Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Hominidae
Subfamily: Homininae
Tribe: Hominini
Genus: Homo
Species: H. sapiens(Latin: "wise man" or "knowing man")
Trinomial name;
Homo sapiens sapiens
As we are the dominant life form on this particular planet we basically make the rules about what we think is inferior to us. Nevertheless, we are what we are. Animals. Just like the other animals.
I agree with the premise that its pretty much inevitable rodeo will die at some point, probably within the next 100 years or maybe sooner. But die it will.
The good news is that most people go to the Stampede for reasons other than seeing rodeo or chucks, therefore the festival itself is likely to morph and survive.
I almost feel like learning how to lasso properly so I can let my two-year-old son loose on the grounds, then lasso him in front of horrified onlookers.
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We may curse our bad luck that it's sounds like its; who's sounds like whose; they're sounds like their (and there); and you're sounds like your. But if we are grown-ups who have been through full-time education, we have no excuse for muddling them up.
I agree with the premise that its pretty much inevitable rodeo will die at some point, probably within the next 100 years or maybe sooner. But die it will.
My first thought on this was 'no way', but it does raise an interesting question: what would it take for the rodeo to cease to exist? (This post isn't saying the rodeo should or shouldn't die out... for what it's worth, the rodeo is my favorite part of the Stampede).
If it did die out, it would be from the result of either market forces or legislation. Both of those are different versions of public pressure.
On the legislative side, banning rodeo-type events would be seen as an attack on rural values and lifestyle, even though in Calgary's case it's all big-business. The current voter demographics make any attempt to ban the rodeo at either a municipal, provincial, or federal level complete political suicide. But a massive shift toward urbanization over the next 100 years (and corresponding adjustment of seat allocation) would continually diminish the rural voting block. It's not ridiculous to think that animal rights could become a politically significant issue within the next 100 years.
But the real issue with animal rights, as a movement, is that unless you're vegan, it's difficult to avoid any sort of hypocrisy. The general sense of morality regarding animal rights condemns only what's convenient to condemn. Most people are pretty okay with dogs and cats as pets, so dogs and cats get relatively extensive rights. Most people enjoy eating meat, so cattle and pigs and chicken have relatively minimal rights. Extending significant rights to cattle and pigs becomes very inconvenient to our current food supply (both from a consumer and corporate perspective). If every type of animal meat tasted like boiled liver and had little nutritional value, we probably would have banned meat consumption a couple decades ago on 'moral grounds'. But it doesn't. For the most part, it's delicious! I don't want to really think about the whole animal rights question if it affects my bacon supply.
I don't think that animal rights becomes a serious motivating issue unless there's massive upheaval to the current food supply system. If we had Star Trek replicators (very unlikely, even in 100 years) or affordable and delicious test-tube-grown meat (more likely, though unlikely to ever be economical compared to current meat production), you'd probably see a big shift; but apart from that science fiction, what would it take? Will the number of vegetarians and vegans continue to grow at the current rate, or will they peak before ever becoming politically significant in numbers?
Or does impetus for change come from within the industry itself? If attitudes against the rodeo grow, the meat industry may decide it's advantageous to get the rodeo out of sight to avoid turning people getting into too much of a discussion about meat production. (It's like horse meat production in Canada... it keeps as low a profile as possible because they know that the idea is distasteful to average Canadians.) Right now, the rodeo helps the meat industry by fueling romances of a meat production industry very different from the factory farm realities, but what happens when society sours on that romance?
Or am I putting too much into a holistic view of animal rights? Is it possible that events like rodeos could be banned without first going through a massive discussion and reorganization of animal rights in our society?
Jeez, that's a depressing topic. Maybe I'd feel better if I go cook up some bacon for supper.
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Most people are pretty okay with dogs and cats as pets, so dogs and cats get relatively extensive rights. Most people enjoy eating meat, so cattle and pigs and chicken have relatively minimal rights.
I think I disagree with this. I say think because I read "rights" as "protection".
And animals raised for consumption have far more oversight as to their care and well being. Farms face all sorts of inspection and there are regulations to be followed.
Meanwhile breeders of dogs have zero regulation and no inspection requirements.
As to the question you posed about rodeo being banned. I don't see it happening any time soon. Calf roping in particular is still done on ranches.
I think I disagree with this. I say think because I read "rights" as "protection".
And animals raised for consumption have far more oversight as to their care and well being. Farms face all sorts of inspection and there are regulations to be followed.
Meanwhile breeders of dogs have zero regulation and no inspection requirements.
Good point, though in terms of public response, perceived animal cruelty in dog breeding establishments is widely condemned in the media and in the court of public opinion, while violations within the food industry don't get a lot of coverage unless they are violations that would seriously compromise the health of consumers.
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As to the question you posed about rodeo being banned. I don't see it happening any time soon. Calf roping in particular is still done on ranches.
Being banned any time soon? I agree completely. My post was in response to Cowperson's idea of what might happen within 100 years.
Calf roping is a necessary part of ranch veterinary services. Would you deny cattle vet visits because it kinda looks mean?
Would you ban doctor services to a baby because baby's cry when they get a needle???
I'm going to take these as rhetorical questions; as I have no issue whatsoever with calf roping and know full well why it's done. (Having participated on ranches in my youth)
Maybe we should fill Vancouver in on the castration aspect of calf roping...
I'm going to take these as rhetorical questions; as I have no issue whatsoever with calf roping and know full well why it's done. (Having participated on ranches in my youth)
Maybe we should fill Vancouver in on the castration aspect of calf roping...
