Last night Vancouver was the stage for the first time of Ultimate Fighting. Thousands flocked to be treated to the spectacle of two men battering each other until either one dropped to the floor or the referee stopped the fight. Ultimate fighting combines the martial arts, wrestling and boxing. Man, apparently,is not satisfied with one of these sports, but his thirst for something more thrilling has brought together the elements of these three spectacles.
In Roman times, the emperors of Rome treated his subjects to the sight of gladiators fighting each other to the death or confronting wild animals until either the man or the animal died. We condemn bull fighting as a cruel sport. We have severe judicial penalties for those who take part in dog fighting or cock fighting. We used to consider boxing as the noble art of self-defense. Is there any nobility in seeing a
man like Mohammed Ali suffering now from Parkinsons disease as a result of the blows he received to his head? We now consider wrestling and the martial arts as sports that are not ferocious enough to satisfy our need for excitement.
So now, we are willing to pay $300 to witness Ultimate Fighting. Even the Mayor of Vancouver was present at last night's first exhibition of this so-called sport here in BC. Afterwards, he signified his approval of how the event was managed.
How far are we willing to go to satisfy our basest desire for excitement? Is this the kind of example that we want to set for our children? Aren't there sufficient cases of young people fighting and killing each other? Where is society heading?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment