Ole, Catalonia

THE argument that something is "part of our culture" often is used to defend degrading or cruel practices. It is encouraging, therefore, that this week in the Spanish region of Catalonia, people decided to abandon a barbarous tradition.

The ritualized killing of bulls in arenas before thousands of spectators has roots that can be traced back to ancient pagan religions. The blood sport continues in many parts of the world, but without the religious connection. Thankfully, in some places - Portugal, for example - the bull, while injured, is not killed before the audience.

Defenders of bullfighting - Ernest Hemingway among them - often point to the artistry of the matadors, the grandeur of the spectacle, and the elemental nature of the life-and-death struggle. But bullfighting, like cockfighting, dogfighting, and bear baiting, serves no purpose today other than to satisfy some people's lust for blood.

Catalonia, nestled between the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Pyrenees Mountains, has lived up to its independent-minded reputation by becoming the first region on the Spanish mainland to ban bullfights.

Unfortunately, the so-called sport continues to be popular in other regions of Spain, Portugal, southern France, and parts of Latin America. Mexico boasts the world's largest bullfighting ring.

Catalonia should serve as an example for others who recognize the difference between culture and cruelty.