans are traveling to and from our sister countries, assisting as necessary. This will be the best way for them to remember that it was America who helped them out. Secretly, it is all about prestige and pride. But isn't everything?
This week’s lecture discussion of gypsies was similarly highlighted in this week’s article titled “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration.” I thought this article was very interesting because it took a personal story of one individual (a 33 year old Gypsy woman trained as a manicurist) and told the story of how she is being integrated into the work force in Spain. This article expands on the notion that we covered in lecture; that Gypsies have been in Spain beginning as early as 1492, and how Spain adopted the Gypsies as a group that was truly Spanish during a time when anything French was stigmatized. Thus, as the article asserts, Spain (compared to the rest of Europe) has paved the way for the minority Gypsy population to increase their standard of living through better jobs and better homes. I thought it was very interesting that in lecture we took note that gypsies were the most marginal group in Spain for centuries, and yet the article highlights all of Spain’s efforts to use government programs to assist them in attaining a mainstream level of living. The article reinforces the idea that Spain is a melting pot of diverse cultures, and Spain realizes that to maintain their national identity as such, they must do their best to accommodate every individual so they, too, can thrive in Spain.
Sorry if I'm double posting but I didn't see a confirmation.
I think that strong parallels can be drawn comparing the gypsies in the article, “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier path to Integration,” and the struggle for integration of blacks here in the USA. A lot of the stereotypes that I read in the article, such as gypsies not being able to “hold down a steady job” or that the way they learn is somehow different and so their children need to be in the same classes as those with a diagnosed mental handicap, sound surprisingly similar to the stereotypes that white USA used to have before the Civil Rights Movements. However, it is inspiring to see that the government in Spain is able to move beyond these uneducated ideas and really work with the gypsy population, not just to integrate them, but to give them tools to be productive members of society. It really shows a positive side of Spain too, that they are able to embrace an aspect of their history that others in Europe have chosen to reject; while other European countries see fit to cast the gypsies off as “beggars and petty thieves” they are more welcoming of these gitanos. And like the US, Spain is ready to enforce the integration even if there are members of the community who don’t want it, either by financing programs or by providing mediators at the schools where there are now gypsy children. I feel that the mediators themselves are especially important, because here in the US the first black child to go to a white school needed to be escorted by US Marshals; at least the gypsies in Spain only need mediators, but hopefully that’s also a sign that we have progressed as a whole.
Referring to the article, “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Paths to Integration,” it is clear that gypsies have to face unnecessary discrimination. Many people perceive them as thieves or beggars. However, this article shows that they can be just as professional as anyone else. They are capable of getting jobs and being hard workers. It is not fair that gypsy children have to also face this discrimination in regards to what schools to attend. I feel that Spain is right to offer many opportunities for gypsies because just like everyone else, they deserve equality.
In the article, “Live bullfights return to Spanish public TV after six years,” I agree with the new prime minister. Bullfighting is a Spanish tradition and deeply rooted into their culture. Therefore, it should not be considered as a cruel or brutal sport. It should be considered as an embracement of Spanish heritage and a form of art. Their desire to continue fighting bulls is their way of preserving the Spanish identity that started around the middle of the 18th century.
I was interested right away in the information about gypsies in this week’s lecture and one of the news articles because the professor in my Spanish 119 class was just talking about gypsies last week when we read one of Lorca’s poems. While I already knew that Lorca was obsessed with gitanos as a symbol of independence and strength, I was not aware that they continue to be such a marginalized group in Europe. My Spanish 119 professor told us that he remembered from his childhood in Córdoba the strong prejudice against gypsies and that they often lived in ghettos. Naturally I was very happy to read this week’s article, “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration”, and learn that Spanish government programs have been working for thirty years to improve quality of life for this marginalized minority. My other Spanish professor also explained, just as Professor Torrecilla did in lecture, that the word gitano comes from egipcianos, because they were believed to have come from Egypt. It’s very strange that a group which has traditionally been seen as outsiders (even though they have lived in Spain since the 15th century), labelled as such (just from the wrong country like America’s “Indians”), and discriminated against should have become part of a nationalist identity that was meant to be authentically Spanish (anything to differentiate oneself from the French, I suppose). Like the history of conflict between Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Iberian peninsula, as well as the contributions of each group to Spanish culture, this is an example of Spain’s complicated relationship with diversity.
