As a former employee of the federal government and of numerous presidential and congressional campaigns, I understand what politically correct means — especially in the sense of being respectful of cultural customs and behaviors. But respect the practice of cockfighting because it’s part of someone else’s culture? I don’t think so.
ESPN’s Stuart Scott has a column, “Two Way,” in ESPN The Magazine. Readers are invited to share their 
thoughts on sports issues. In the March 10, 2008, issue, Wes from Atlanta expressed his disappointment that some Dominican major league baseball players have been linked to cockfighting. Scott responded that he didn’t like it either, but Americans risk being thought of as arrogant if we “expect or believe they shouldn’t do it.” Scott suggested that because cockfighting is part of the Dominican culture, Americans “should respect that.”
Really? Does that mean we should also respect child labor, stonings, female circumcision, and slavery? In some parts of the world, these abuses are considered “cultural.” I know, these are gross human rights abuses, and Scott is talking about animal abuse, but for a lot of us out there, any abuse of a living thing is condemnable. But I guess Stuart Scott thinks we should all just keep our mouths shut. I mean, we don’t want anyone to think we’re arrogant or anything.
In the same issue, columnist Junot Diaz writes about cockfighting as well, from the standpoint of a Dominican. He calls it cruel, inhumane and a way of life there. He also points out the inconsistencies in the U.S. with our poultry industry. True, and those issues are being addressed and will hopefully result in more humane treatment of animals used for food marketing. But we are talking sport. Most people would be horrified if they visited an animal processing plant. They surely wouldn’t be enjoying it as a sport.
I understand that Scott wants to be respectful of other cultures. There were some who thought Michael Vick’s dogfighting exploits were cultural. But, if we can’t speak out against such “cultural” practices, aren’t we in a way condoning them? At the very least, wouldn’t initiating an open dialogue about such issues be a healthy exercise for all involved — especially the unfortunate animals? Maybe some real change could be brought about.
If I see or hear about something I consider to be cruel and inhumane in our culture or anyone else’s, I will say so. Just call me arrogant.
March 19, 2008 at 9:57 pm
I would agree that cockfighting is inhumane and something we can never condone. At the same time, I’m not willing to declare war on the Dominican Republic over it — or even let the practice impact U.S. policy toward that nation. It’s their country, after all, and while I may not like the idea of chickens killing one another for our amusement, it doesn’t rank up their with the human-rights abuses you also discuss in the post.
So I guess I do see something in Stuart Scott’s point. I’m a hunter, and I’ve been accused of inhumane treatment of animals too many times. Yet the clean kills I make on animals in the wild would earn me sainthood when compared to the practices in most U.S. slaughterhouses — especially those processing chickens and turkeys.
I’m not equating cockfighting and deer hunting, just pointing out that we must be careful when passing judgment on cultural traditions. Where I come from, hunting is one of those traditions and has been for 5 generations. Of course, no one calls me a “Bambi killer” once they’ve had my venison pepper steak. It’s — well — it’s to die for!