Just because &8220;we&8217;ve always done it&8221; doesn&8217;t mean we &8220;should&8221; do it. That can be a tough lesson sometimes.

Throughout history, society has done many bad things all in the name of &8220;tradition.&8221;

When someone stands up and tries to the &8220;right&8221; the disgraceful practice, many people are quick to begin throwing stones and before you know it sparks and feathers begin to fly.

In this case, however, those feathers are already bloody.

Thus is the case of the ugly, yet traditional sport of cockfighting in the state of Louisiana.

For generations, the sport has thrilled some and disgusted others. Now, a bill before the Louisiana legislature would finally make fighting chickens illegal.

Despite arguments over the tradition that may be lost if cockfighting is banned, the debate is really about doing what is right.

We feel strongly that God put humans on this earth to protect and nurture nature, not to kill it for the sake of a cheap thrill on a Saturday night. Hunting animals and raising them for food is fine, so long as the animals are not tortured in the process.

Forcing an animal to fight for its life as spectators lay down bets should not be allowed to continue, however, no matter how long the tradition has lived.

It&8217;s time for this tradition to be put down, once and for all.