The two articles that stood out to me were of the Calisphere and Spain in the American revolution. Enroaching the Calisphere article, I can conjure a common theme of indigenous vs foreigners that has been the case for every major colonization in history. While economic prosperity is a pro, struggle for power between the two groups as well as diseases lay grounds for major struggle between them. I believe that unlike the Americans, if the Spaniards were able to strengthen their ties with the indigenous people, they would be in a stronger position of power at least in the Americas to hold their massive global territory. THis concept is exemplified in the Spain in American revolution article and the key idea I saw there was that Spain's contributions, while significant financially, were significantly underrated due to their diminishing global strength as well as their lack of ties with the American continent through physical presence. Racial tensions were predominant during Spanish colonization and as a consequence they did not receive a significant amount of support by the native people resulting in a loss of territory. It would be extremely interesting to see the dynamics of the Americas, had the Spaniards forged a strong bond with the natives and developed a "New Spain" as opposed to a territorial acquisition
This week, I enjoyed reading the bull-fight article. Basically, the article describes how the 6 year ban on broadcasting bullfight on national TV has been lifted at the hand of the "conservative prime minister, a staunch fan." The two opinions presented in the article is a) that it is too violent and cruel for TV especially at the primetime 6 pm, which is why it was banned in the past and b) that it is a tradition unique to Spanish identity that should be honored and classified as an art form. Personally, I think that this issue is very tricky to deal with because on the one hand, I do agree that bullfighting is especially gory and not suitable for primetime televsion! Especially since children can watch at this time. However, I also agree that bullfighting is a very distinct and amazingly unique tradition of Spain--even the fact that it still survives today attests to the power and specialness of this tradition that people still want to preserve it. I am not sure where to draw the line for such a decision like this, because bullfighting, although a form of art and culture, does in fact, involve the killing of an animal for sport. I personally dislike this treatment of animals and think it is a rather barbaric tradition to preserve. Yet, I do agree that this is a national pastime that has united most of the country historically. Perhaps, to the Spainards, it is so representative of culture that the animal killing part is made irrelevant. Different strokes for different folks?
Carlos Gutierrez
ReplyDeleteEl articulo de toros se me hizo interesante al saber de que hace años se podía ver visto en televisión y también al saber que otra vez va a poder ser visto. Yo estoy en contra de esto porque no pienso que este bien que se le enseñe violencia a niños en televisión publica. Ojala que cambien esta ley otra vez. Por otro lado tenemos la conquista de california por los españoles y este articulo me pareció interesante al saber que toda esa zona no fue conquistada al mismo tiempo que las otras partes y la razón por la cual los españoles invadieron estas tierras fue porque otros querían estas mismas tierras y también el otro articulo que habla de cómo se piensa que los españoles no ayudaron a las colonias de las américas a luchar contra los americanos me pareció interesante porque en verdad si les ayudaron aunque se piensa lo contrario. Finalmente el articulo de la boda del príncipe de España me pareció interesante y una buena obra por parte de ellos al eliminar algunos lujos para poder donarlos a las victimas de los ataques terroristas, aunque hay gente que no esta de acuerdo con la boda y con el dinero que se gasto siquiera trataron de ayudar, algo que muchos no hubieran hecho.
