Councilman Bob Blumenfield has led the animal-extremist backed attack on western heritage, flip-flopping all along the way. But now, his intentions are perfectly clear. What started with an ordinance to ban certain rodeo equipment has been revealed as a full-on direct assault on rodeo and other western sports.
Despite two and a half years of outreach and education by the Western Sports Industry Coalition and other experienced industry experts, following a report from the unelected Board of Animal Services, none of whom have any experience with livestock, the LA City Council stands poised to ban rodeos outright by banning specific events at the heart of the sport.
Unfortunately, the mentality of “oh well, let LA do what it wants; it won’t affect the rest of us” is far too prevalent. We cannot sit on our hands any longer. If rodeo is banned in the second biggest city in the US, an extremely dangerous precedent will be set, one that will ripple throughout every aspect of our beloved western lifestyle.
