Barbaro part deux

I just want to be clear about why so much effort (and money) is being expended to save Barbaro: Because he might be able to make his owners some more cash by sending him to stud.

This country needs to redefine its  use of the word "sport" to include only those events wherein the competitors have agreed to the rules of the game. Not only that, but they should be aware of the consequences of injury and of not winning.

As today's NYT editorial begins to explain, three-year old horses are simply not in a position to survive horse racing as it is practiced in the US. Horse racing is draconian and inhumane, and perhaps now some light will be shed on the breeding and training practices in the US.

However, no matter how many people are educated, and how many people now realize that horse racing is a deadly game won only by the humans involved, nothing will change until we stop being consumers of the business.

Don't go to the track. Don't bet from a distance. Call the network that broadcasts the races and tell them you won't be watching their channel. And if you invest in companies that support the industry in any way, become a shareholder activist or sell your shares.

Turn compassion into action.