I was very interested in the article about televised bullfighting. I had not previously known that this tradition was televised at one point but is not longer on network television. The fact that the government is now bringing the fights back to TV is a little concerning, considering the violent nature of bullfighting. As the article mentioned, the fights are televised at prime time, when many young viewers are watching TV. The tradition of bullfighting is essential in history of Spain, and should still be celebrated; however, it should not be publicized to all viewers. Since it is already on cable TV, many Spaniards have access to these channels. And those who are huge vans of the fights can still go to the venue to experience them first hand. The long lasting tradition of bullfighting shaped Spanish culture to what it is today: passionate, energetic and prideful. Thus, the practice has every right to be continued since it is a symbol of national identity. However, I believe that the government should not broadcast the fights on national TV since it is too violent and disturbing for some viewers.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article about the Spanish bullfighting ban lifted, I saw the perspective of people for and against the practice. I understand that animal lovers believe this practice is cruel and unnecessary while I also believe this “art form” has been deeply rooted in Spanish culture for centuries. Removing this practice would be an attack Spanish culture itself. Bullfighting is considered a stereotype that emerged from the 17th century that exemplifies the country. This practice is a way for men to prove their bravery and has been documented since the Middle Ages. However, bullfighting was almost removed during the reign of the Bourbons.
ReplyDeleteA couple things I learned from the Gypsy article was that they were often called Roma. These people have been segregated and expelled from several countries. I still can’t comprehend why these people are discriminated against or what they have done. Their origins can be traced back to India and they have contributed greatly to the flamenco.
For the article about Spain’s royal wedding, I didn’t see how it really related to the topics covered in class because it just talked about the extravagance of the wedding. Maybe it was that now Spain’s royal family isn’t having succession issues like during the time period of the war of Spanish succession.
What I found interesting from the article about Spain in the American Revolution was that Spain assisted the colonists to spite the British for their colonial empire in the New World. France and Spain were under Bourbon control at the time and John Jay got these empires to aid in return for lost land. They provided crucial financial support during the 18th century.
During the colonization of the New World, Conquistadores named “California” after a mythical island in a popular Spanish novel at the time. What surprised me was that the diseases the Spaniards brought eliminated about two-thirds of the indigenous population. The dynamic yet violent settlements in California witnessed a system of racial hierarchy and missionary trips that were dominant to spreading the Spanish influence.
The article of “1768-1820s: Exploration and Colonial California” talks about how the Spanish arrived in the area of California and how they went about colonizing the new territories. I find it terrible to read how people who were mixed denied part of their heritage because they wanted to be considered “gente de razon” and not people like “gente corriente.”
ReplyDeleteThe article of “Spain in the American Revolution” is quite a surprise for me. I did not know that Spain was involved in the victory of the “Americans” vs. the British. But reading about the reasons for Spanish involvement in this war makes perfect sense. British win over the people that would later be Americans, would have brought trouble for already Spanish territory in the North American country and while there were no Spanish, and even French troops who were also supporting the Americans, they did loan a lot of money to the American people to fund the war. This is all new to me.
The “Wedding Bells for Spain’s Royals” article talks about the royal wedding between ex-TV anchorwoman Letizia of Asturias and Prince Felipe. It was a wedding that came at a good time to give the country a moment of happiness due to the terrorist’s attacks that Spain suffered where about 200 people died. It is also the first marriage between a royal person and a commoner in Spanish history. Now this is interesting because it shows how the country has progressed since the past history where royal family would intermarry within their family members just so that they wouldn’t allow other non-family, let alone, non-royal people have a chance to rule the country.
In the “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration” talks about a particular group of people in Europe who are not really mentioned anywhere but who are more prominently living in Europe. I am talking about gypsy people. Unfortunately, gypsy people are not really wanted in Europe, but that is different in Spain. In spain there is actually more and more programs opening as years pass by that help gypsy people establish their lives in a country that might have once kicked them out. Gypsy people are now able to establish their homes in that country and while other people from other country’s might frown upon this hospitality from the Spanish, this country really is working hard to attempt and not exclude anyone from the Spanish country, well for only some groups that is.
Lastly, in our last article of the week, we have the “Live Bullfights Return to Spanish public TV after six years” reading. Bullfights are returning to television after an overturn by the conservative prime minister of Spain, Mariano Rejoy helped in this. He argues that this is a cultural thing, something that should even be considered an art. Everyone seems to be in on this so as to be a successful overturn that will stay and continue the broadcast of the sport that was banned six years ago.