Fair enough, most people don't, tho.
Most people dont like to think their meat comes from a living animal, and prefer to think of it as shrink wrapped on styrofoam.
I agree with Cow, rodeo will probably die out. Though I doubt we'll see it in our lifetimes. I like the 100 year guess. Heck, our ranches and farms and general food growing and processing industries may change so much in that time it may be more because of that than animal rights. But it will die out eventually.
There are some definite animal rights issues. However I think the optics of it are a lot worse than the issue actually is. These ranchers and cowboys LOVE their animals, and treat them very well. As well, a lot of animals are cared for or 'saved' because of money MADE at the Stampede. It's a bit like the zoo dilemma. In some ways it's bad and there is no denying that, but in other ways it helps and can even be called necessary.
Where I take offense to a lot of the people who think we should just ban Stampede (or rodeo I guess) are generally massive hypocrites as has been pointed out by many here. There is so much hypocracy in the animal farming by people who have no part of it it's amazing. As well, there aren't really any solutions being put forth by these people on a lot of the problems we face as a race that processes animals, just, 'you shouldn't do this!' finger wagging. And so that's why I don't mind defending my city on this issue.
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I agree with Cow, rodeo will probably die out. Though I doubt we'll see it in our lifetimes. I like the 100 year guess. Heck, our ranches and farms and general food growing and processing industries may change so much in that time it may be more because of that than animal rights. But it will die out eventually.
There are some definite animal rights issues. However I think the optics of it are a lot worse than the issue actually is. These ranchers and cowboys LOVE their animals, and treat them very well. As well, a lot of animals are cared for or 'saved' because of money MADE at the Stampede. It's a bit like the zoo dilemma. In some ways it's bad and there is no denying that, but in other ways it helps and can even be called necessary.
Where I take offense to a lot of the people who think we should just ban Stampede (or rodeo I guess) are generally massive hypocrites as has been pointed out by many here. There is so much hypocracy in the animal farming by people who have no part of it it's amazing. As well, there aren't really any solutions being put forth by these people on a lot of the problems we face as a race that processes animals, just, 'you shouldn't do this!' finger wagging. And so that's why I don't mind defending my city on this issue.
I don't think people have any problem at all with the hypocrisy of separating the televised death of a calf in a rodeo roping event from where they get their steaks.
It would be a mistake to rely on that kind of hopeful contradiction to keep rodeo alive. Cloverdale, Canada's fifth largest rodeo, banned calf-roping after a calf died in 2007.
The general joke in the Ag Society community is that if you want to lose money, hold a rodeo. That's because, generally, the group of people who are interested in attending a pure, stand-alone rodeo is pretty limited and diminishing. You see that at small town rodeos all the time. You would think those kinds of events would be the "heartland,' but they're the ones that actually struggle the most.
Where rodeo can survive and even thrive is to surround itself with a festival or other types of activities where its one aspect of the attraction, perhaps the theme, but making itself more attractive as an event to the general community. That in turn also makes it eminently more sponsorable for corporate dollars.
In general, around North America, the rodeos that have recognized they need to adapt and fit into the new social mores of their communities are the ones that are surviving and even increasing attendance.
If it was only the Calgary Stampede, as a pure rodeo, they'd probably draw flies. As "The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth," with the rodeo activities included with a package of activities for 10 days, its hanging in there.
By fitting themselves into a larger, more popular event they also build themselves some immunity and goodwill within the community. Like a cockroach, they get harder to kill.
Still, if its possible for bullfighting to be banned in Catalonia Spain, then its possible for rodeo to eventually be banned in increasingly urbanized North America.
Finding creative ways to enhance cash flow and navigating through changing social mores are the primary challenges facing rodeo.
Cowperson
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I don't think people have any problem at all with the hypocrisy of separating the televised death of a calf in a rodeo roping event from where they get their steaks.
It would be a mistake to rely on that kind of hopeful contradiction to keep rodeo alive. Cloverdale, Canada's fifth largest rodeo, banned calf-roping after a calf died in 2007.
The general joke in the Ag Society community is that if you want to lose money, hold a rodeo. That's because, generally, the group of people who are interested in attending a pure, stand-alone rodeo is pretty limited and diminishing. You see that at small town rodeos all the time. You would think those kinds of events would be the "heartland,' but they're the ones that actually struggle the most.
Where rodeo can survive and even thrive is to surround itself with a festival or other types of activities where its one aspect of the attraction, perhaps the theme, but making itself more attractive as an event to the general community. That in turn also makes it eminently more sponsorable for corporate dollars.
In general, around North America, the rodeos that have recognized they need to adapt and fit into the new social mores of their communities are the ones that are surviving and even increasing attendance.
If it was only the Calgary Stampede, as a pure rodeo, they'd probably draw flies. As "The Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth," with the rodeo activities included with a package of activities for 10 days, its hanging in there.
By fitting themselves into a larger, more popular event they also build themselves some immunity and goodwill within the community. Like a cockroach, they get harder to kill.
Still, if its possible for bullfighting to be banned in Catalonia Spain, then its possible for rodeo to eventually be banned in increasingly urbanized North America.
Finding creative ways to enhance cash flow and navigating through changing social mores are the primary challenges facing rodeo.
Cowperson
Interesting post.
You need to wonder, if all rodeo eventually is eradicated, will the Stampede be the last one?
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Obviously I was pointing out that the rodeo isnt that exciting. I just dont understand why people find it entertaining.
