Our Quaker Testimony to Peace and Non-Violence means that Quaker Concern for Animals, in common with all groups who make up the Quaker family, are very much aware of the pernicious effects of conflict, violence and cruelty throughout society.
To put it in simple terms, why create more misery in the world by mistreating, tormenting, and ultimately killing our defenceless fellow creatures? Why subject young minds to such aberrant behaviour, showing, teaching and habituating them to the very opposite of what makes society peaceful, decent and kind?
This is why we especially welcome this new coalition in Mexico, which brings together groups involved in human rights, ecology, equality of sex, children, sport, art, culture, sustainable development, peace, fair trade and health.
Sin Violencia” – Without Violence – is a coalition set up in México, formed by – so far – 219 civil national and international associations working in these spheres. All these groups have one common objective: to eradicate all spectacles which promote violence, and where there are quantifiable victims.
The first aim is to bring about the abolition of bullfights in Mexico City, since there now exists the opportunity to abolish this spectacle, thanks to the local bill presented in 2011, mentioned in a previous posting.
There are 75 Mexican groups so far linked in, and, apart from Quaker Concern for Animals, other international members include:
AnimaNaturalis, which is represented in 6 Hispanic American countries and Spain, CAS International (Comité Anti Stierenvechten – the main anti-bullfight group based in Holland), PETA, AVAT (Association of Vets against Bullfighting), FAADA (Foundation for Adoption and Sponsorship of Animals) SECVI (Spanish Society against Violence) and FLAC (Federation for the Abolition of the Bullfight).
In the week of 26-30 March, a press release was issued and a letter introducing the alliance to every one of the 66 members of Mexico City council – meetings with some councillors have already taken place and will continue.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ SinViolenciaMexico
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“Sin Violencia”: @Mx_SinViolencia
Update on April 12:
69% OF THE POPULATION OF MEXICO CITY ARE IN
FAVOUR OF BANNING BULLFIGHTING, SURVEY REVEALS
- the deputies of the ALDF (Local Assembly of Distrito Federal) have to approve the corresponding proposition in
order to prohibit bullfighting. - 73% of Mexico’s City population have never attended to a bullfight, only 8% like the so-called fiesta brava.
Official Press Release April 12, 2012.
69% of the population of Mexico City are in favour of banning bullfighting in the city, according to the survey carried out by “Dinamia” last week. It also reveals that 89% of the citizens agree that in the so- called fiesta brava animals are harmed and only 8% enjoy this spectacle.
The findings were presented in a conference last week by the coalition Sin Violencia and the market investigation company “Dinamia” at the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City, Distrito Federal (ALDF), where they called on deputies to approve, before April 30th, the report that modifies the law on Public Entertainment in Mexico City aimed at prohibiting bullfighting.
Omar Rodriguez Bayardi, “Dinamia’s” agent, stated that data from the surveys shows that 88% of citizens consider that children are daily exposed to violence and 50% of the population think that children don’t respect animals.
Leonora Esquivel, Sin Violencia’s spokeswoman, commented that this data complements the studies that have demonstrated that children overexposed to violent spectacles maintain the cycle of violence through desensitization and imitation. She made the point that children who watch animals being harmed and humiliated just for fun are likely to develop negative social values.
Identification and empathy of citizens with this kind of entertainment is almost null, since 60% think that it doesn’t form part of Mexican culture and 76% consider that it is an unhealthy spectacle. 54% of citizens associate bullfighting with negative aspects and 49% of people with children would not allow them to attend a bullfight.