This week, I found interest in the LA Times article entitled "Live bullfights return to Spanish public TV after six years" because I found it rather contradicting, yet also relates to a few points from this week's lecture material. According to the article, the anti-socialist government in Madrid banned live bullfighting from television; however, I found this rather contradicting! Bullfighting is a historically renown vital characteristic in Spanish, as well as the Iberian Peninsula, culture. The fact that the Spanish government banned such an essential Spanish movement really surprised me because Spanish modernization consisted of conservatives that basically want to restore Spain to classical, historical times which is when bullfighting began. Therefore, I found it rather contradicting that the government would ban this historical part of Spanish culture. However, the ban has been lifted and is no longer illegal in Spain besides in Catalonia, which is also surprising because it is such a historical city of Spain that you think would honor this historical practice. I think that it makes deeper sense according to true conservative values to uplift this ban, because bullfighting has been practiced in Spain for centuries despite people's personal opinions regarding the morality of bullfighting itself. According to the lecture, in the mid-18th century under the Bourbons bullfighters were initially associated with ferocious criminals. I am slightly confused on why exactly this stereotype emerged, when there was also a new stereotype that was essentially anti-French everything! I feel like the Bourbons established confusion regarding who exactly to frown upon: the French, or Spanish people who support the historical movement of bullfighting. I understand why people are opposed to bullfighting, but I also think that it is something that is simply cultural and historic that the Bourbons took out of context-personally. Thus, I find it rather interesting and confusing regarding why exactly bullfighting was banned to begin with, in addition to making broadcasting it illegal; however, such changes represent the push for modernization of Spain studied in this week's lecture.
ReplyDeleteThe article about the 2004 royal wedding is demonstrating how this marriage is unique not only due to the fact that the queen was divorced but also because she is not from royal blood. HOwever, the article clarifies that the church agreed to the wedding because her first marriage was not done in the Roman Catholic Church. I also think that the royal family responded wisely in light of the recent terrorist events that left 200 people dead.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting in the bullfighting article that Catalonia refuses to allow bullfighting as a sport has requested to refuse to air it live. It seems that the decision is more to show its autonomy in decision making from the rest of Spain than it being an animal rights problem.
The article about the gypsies shows how Spain is willing to embrace a group that has been and is still being looked down upon by Europe. In France, Sarkosy had driven many gypsies to Romania. Spain is trying to teach them higher skilled jobs and to assimilate them in the community.
The Gypsies are a group of people that live particularly in Europe. They originally came from North India and established themselves in Spain around 1425. The gypsies have remained the most marginalized group for centuries. Living as a gypsy in Spain in the past was difficult because there were laws forcing them to choose between adaptation and expulsion. They experienced discrimination and prejudice; however, they managed to influence Spain’s culture with flamenco. Flamenco was associated with the gypsies and marginal groups involving criminal, jails and prostitution. Fortunately for the gypsies, according to the article, In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration, Spain’s current government is passing laws and programs to ease the transition of gypsies into Spanish society. The government is founding programs that allow gypsies to have access to jobs, housing and integrated schooling for their children. Gypsies in Spain’s past were seen as beggars, thieves, and having to live isolated in marginalized areas; these stereotypes needs to be eliminated in Spain and other European countries. Today, Spain has an estimated 700,000 gypsies that are taking advantage of these government programs that ease their integration; hopefully, other nations will follow their example.
