Buc Days Rodeo. What...a monstrosity.

I like meat. I like animals. I... am a hypocrite. I was not quite aware of the last statement (or rather unwilling to admit it) until this weekend. This weekend was the Buc Days Rodeo and Carnival in Corpus Christi. There is nothing I like better than live events and fair food...needless to say I was all about this event. My roommate was amped to play some carnie games and we had a friend in town from Laughlin AFB - it seemed like a marriage made in heaven.

We started out at the Rodeo. I must admit there are some amusing things that happen at the Rodeo. Professional Bull Riding really appeals to the sports enthusiast in me, Barrel Racing is entertaining as the only womens event, and how cute is the mutton busting? Where I absolutely drew the line was when about a dozen 12 year-olds gathered in the ring to chase about 4 young calves. The boys and girls were vigorously chasing the poor calves and throwing themselves in the horse and cow poop to do so. The people running the rodeo were glorifying their efforts by putting them up on the big screen as the kids were in a sexual position with the calves. The object of the game was to wrestle the calf to the ground and put a harness around the mouth and then bring the calf back the middle of the ring. EXCEPT the overseers let the game run on longer than it should for the entertainment of the crowd...which was in complete laughter. Once the calf was in its harness, obviously it was stubborn to go anywhere, so the kids would literally DRAG them to the center. Oh but wait, not by their rope but by their TAIL. Throughout the whole process the calves where scrambling to avoid the whole thing and were making sounds to show that they were not happy with the situation. I...was appaled and almost on the brink of tears.

My point is, I obviously found this event blatantly wrong. Why only this one? I suppose to some exent I found the roping event wrong too - but at least that is a sport too. I'm not sure why I found this teenager game inhumane as compared to the others. Oh wait yes I do...This was for the amusement of the crowd so some kids could win a meal at Whataburger. On the reverse side, the calves are probably going to grow up to be a nice burger on my plate one day and the PBR's win some sort of monetary prize (I'm speculating). I am sad and conflicted. I am a hypocrite. I'll continue to eat my beef the way God intended - without knowing how it got there and free of morals.