Wednesday, December 01, 2004
wild goose chase
Thanks to Metroblogging Portland for leading me to the Nose's column in Willamette Week.
The Nose exactly expressed the sentiments I was feeling upon reading about some animal righties' protest of several local restaurants last week... shouldn't they be picking on some larger targets?
... so Higgins Restaurant (and a few others) had foie gras on the menu... I'm sure that Greg Higgins has done more to promote local and sustainable agriculture in the Portland metro area than any of the fundamentalist foodies who protested his restaurant's menu choices.
As the Nose pointed out, it seems ridiculous for the activists to target restaurants that are trying to do the right thing by supporting local farmers as much as possible.
By going after small local businesses, they aren't making a difference - they are merely punishing small, local businesses. If they really wanted to make a difference they should go after the large chain supermarkets that have all kinds of meat on their shelves that was raised less humanely than a few geese who gave their livers for some Portland diners.
Or maybe they could volunteer some time and money to help buy organic food for all the low-income families in Portland who can't afford anything but the gmo, corn syrup and pesticide-filled crap that passes for food in most supermarkets.
The problem is not small restaurants serving foie gras. The problem is corporate control of agriculture and our food systems.
Go protest that.
¶ 2:05 PM
Thanks to Metroblogging Portland for leading me to the Nose's column in Willamette Week.
The Nose exactly expressed the sentiments I was feeling upon reading about some animal righties' protest of several local restaurants last week... shouldn't they be picking on some larger targets?
... so Higgins Restaurant (and a few others) had foie gras on the menu... I'm sure that Greg Higgins has done more to promote local and sustainable agriculture in the Portland metro area than any of the fundamentalist foodies who protested his restaurant's menu choices.
As the Nose pointed out, it seems ridiculous for the activists to target restaurants that are trying to do the right thing by supporting local farmers as much as possible.
They could be picketing Safeway or Sysco, demanding that the super-grocer and restaurant mega-supplier encourage more environmentally friendly farming. They could be haranguing Portland Public Schools to make sure low-income kids get decent food on their cafeteria platters. They could agitate in Salem to save the small farms that will likely become subdivisions under that dumbass new land-use law.
By going after small local businesses, they aren't making a difference - they are merely punishing small, local businesses. If they really wanted to make a difference they should go after the large chain supermarkets that have all kinds of meat on their shelves that was raised less humanely than a few geese who gave their livers for some Portland diners.
Or maybe they could volunteer some time and money to help buy organic food for all the low-income families in Portland who can't afford anything but the gmo, corn syrup and pesticide-filled crap that passes for food in most supermarkets.
The problem is not small restaurants serving foie gras. The problem is corporate control of agriculture and our food systems.
Go protest that.
¶ 2:05 PM
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I'm a lifelong pet owner and a frequent carnivore. Am I promoting animal cruelty by feeding my (captive/domestic) housecats cans of neatly packaged fish guts? They seem to like it, but I never stopped to consider the feelings of the fish.
You own pets? That's animal slavery! (Huh? My cats only catch mice if I catch the mouse first, dip it in catnip and cod liver oil and staple it's tail to the floor).
If animals weren't meant to eaten, they'd all be of equal size and ferocity. (Yes, i am referencing Animal Farm, not picketing local farm).
Well, the sun's up. Gotta hitch the kitties to the plow and work the North Forty before the ground freezes.
Tonight it's Tabby Stew.
You own pets? That's animal slavery! (Huh? My cats only catch mice if I catch the mouse first, dip it in catnip and cod liver oil and staple it's tail to the floor).
If animals weren't meant to eaten, they'd all be of equal size and ferocity. (Yes, i am referencing Animal Farm, not picketing local farm).
Well, the sun's up. Gotta hitch the kitties to the plow and work the North Forty before the ground freezes.
Tonight it's Tabby Stew.
We might have some extra tabbies hanging around if you can't find any at the market. Our next door neighbor seems to believe that neutering and spaying cats is cruel so they are breeding like rabbits over there.
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