ReplyDelete-Mitzi Marquez-Avila
An interesting reading for this week was the “Spain in the American Revolution” reading. Before going into the reading I just want to point out that I had no idea that Spain had helped the colonists during the American Revolution. This is one of the reasons why I find this reading very interesting. Although the author says that he is not completely sure that Spain helped in order to regain back the territory what Britain had taken from them I believe that this is part of the reason why they decided to help the colonists. Like Professor Torrecilla said during lecture, Spain once believed that they were invincible and that nothing could ever bring them down. Believing this was the biggest mistake of Spain’s life as a powerful empire because they were soon struck down and had a terrible fall. It is very likely that the Spaniards felt humiliated by being defeated, which is why they may have taken this opportunity to regain the territory that Britain had taken from them. The article describes that they helped the Americans with financial support, although today it would have been illegal to do it the way Spain earned the money. There were also land battles between Spain and Britain in Florida and Louisiana. Spain was able to succeed territory from Britain during these battles. There was also naval support from the Spaniards to the Americans. For this, however, Spain joined other Britain’s competitors to defeat Britain. This, of course was a smart strategy because it caused the British to surrender. This article depicts Spain’s eagerness of being a world power once again
ReplyDeleteIn the LA times article "Live bullfights return to Spanish public TV after six years" I feel like Spain is trying to keep bullfights in the Spaniards identity. Bringing them back to television is a way I think they are trying to revive the tradition and try to stop other regions of the country to ban the bullfights like Catalonia. People might argue that they are not apt for children and that they are violent and cruel but there are other shows or movies that are shown on TV that are also violent. The article that interested me the most this week was the "In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration." I feel like this article gives an example of what happened years ago with Jews and Muslims trying to fit in to the culture but as a problem in the present time. I am glad that Spain has the best statistics regarding the integration of gypsies. I like to hear that people are accepting them and that the gypsies are willing to accept help and try to become part of the society. The other article that had me thinking was the "1768-1820s: Exploration and Colonial California" article. Sometimes I forget how this continent came to be and think that it was set ready for us to live in it. This article reminded me of how mixed people are here in Latin America. We might think of ourselves as "Latinos/Hispanics" but we might have spanish, jewish or moor ancestry, and maybe even mixed with british or french specially here in the United States.
ReplyDeleteThe article “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration” sparked my interest, due to the fact that it portrays a very different side of Spain, than the image exemplified throughout history, in which Spain is illustrated as hostile toward foreigners. The article discusses various governmental programs that have been implemented over the past 30 years that were created in order to help gypsies lead a successful and prosperous life. The governmental programs created by Spain concentrate on particular issues such as housing, jobs, and education; these programs have been so successful that they now serve as a model for other European countries hoping to help the impoverished gypsy community. In lecture, we learned about Spain’s expulsion of the Muslims and the Jews, and of Spain’s religious intolerance in general, although, the gypsies do not represent a particular religious group it is still important to acknowledge that Spain is now moving toward becoming a nation that is more accepting and tolerant of differences. In lecture, we learned that although Philip IV’s reign saw some spectacular victories, it also was plagued with domestic crisis. One of the main factors of this crisis on the home front was due to a lack of population base, which can be seen as a direct result of the expulsion of the Moriscos. This new tolerance toward difference in Spain can be seen as an attempt to learn from the nation’s past mistakes and refrain from repeating them.
ReplyDelete--Stephanie Marroquin--
ReplyDeleteDespite all of the interesting and informative articles that we had, Spins's gypsies completely grasped my attention. I was thrilled to know that we were going to know a little more about the Romane culture. The prejudice notions that were attached to the culture itself was a contributing factor that did not allow for the enhancement of culture that has truly contributed many things (i.e flamenco dancing ) to the contemporary spanish culture that we associate to in one way or another. True they may still have many of their beliefs but they are also adapting to new ideologies such as staying in school and pursuing a carrer rather than continuing the tradition their parents have held on for, for many centuries.
Moreover the fact that public housing is now available to many gypsy communities adds on to the contribution of having somewhere to live instead of being a nomad and moving constantly from place to place. Their allocation to one specific city allows for them to prosper within the nation. Hence the articles stresstes the value of having a situated location where they and their families can thrive as a family. Yes there are a diaspora of communities scattered throughout Europe and thus so far Spain has provided the 'best" living situation compared to the rest. Nonetheless the emphasis can be heavily imposed unto the government who has become tolerant of the romane culture as a whole
The article about the gypsies finding it easier to assimilate and thrive in Spain today was very exciting. After learning in lecture how important of an influence that the gypsies had in creating a Spanish national culture and separating itself from French influence through their dress, the Flamenco, and bullfighting (all stereotypes of Spain today). Even though gypsies have been looked down upon, especially in other European countries, it is nice to know that the government of Spain is fighting to help those that helped them. It’s not that they are giving them any special treatment, they are just giving equal opportunity to those who deserve and need it. It is also good that the children have a better way of life than their ancestors did.
