I thank Ms. Brindle for her July 14 letter ("Gay rodeo promotes animal abuse, not community") about animal cruelty at RodeoFest 2011, put on by the Michigan International Gay Rodeo Association. This association claims to have humane rules in place so that makes everything OK. So, if I am being gay bashed sometime, I'll keep in mind it is acceptable as long as the bashers have humane rules in place.
Photos of MIGRA's rodeos on their website show a bull being grabbed by his
horns and his head pushed to the ground, a bull being roped by the head as two
men pull on the rope yanking the poor bull's head back, and bulls bucking wildly to rid themselves the pain of the bucking strap that is tightened around the sensitive part of their abdomens. I highly doubt this is enjoyable to the animals.
MIGRA says they donate money to charity as if that somehow overrides the suffering they caused to get the money.
As the famous quote goes, "None are free until all are free." We do not want our community to be oppressed. Yet, many in our community still oppress others. We cannot expect to be treated equally until we treat others – regardless of species – equally too.
William McMullin
Lansing, Mich.
