I have only set foot in a bullring to attend a concert. I have never seen a bullfight for two reasons: one, because, as a village Galician that I am, nature deprived me of the culture to understand bullfighting art; another, because having grown up among cows that lived on the ground floor of the house as very dear members of the family, I think the same as the grandmother – or aunt, I don't remember well – of Don Manuel Fraga: “Those are not ways to treat to cattle.”
You will understand that, when I think like this, I am little moved by the suspension of the National Bullfighting award. Because of my lack of bullfighting erudition, I should not enter into the fantastic controversy organized in newspapers and taverns throughout half of Spain. And due to my obvious lack of bullfighting sensitivity, I cannot assess how much it hurts society. If it is to get votes on Sunday in Catalonia, it could be a mistake: the Catalan votes in favor could be punishing in other communities and we will see, in any case, the success of Sumar, the minister's party.
What surprised this chronicler was how Ernest Urtasun justified his decision: the Bullfighting prize, since it has an economic endowment, spends public money, and public money should not be spent on something that the people do not want. What a great reason, Mr. Minister! What an exemplary reflection from a left-wing politician! What a profound ethical contribution! What a demand on the ruling class, now that Brussels will force adjustments in fiscal discipline! And what seductive material to proclaim the exemplary nature of the Government in managing public funds with rigor, social vocation and austerity!
Now the minister has to take his decision to other areas of greater importance than bullfighting. It is not that it is a new factor of social division. The thing is that, if everything that involves public money that is debatably used must be eliminated, it is urgent to review the hundreds or billions of euros of subsidies. And official agencies that duplicate functions should be eliminated. And canonries and centers whose usefulness has yet to be demonstrated should be closed. Among them, some ministries. Of course, if you do that, how do you place your friends? How is a yes to a government coalition rewarded? The bullfighters do not decide an investiture.