ReplyDelete-Francesca Zuccola
One of the articles that interested me the most was “In Spain, Gypsies find an easier way to integration.” It’s interesting to see how Gypsies along Muslims and Jews were and still are one of the most marginalized groups in Spain. Nevertheless, Spain has tried to integrate them into its society. What interested me the most was how easily reverse influence changed the way Spanish people viewed Gypsies. At one point Gypsies were marginalized in Spanish society, but by the time the French took control of Spain, Spanish people identified with everything that was not French, including Gypsies. The article talked about Spain being the leading European country in helping Gypsies integrate into society by preparing them to have good jobs, helping kids attend schools, allowing them buy houses; things have helped break the stereotypes that have been attached to them and that often lead them to face prejudice. I see this as an effect of what happened in the 18th century. It is a result of the reverse influence against the French.
ReplyDeleteThe article on Live Bullfighting was very interesting because I was surprised to see that Bullfighting was brought back. It took six years before it was legalized again. I was also able to see both sides of the coin through this article. I realize that it is cruel for bulls to be killed but I also see the perspective that fulfills the culture of Spain. Bullfighting has been around for a very long time; it has become one of Spain's national symbol. Today, Catalonia is the only Spanish mainland region where it is illegal.
ReplyDeleteThe article about the Gypsies was another that I found to be very interesting because I have heard of the term "gitano" which is popular in Spain, but I had never heard of the term "Roma" which is popular in Europe. I was also very interested in knowing that Spain has become much more accepting of "gitanos" unlike Europe whom has deported thousands of Roma to Romania just to avoid contact with them. Something else I liked about the article was the honestly that Spain presented. They are trying hard to accept and welcome Gitanos but it is also difficult for them to have them learn of Spain's culture and beliefs. Such as almost an 80% of school dropouts are gypsies between the age of 12 and 18. I thought that was very interesting to know and very nice of Spain to realize that despite the fact that there are positive's, there are also negatives.
The Article on the wedding of Spain's Royals was also quite interesting. The first thing that immediately caught my attention was the the prince married a commoner; something that had not been seen before. I was also interested in the fact that they donated a lot of the money which was supposed to be for the wedding to the people who had suffered an earlier attack.
Lastly, something that spoke out to me the most was on the article of Colonial California. The racial hierarchy that was developed, in my opinion, was very harsh and unnecessary. The fact that the working class was known as the "gente corriente" really spoke to me. And of course, the fact that Spaniards were at the top of the hierarchy. It just reminds me so much of how unethical colonization was. I feel for the native people of this time. Discrimination is something that has definitely thrived in our history. :(
The way Spain is viewed today is mainly based on the stereotypes and attitudes adopted in the Iberian Peninsula during the eighteenth century. Once again, a strong sense of nationalism and the deep rivalry between Spain and France caused reverse influence in the Iberian Peninsula, which drove Spain to develop and embrace certain traditions that still characterizes this country. As this sense of nationalism increased, the views of Spaniards changed; everything opposing French traditions or practices was now viewed as truly Spanish. Bullfighting, for example, which was reserved to criminals, became a popular practice due to French disapproval of such; today, bullfighting is viewed as a tradition, even though it is merely a result of wanting to go against the “effeminate” beliefs of the French. In addition, reverse discrimination also had an important effect in Spanish living standards of gypsies and treatment that they receive today. In the eighteenth century, gypsies were viewed as a symbol of true Spanish culture; therefore they are still cherished and seen as an important part of Spain today. In contrast to other European nations, Spain seeks to provide basic goods, such as housing and education, to all gypsies and overall, the government is helping to promote their culture. Moreover, the beliefs developed in the eighteenth century, which were mainly a response to a strong sense of national pride, still influence the view we have of Spain today.
