AP: Senator Wants Boxing Gloves on Chickens

[truthpusher]

moderator: I am pretty sure this is real news...people interested in animal rights would definitely find this story to be of interest.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050127/D87SFE1G1.html

Senator Wants Boxing Gloves on Chickens

an 27, 9:13 AM (ET)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A state senator has a plan for saving Oklahoma's gamefowl industry now that cockfighters are legally prohibited from pitting birds fitted with razor-like spurs.

State Sen. Frank Shurden, a longtime defender of cockfighting, is suggesting that roosters be given little boxing gloves so they can fight without bloodshed. The proposal is in a bill the Democrat has introduced for the legislative session that begins Feb. 7.

"Who's going to object to chickens fighting like humans do? Everybody wins," Sen. Frank Shurden said.

Oklahoma voters banned cockfighting in 2002. The practice is still legal in Louisiana and New Mexico.

more:
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050127/D87SFE1G1.html

[merwin]

1. Yep, it's real news, straight from the AP's strange news section

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050127/ap_on_fe_st/boxing_roosters_6

[montana_hazeleyes]

2. I'll tell you why I object Sen. Frank Shurdan.

Because said chickens don't fight by choice as human fighters do.

[displacedtexan]

3. A thread on this subject was locked this morning.

I wanted to reply (that even though Shurden is a Dem, this is still stupid), but the thread was locked.

Even people with D's after their names can do lame stuff in Oklahoma.

Disclaimer: Both of my parents were born and raised in OK. I also know that elected Dems in OK have to compromise and answer to their constituents.

[truthpusher]

6. Oh well...

I thought the story was a bit borderline - not a whole lot of animal rights stories in the news anymore.

regarding your note:

'I also know that elected Dems in OK have to compromise and answer to their constituents.'

I think this story is a good example of the 'Frankenstein' type results that occour when Dems, do, try to hard to compromise. Another Good example would be Kerry's campaign (couldn't help myself on that last part, I actually like Kerry, the campaign was just a bit lame).

[fob]

4. I won! After reading the headline I said, "Where is Oklahoma!"

Just think of the guy calling the fight.

He's down! He's down! It's gonna be a standing ate count! He's back up but the ref has called it a T-KFC-O!

[displacedtexan]

5. Here's a picture of Shurden.

Here's the bio:

http://www.bubbaworld.com/shurden.html

[Straight Shooter]

7. I don't care how silly it is if it raises the public's awareness

Most people don't even have a clue this kind of barbaric behavior is still going on. I personally know someone who raises "fighting cocks" (think there's something macho about that term?) and the birds are stunningly beautiful. To think that they end up bloody and dying in an arena for the amusement of a bunch of men who spend their money for the pleasure of watching sentient creatures suffer, makes me ill.

I don't care much for human boxing, either, but at least they're aware of making that choice, and so it's their right.

[Moderator]

8. locking

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2515246

[Mystified]

9. Cockfighting

A $100m a year industry in Oklahoma??? Man, there really isn't much to do in OK, is there?

Also, cockfighting....he he