Editor,
I am writing to inform readers about the horrific practice of cockfighting, since previous letters to the editor claim that this is part of New Mexico’s heritage that should be upheld, not outlawed. How utterly ridiculous and completely misinformed these people are!
House Bill 922 is being introduced this legislative session, and it would make all animal fighting a fourth-degree felony in New Mexico. Dog fighting is the only kind of animal fighting that is illegal statewide, and it is a fourth-degree felony.
New Mexico is one of only three states in which cockfighting is legal — the other two are Louisiana and Oklahoma. Thirty states and the District of Columbia banned cockfighting in the 1800s, and thirteen more banned it before World War II. New Mexico needs to join the ranks of these other states and refrain from our silent endorsement of intentional animal brutality.
Many counties and municipalities in New Mexico currently have a ban on cockfighting, including Albuquerque, and I believe that now is the time to make the ban permanent throughout the state by outlawing this archaic and horrific spectacle.
The practice is intentionally cruel, and what kind of a message does it send to our children? Especially now that the similarities between animal cruelty and domestic violence have been linked through much documentation.
Additionally, a recent poll conducted in New Mexico shows that 81 percent of the population is in favor of a ban. Following are the specific results:
l Support was strong in all regions of the state; the lowest region to back a ban was in the east region with 77 percent.
l 82 percent in Albuquerque metropolitan region support the ban.
l 84 percent of Anglos and 76 percent of Hispanics are for its banishment.
l Support crossed political party lines, with 80 percent Republicans, 83 percent Democrats and 72 percent of independents or other party affiliation supporting a ban.
l 89 percent of females and 71 percent of males support a ban on cockfighting.
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l Support against cockfighting increases with age, with 91 percent of people 65 years and older supporting a ban.
l The age group with the lowest support for a ban was people between 18-34 years old, which gave 65 percent approval of banning cockfighting
So you see, this has nothing to do with heritage or tradition. Instead, it is a brutal sport that teaches children to disregard life.
- Viki Harrison Elkey
UNM Student