ReplyDeleteThe pastime of bullfighting is such an important element of Spain that is seen throughout history. So the article “Live bullfights return to Spanish public TV after six years” tells of how this sport is returning to public television, after it was banned by a previous government. Bulls have been seen in the Iberian Peninsula for many centuries and bullfighting has gone along with this presence. There was a short disappearance of the sport during the 18th-century, since the Bourbon kings did not favor it and associated the act with criminals. Despite this, bullfighting still lives to this day. The six-year hiatus of bullfighting on public television is seen as a loss of “culture.” Many advocates have convinced the government to classify this as an art form instead of a sport - protected by the Ministry of Culture. This is a sign that the Spanish people are supportive of the pastime and wish for bullfighting to continue in the country for many centuries to come. Therefore, it is a victory to have the “art form” aired back on public television for people to enjoy.
ReplyDeleteIn "Spain in the American Revolution", a question is answered about the lack of presence of a Spaniard army during Revolutionary battles. The answer to this question is that despite the lack of people there, Spain (and France) did, in fact, have an impact on the outcome of the Revolution. Spain's main donation to this was economic, financing the new (and less wealthy) America. Providing weapons was another main donation. We can see by this the physical presence of people is what most obviously makes people feel the source of assistance. That is likely the thought behind our current issues in the middle-east. Many Americans are traveling to and from our sister countries, assisting as necessary. This will be the best way for them to remember that it was America who helped them out. Secretly, it is all about prestige and pride. But isn't everything?
ReplyDeleteThis week’s lecture discussion of gypsies was similarly highlighted in this week’s article titled “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration.” I thought this article was very interesting because it took a personal story of one individual (a 33 year old Gypsy woman trained as a manicurist) and told the story of how she is being integrated into the work force in Spain. This article expands on the notion that we covered in lecture; that Gypsies have been in Spain beginning as early as 1492, and how Spain adopted the Gypsies as a group that was truly Spanish during a time when anything French was stigmatized. Thus, as the article asserts, Spain (compared to the rest of Europe) has paved the way for the minority Gypsy population to increase their standard of living through better jobs and better homes. I thought it was very interesting that in lecture we took note that gypsies were the most marginal group in Spain for centuries, and yet the article highlights all of Spain’s efforts to use government programs to assist them in attaining a mainstream level of living. The article reinforces the idea that Spain is a melting pot of diverse cultures, and Spain realizes that to maintain their national identity as such, they must do their best to accommodate every individual so they, too, can thrive in Spain.
ReplyDeleteSorry if I'm double posting but I didn't see a confirmation.
ReplyDeleteI think that strong parallels can be drawn comparing the gypsies in the article, “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier path to Integration,” and the struggle for integration of blacks here in the USA. A lot of the stereotypes that I read in the article, such as gypsies not being able to “hold down a steady job” or that the way they learn is somehow different and so their children need to be in the same classes as those with a diagnosed mental handicap, sound surprisingly similar to the stereotypes that white USA used to have before the Civil Rights Movements. However, it is inspiring to see that the government in Spain is able to move beyond these uneducated ideas and really work with the gypsy population, not just to integrate them, but to give them tools to be productive members of society. It really shows a positive side of Spain too, that they are able to embrace an aspect of their history that others in Europe have chosen to reject; while other European countries see fit to cast the gypsies off as “beggars and petty thieves” they are more welcoming of these gitanos. And like the US, Spain is ready to enforce the integration even if there are members of the community who don’t want it, either by financing programs or by providing mediators at the schools where there are now gypsy children. I feel that the mediators themselves are especially important, because here in the US the first black child to go to a white school needed to be escorted by US Marshals; at least the gypsies in Spain only need mediators, but hopefully that’s also a sign that we have progressed as a whole.
