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(From Cockfighting in the Dominican Republic DR1.com)
Supporting cockfighting
There are many arguments that defend the viability and necessity of cockfighting. Among the leading arguments by proponents is that above anything else cockfighting is a cultural phenomenon that must be respected as part of the overall Dominican cultural landscape. Many supporters believe that just as bullfighting is popular in Spain, Colombia or Argentina, cockfighting is a tradition on which many virtues and values are hinged on and thus must be respected, protected and conserved. Supporters will also argue about the historical importance of the rooster, considering that the sport has been around for too long to be abolished. Continued arguments put forward the idea that cockfighting is a money generator which creates and circulates funds for local farmers and businesses. Some say that there are as many as 3,000 galleras in the DR with as many as 24,000 men gaining employment from the sport. Proponents say that cockfighting produces millions of dollars in formal and informal revenues and it would be an economic and financial blow to surrounding communities if the sport were abolished. Finally, among the most enduring arguments is the one that indicates that roosters are by nature, aggressive animals that will inherently fight at the sight of another rooster, and conventional wisdom would then indicate that if they are already doing it, then how and why stop them from doing so?