49 down, 1 to go

PO 76 disclaimer: If you are offended or sickened by animal rights abuses, you may want to stop reading this blog entry.

Governor Bill Richardson has taken another step in his drive for the Presidency by signing a bill into law making New Mexico the forty-ninth state to ban cockfighting. Louisiana is the one state in the union that still allows this controversial practice

Cockfighting involves roosters with razors tied to their claws battling to the death with spectators placing bets on the outcome of each contest.

Several New Mexicans are outraged, claiming that cockfighting is an integral part of their culture, and banning it is tantamount to outlawing baseball or football. State Sen. Phil Griego, a Democrat who opposed the ban, called it a "slippery slope.""What's next? A ban on rodeos? Then hunting and fishing?”

Men have died or have been paralyzed in the boxing ring, football field, and hockey rink. Dogs and horses that are unable to race anymore are frequently put down. Violence has always been a part of American sports. Is this ban on cockfighting long overdue, or is it targeted assimilation?

At this moment, you’re probably wondering if Patriot of ’76 has gone off of the deep end.

There is a bigger argument. Banning cockfighting will most likely make the practice go underground, similar to what happened with dogfights. Is it Ok to ban a practice that is impossible to enforce? Why not keep it legal, but regulate it to minimize the cruelty to the animal?