Referring to the article, “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Paths to Integration,” it is clear that gypsies have to face unnecessary discrimination. Many people perceive them as thieves or beggars. However, this article shows that they can be just as professional as anyone else. They are capable of getting jobs and being hard workers. It is not fair that gypsy children have to also face this discrimination in regards to what schools to attend. I feel that Spain is right to offer many opportunities for gypsies because just like everyone else, they deserve equality.
ReplyDeleteIn the article, “Live bullfights return to Spanish public TV after six years,” I agree with the new prime minister. Bullfighting is a Spanish tradition and deeply rooted into their culture. Therefore, it should not be considered as a cruel or brutal sport. It should be considered as an embracement of Spanish heritage and a form of art. Their desire to continue fighting bulls is their way of preserving the Spanish identity that started around the middle of the 18th century.
Claire Lemieux:
ReplyDeleteI was interested right away in the information about gypsies in this week’s lecture and one of the news articles because the professor in my Spanish 119 class was just talking about gypsies last week when we read one of Lorca’s poems. While I already knew that Lorca was obsessed with gitanos as a symbol of independence and strength, I was not aware that they continue to be such a marginalized group in Europe. My Spanish 119 professor told us that he remembered from his childhood in Córdoba the strong prejudice against gypsies and that they often lived in ghettos. Naturally I was very happy to read this week’s article, “In Spain, Gypsies Find Easier Path to Integration”, and learn that Spanish government programs have been working for thirty years to improve quality of life for this marginalized minority. My other Spanish professor also explained, just as Professor Torrecilla did in lecture, that the word gitano comes from egipcianos, because they were believed to have come from Egypt. It’s very strange that a group which has traditionally been seen as outsiders (even though they have lived in Spain since the 15th century), labelled as such (just from the wrong country like America’s “Indians”), and discriminated against should have become part of a nationalist identity that was meant to be authentically Spanish (anything to differentiate oneself from the French, I suppose). Like the history of conflict between Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Iberian peninsula, as well as the contributions of each group to Spanish culture, this is an example of Spain’s complicated relationship with diversity.
The two articles that stood out to me were of the Calisphere and Spain in the American revolution.
ReplyDeleteEnroaching the Calisphere article, I can conjure a common theme of indigenous vs foreigners that has been the case for every major colonization in history. While economic prosperity is a pro, struggle for power between the two groups as well as diseases lay grounds for major struggle between them. I believe that unlike the Americans, if the Spaniards were able to strengthen their ties with the indigenous people, they would be in a stronger position of power at least in the Americas to hold their massive global territory. THis concept is exemplified in the Spain in American revolution article and the key idea I saw there was that Spain's contributions, while significant financially, were significantly underrated due to their diminishing global strength as well as their lack of ties with the American continent through physical presence. Racial tensions were predominant during Spanish colonization and as a consequence they did not receive a significant amount of support by the native people resulting in a loss of territory.
It would be extremely interesting to see the dynamics of the Americas, had the Spaniards forged a strong bond with the natives and developed a "New Spain" as opposed to a territorial acquisition
This week, I enjoyed reading the bull-fight article. Basically, the article describes how the 6 year ban on broadcasting bullfight on national TV has been lifted at the hand of the "conservative prime minister, a staunch fan." The two opinions presented in the article is a) that it is too violent and cruel for TV especially at the primetime 6 pm, which is why it was banned in the past and b) that it is a tradition unique to Spanish identity that should be honored and classified as an art form. Personally, I think that this issue is very tricky to deal with because on the one hand, I do agree that bullfighting is especially gory and not suitable for primetime televsion! Especially since children can watch at this time. However, I also agree that bullfighting is a very distinct and amazingly unique tradition of Spain--even the fact that it still survives today attests to the power and specialness of this tradition that people still want to preserve it. I am not sure where to draw the line for such a decision like this, because bullfighting, although a form of art and culture, does in fact, involve the killing of an animal for sport. I personally dislike this treatment of animals and think it is a rather barbaric tradition to preserve. Yet, I do agree that this is a national pastime that has united most of the country historically. Perhaps, to the Spainards, it is so representative of culture that the animal killing part is made irrelevant. Different strokes for different folks?
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