IS THIS OK?

[ladybirder]

What to you think?

http://www.dailymail....ng-cage-fighting.html

[mickrog]

whilst being against such things as this I think we should realise that this report is from the Daily Mail, a newspaper that imo is now a complete muck raking rag. Did it appear in any other newspapers?

[B00]

You do have a point nudgescuffler, but it's pretty hard to argue with the photographic evidence. There was a video too (couldn't bring myself to watch it) but that appears to have been taken down now.

[B00]

oh rofl, your name been changed too? LOL

[tamborine]

barbaric

[flip_flop]

Quite BOO - I certainly wouldn't shed a tear if this activity was outlawed, but at the moment it is perfectly legal, and all the time it is legal, there is diddly squat anybody can do about it.

[B00]

Well that's why we need to voice our disgust loudly and for a long time until it is outlawed. How do you think anything gets outlawed if we all go "meh, it's horrible, but what can you do?"

[flip_flop]

Well perhaps the groundswell of opinion will help to bring about a change - but I doubt it.

I still don't undertand why this activity is unacceptable whereas kids going boxing is 'acceptable'.

[RATTER15]

What the hell is this stupid "nudgescuffler" nonsense, I have no idea who you are taking about Boo.

"You do have a point nudgescuffler, but it's pretty hard to argue with the photographic evidence."

What the heck!!!?

[RATTER15]

The difference between this and boxing is: boxing has been around for many many years and a code of conduct and rules have been drawn up to protect these youngsters, like wearing head guards!!

Boxing and other martial arts have been proven to be a safe sport for youngsters to participate in.

As for the argument, Its better to be doing this than in a back street mugging old ladies or fighting is a ridiculous one, they are not compelled to be one or the other!!

[tamborine]

I likes this - lol

"...talked about the amazing benefits pole can have on the body..."

Read more: http://www.dailymail....ty.html#ixzz1YfNZ8KK8

[ladybirder]

flip the difference is that in boxing it is properly regulated and they have protective headgear etc for children so young. The whole atmosphere was wrong for kids, half naked women parading round, baying adults, poor kid in the video crying and stressed. Anyway apparently the police are looking into it according to the BBC news this morning.
Naomi asks about their parents' brains. Well after seeing one of them on the news this morning all I can say is they don't have any.
nudgescuffler, yes, it has been all over the news, so DM off the hook this time.

[ladybirder]

Err tambo, what's that got to do with my thread?

[flip_flop]

So a form of violence that encourages punching the head (which, granted, is protected), the face (which isn't protected) and the body (which isn't protected) is acceptable, but a form of violence where punching is against the rules is unacceptable?

There are just as many baying adults at ABA bouts as there were in the pictures on the news.

[China Doll]

They are not allowed to kick or punch before the ages of 14/15. The moves the children are doing in this article are wrestling moves. Like I said, how this is portrayed is distasteful, but I have no problems with children being taught wrestling.

The baying adults is barbaric and the cage is ridiculous. But these children are not knocking each others brains out.

[tamborine]

I've told you what I think of fighting but moved onto reading DM.

[sophie_1003]

I agree with china; the setting isn't entirely appropriate for children but I see nothing wrong with allowing children to learn to grapple/wrestle. And for those who think MMA is barbaric there have; according to Wikipedia; been a grand total of 2 deaths due to injuries sustained in MMA matches compared to 39 in boxing.

[sophie_1003]

That should read 'sanctioned MMA matches'; there have been deaths in underground matches where the fighter has entered despite doctors warning him not to.

[ladybirder]

Well it is being 'looked at' now by the police so we'll see what the outcome is. What really upset me was the little 8 year old in the video who was distressed. Did he really want to be doing this or was he pressured into it?

[Booldawg]

MMA is like watching paint dry. Two (apparently) high skilled fighters that hold black belts in several disciplines spending 20 seconds dancing around before going to ground and cuddling each other for the rest of the round.

TBH I'd rather watch Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks on a Saturday afternoon.

[andy-hughes]

As you point out ladybirder, the social pressures on these children are the root of the issue here.

Equating violence with masculinity has gone on since time began, and in some areas of today's society, men wish to display their own 'pride' by being seen to raise children who are though enough to fight and win.

The pressure on the child is therefore twofold - a fear of being seen as 'soft' by his peer group, combined with a feeling of 'letting down' his father by not coming up to perceived expectations. And that's before we get into the physical dangers involved in this type of activity.

As always, education is at the root of the solution. Children should be learning that being pysically stronger and more brutal than other children is not a badge of superiority, and this culture of violence should be outlawed.

The defence by one father, that his son would be 'throwing stones at buses' were he not busily engaged in inflicting physical damage on another child for the edificiation of adults who should know better, really says it all. These people really believe that this activity is preferable to what they perceive as the only alternative - vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

This is wrong on so many levels - as in fact is boxing, for all its regulation and 'protection'/ A sport where the stated aim is the brain damage (hopefully temporary) necessary to render an opponent unconcious has to have no placec in a civilsed society.

This activity does not even have that iffy justification - there is no safety code, it is visceral violence involving children as entertainment, and it should be banned. Now.