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Yahoo!Would like to go on record as saying that I was quite dismayed to see your prominent article featuring MMA (mixed martial arts) in the past issue [Living, “Throwdown at the Showgrounds,” 7/2/09]. I had foolishly hoped that the overall intellectual level of the Santa Barbara area would continue to keep such sadistic pastimes away. It’s sad enough to see these types of activities going on in moronic city neighborhoods, but not in Santa Barbara!
Civilized countries do not allow chicken, dog, or bull fighting, and rightly so. Public hangings, floggings, and burning at the stake are now just history. Yet we are still promoting two human beings, or more, climbing into an enclosed space and doing just as much damage to one another as they possibly can, with an audience of cretins cheering them on!
Regular boxing is bad enough (I did it in college), but sadism masquerading as sport is something no intelligent, civilized society should participate in or allow. Violence breeds violence. To use it as entertainment is disgusting!
Please, in future try to look at the overall effect of what you are putting on your printed page. Think of this kind of savagery as you would sexual abuse of small children—it has the same roots. You have a civic responsibility, as we all do, to make the world a little better place than you found it. To promote MMA in any way ignores that important fact. — Bud Stuart
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Maybe a civilized society provides more outlets for folks who want to do this type of thing. It's probably therapeutic for these people.
While I share a similar opinion to most of this letter, I also think that if you want to fight, great. Find other people who want to fight.
Comparing it to animal fighting and human torture is far fetched; humans seem to be lining up to climb into a cage to beat the crap out of each other, thats great, free will. I don't understand it, but i don't have to. Animals and prisoners aren't given the choice.
So then, what's the difference between boxing and MMA?
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greenbanana (anonymous profile)
July 11, 2009 at 8:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"So then, what's the difference between boxing and MMA?"
Is that rhetorical, or is it a serious inquiry, into the differences in boxing and MMA?
As for, "something no intelligent, civilized society should participate in or allow", have you seen an "intelligent, civilized society" around recently?
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equus_posteriori (anonymous profile)
July 13, 2009 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with greenbanana, the parallel to animal fighting is really way off the mark. We're taking about two people who train with the sole purpose of belonging to the mixed martial arts community, not unwilling or bewildered participants.
Yes, it's brutal and violent, but the same thing can be said for boxing and wrestling - though if not literally violent through it's extensive staging - and where do you draw the line?
People should be allowed to fight for sport if they are willingly participating. That's their right, whether it is unsavory or not.
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Native1 (anonymous profile)
July 13, 2009 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If this is "human cockfighting," then does that make track and field "human dog racing?"
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Kratatoa (anonymous profile)
July 22, 2009 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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