Let me start by saying these photos suck. At least from a photography standpoint. A 3x zoom really does not work too well. Either way, these photos are from the rodeo in Cowtown, New Jersey that my wife and I went to this past weekend. The Cowtown Rodeo is the longest running weekly rodeo in the country (going 55 years strong). It was the first time to a rodeo, and while I understand it is a traditional part of American culture, I couldn’t help but wonder how bizarre it is. What was bizarre is that somehow roping the neck of a calf is not only viewed as okay, but is actually cheered on with significant vigor. Now I’m not a big animal rights dude, I eat burgers and steak like they are going out of style, but I just don’t get the purpose of toying with animals in an arena aside from fulfilling some kind of macho need on the behalf of the contestants. But that is just me. I’m not drawing any parallel between this and the Michael Vick situation, but I did find it most ironic that the 400 lb. man wearing a “Michael Vick Public enemy #1” t-shirt was also the one cheering the loudest when a calf was roped around the neck and yanked to the ground. Even being a red meat eater, I cringed when the calf was pulled back airborne struggling on the ground and then hog tied, much to the delight of the spectators.
Then there is the rodeo clown (mic’d up so you could hear his stupid jokes). I was praying so hard for the bull to gore his stupid ass, but then again, I really hate clowns. One of his jokes involved taking a clown “dummy” and dragging it across the dirt and leaving it there and saying “This is what healthcare is like in Canada, we’ll get to you when we get to you.” Now, was that really necessary? I felt like strangling this asshole and saying you know what, the U.S. is ranked 37th among industrial nations in health care. Yet we feel the need to mock and denounce every other country’s healthcare? Talk about a superiority complex. Just because you chant “We’re Number 1!” does not make it so.
But I digress. It was fun to go to this event (even though they don’t sell beer - must bring cooler next time). Please understand that I’m not trying to say what Michael Vick did was okay. But as a Christian, I’m required to forgive people. And that’s what I try to do (Plus I’m a HUGE Eagles fan!) Also, I tend to view life as one big contradiction. I know Rodeo is not illegal, but it really makes you wonder how people can clearly think it is okay to do that to animals, while vehemently wishing bodily injury on Michael Vick because of what he did. And I'm not stupid. I know this is not even in the same ballpark as Vick's crimes. I'm just saying... I'm just sayin'.
