We did it again. Once again, Louisiana is far behind the rest of the country in fixing an outdated idea in order to improve the state’s overall image.
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson signed a bill into law on Monday banning cockfighting in the state, making Louisiana the only state in the country to continue allowing the archaic and barbaric sport without punishment.
This space has been used in the past to denounce the atrocity that is dogfightings because it forces animals to injure or kill one another for no other purpose than entertainment and is offensively cruel in a civilized country. Cockfighting is no different except in the level of cruelty the animals must undergo.
Razor blades are strapped to the legs of fighting roosters to complement the brutality their talons may inflict on another rooster wearing similar weapons.
Not only does the so-called sport subject animals to horrific and unnecessary cruelty, but it also perpetuates an image of the state’s residents as uneducated “rednecks.” With no regulations and closed door arenas, the activity is also a breeding ground for illegal gambling.
Defenders of the sport say it is a family activity that brings children together with adults the way baseball or football can. Imagine bringing a young child to a cockfight where he can stand at his father’s side as he watches a living animal butcher another animal so horribly that it vomits or defecates on itself. It is the stuff that memories are made of.
Though New Mexico has been a staunch holdout of banning cockfighting, the state’s legislators say what tipped the scales is Richardson’s support of a ban. Without his push, some say the ban would have never taken place. In Louisiana, there are a number of legislators who are actively fighting to ban cockfighting.
Meanwhile Gov. Kathleen Blanco remains nearly silent on the issue.
According to a Times-Picayune report, Blanco responded to New Mexico’s decision with a one-sentence response.
“I support banning cockfighting,” Blanco said in an e-mail from her press office.
Her response is a nice gesture, but the utter lack of impact a one-sentence reply shows that our governor is not willing to take a hard stance against animal cruelty.
We need more, Gov. Blanco. We’re tired of being last.
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