Thread: When will Latinos give up cockfighting in the U.S.?

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Hispanics keep getting busted in Central Florida on charges of cockfighting.

Polk County sheriff's deputies on Saturday arrested 37 Hispanic men -- one of them from as far as Tennessee -- on charges of fighting and baiting animals in Mulberry. Several suspects also were shocked with stun guns and charged with battery on law-enforcement officers after they attacked the deputies.

Investigators seized more than $30,000 in cash, as well as a loaded .38-caliber gun, .22 caliber rifle and 109 fighting roosters.

Just a day before those arrests, deputies near Haines City seized 24 roosters and cockfighting gear from 26-year-old Jorge Hernandez-Martinez (pictured). He faces 18 counts of possession of paraphernalia used to fight animals and one count of fighting or baiting animals, in addition to drug-possession counts (pictures included).

So what's happening here in Central Florida?

First, a little bit of history and perspective on the cockfighting culture in the United States and abroad.

Cockfights have drawn hundreds of Americans to small pits and large arenas in towns across the U.S. for generations, including Louisiana, which became the last state to outlaw rooster fights in August 2008. It's part of the Cajun culture there and just because it's now outlawed, it doesn't mean you can't find the bloody fights in clandestine parts of Louisiana.

Despite the ban, you can still find legalized cockfighting on American soil. You'll just have to travel to places like Puerto Rico, American Samoa and Guam. It's also very popular in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

Central Florida, particularly Orange, Polk and Lake counties, has a large percentage of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans who still enjoy cockfighting because it is also part of their culture. Cockfighting has existed in Puerto Rico for more than 300 years. The industry brings in close to $800 million a year to the island's coffers, according to reports from government officials.

Roosters in Puerto Rico are vaccinated against diseases and inspectors conduct unscheduled visits to cockpits and breeding farms. If breeders are in violation, they are fined. They could even lose their licenses.

But on the mainland, all bets are off.

Investigators in Polk, Lake and Orange counties often find bloody roosters fitted with plastic or metal spurs. Others are caged, missing feathers and mutilated from previous fights.

It is unclear if law-enforcement officials are taking any measures to educate Latinos about the illegal fights or if Latinos are getting the message that there is a zero tolerance policy when it comes to animal abuse.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_h ... latin.html

When will latinos give up cockfighting in the US? Around the same time they stop thinking it's okay to rape 15 year olds, and breaking our laws.

Originally Posted by jshhmr

When will latinos give up cockfighting in the US? Around the same time they stop thinking it's okay to rape 15 year olds, and breaking our laws.

Are you sure its not 12? And they'll give it up when they want to assimilate.