PalQ

Chicago has become the first U.S. city to ban the consumption or sale of foie gras in restaurants and stores.
California has scheduled such a ban to take effect in 2012 but Chicago is the first to enforce one.
Several other states are to follow suite in the next few years.
Hooray for banning this barbaric practice where the foie gras ('fat liver') i believe but not sure) is produced by force feeding ducks by funneling grain down their throats until they nearly burst, the fattening process causing large livers that turn into the much plaudited foie gras.
Hopefully the European Union will at some time stand up against animal cruelty and ban the practice as well. I'm not a strict vegetarian but don't like excessive animal abuse.

Neopolitan

Now if they could just ban the practice of tearing lettuce leaves to make salads. Those screams from my Romaine really get me upset.

traveller1959

I have recently been to the Dordogne region (where the best foie gras comes from) and I have see there many healthy geese and ducks running on free range.

Can't it be that the reports on "barbaric practice" are somewhat exaggerated?

Or has the ban a political background (it would not be the first time)?

Carta_Pisana

Excessive animal abuse isn't okay but the way they raise and kill chickens and cattle is okay? This is just another example of "straining on gnats and swallowing camels". Luckily Central Europe will be the land of inexspensive foie gras for a long time. The fact that "The Jungle" was written in Chicago seems somewhat ironic, no?

Michael

It will take a long time before the EU bans foie gras given its economic importance to different regions of France and Europe. It can be banned in the States because it is a relatively unimportant economic item. I'm waiting for a ban on fattening cattle with corn, which is unnatural and unhealthy for the animals.

Cicerone

I wish that Chicago and California would first ban the sale of clothing and other goods that are manufactured, mainly in developing nations, by people (many of them children) who are locked in factories and chained to machines, and/or not paid a living wage for their work, or are forced to extract recyclables from trash the US exports, a dangerous and toxic job. When all the people are taken care of, then I will start to worry about the animals of this planet.

AngelaS

I totally agree with Cicerone. There's a lot of bigger problems we should deal with now. I dont' condone animal abuse, but there is no way to fully stop it. If you want to be a full advocate you should be vegan then, don't eat any chicken or meat either. And I love foie gras!!!

MorganB

yummy! Fois Gras! Those little duckies are worth alot of cash and are raised with care here in France. Apparently the force feeding is not particularly painful for the duck or goose. Perhaps you should take a look at the US poultry industry to see something really vile.

monpetit

And have you not listen to the poor carrot who cries litteraly when she is taken out of earth...
Really some "scientific" experiences with ultrasonor enregistrement have shown the floral reaction to all of our agression...
Mother, what can I do eat now....
Some vegetarians...Hope they will have sense of sacrifice to allow me to live...
Don't understand why a duck or a goose are more respectable than a calf who supports a lot of antibiotic, hormonal treatment...
Erik.

FainaAgain

The history repeats itself. Once the liquor was banned, and what happened? Every family learned how to produce its own.

Now foie gras... I wonder what will they do with the livers of all those ducks served in the restaurants and sold in stores.

Can it be the first step of forcing everybody into vegetarianism?

PalQ

Well the arguments above are persuasive - I'll quote Chicago Mayor Dailey "We have children getting killed by gang leaders and dope dealers...we have real issues here in this city and we're dealing with foie gras?"
The arguements above are persuasive - yes now i think all killing of animals should be banned - it's just a matter of degree - sincerely i may now never eat any meat anymore. Thanks. And i'm sincere in this - it's hypocritical to decry one abuse when most animals are raised in cruel factory farms where they never leave the cage often and are in a way force fed. Goodbye meat!

laughingd2

I'm sure the unemployed and homeless of Chicago applaud the politicians for finally doing something about this serious problem.

Why do politicians think they aren't doing their job unless they are constantly passing laws? What pandering. Geese! Ri-duck-ulous!

PalQ

A clarification of my position - i do not favor passing laws banning it in retrospect and feel Chicago does indeed have more pressing problems with human abuse.
I feel it's a personal choice and i wish that everyone would decide not to eat animals raised in inhumane conditions - a personal choice not mandated - unless of course there is blatant animal torture, etc.

laughingd2

Bravo, PalQ! It is so refreshing and rare these days to find someone enlightened enough to recognize that one's opinion is indeed allowed to change. My hat's off, and I will try to keep a more open mind about things myself as well.

Carta_Pisana

PalQ - make sure the produce you buy and eat is grown on farms that do not cause environmental degredation through the use of various fertilizers. Of course then there's the pollution created by the trucks that transport the produce. And be sure to compost your leftovers.

L84SKY

I too am inclined to agree with Cicerone. If people/children were treated that way in this country we would be marching down the streets in protest. Instead we just buy products from these countries and try not to think of it yet the issue of foie gras is important? Ridiculous

Robespierre

<i>Foie gras interdit? Ma foi!</i> That will probably work about as well as the banning of alcohol during Prohibition and narcotics ever since.

Meanwhile, over the border in Indiana...

ilovetotravel29

I say YAAAAYYYYY!!

Having seen people who had illnesses with enlarged livers, and just generally disliking some of the pretentiousness that goes along with eating fois gras, I am all for the ban!!

Force feeding tubes down their throats and engorging their livers so that chefs can charge outrageous prices is a bit beyond my comfort level.

Catbert

Robespierre, What a boone this will be to Gary!

SeaUrchin

Well I think people should be concerned about animals as well as people. Animals have no voice. I don't believe in torturing any living thing and I don't compare a vegetable with a living being, animal or human.

I agree with PalQ's OP.