quacking up the wrong tree

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- l0veas0ne @ aol.com (remove 2 spaces)

AnimalVoicesNews @ earthlink.net (remove 2 spaces)"Karen Dawn" <KarenDawn @ dawnwatch.com> (remove 2 spaces)

DawnWatch: Los Angeles Times article against foie gras bill SB 1520 -- 5/5/04There is an unfortunate article about the foie gras bill, in the Food section of the Wednesday, May 5, Los Angeles Times (Pg F11). It is headed, "They're quacking up the wrong tree." It is particularly unfortunate as the Los Angeles Times has given so little coverage to this issue.David Shaw opens with:"Well, I see the animal rights activists are barking and braying anew. And this time, they've won at least a temporary victory in their frenzied efforts to turn us all into broccoli-nibbling, kale-chomping vegans."Last week, a committee of the California Senate voted 4 to 3 to ban the sale of any foie gras produced by force-fed ducks -- a process the animal rights folks consider cruel in the extreme."I'd be surprised if the bill ultimately becomes law, but even if it

does, it would not take effect for seven and a half years. That's supposed to give Sonoma Foie Gras, the only farm in the state that specializes in foie gras, time to retool its business."I sure hope everyone comes to his senses and the state abandons this ridiculous excursion into political correctness long before then."Animal rights activists oppose foie gras because they say the force-feeding of ducks to make their livers eight to 10 times the normal size amounts to torture."Oh, spare me."He goes on to cite pro-industry experts who say that force feeding doesn't hurt the ducks, but also says it really shouldn't matter if it does:"I mean, we're not talking about child abuse here. We're not even talking about pet abuse. There's a huge difference between pets and livestock. Pets are raised to be loved and cared for. Livestock is raised to be killed and eaten. The ducks in question are specifically bred and fed to yield foie gras."You can

read the whole article on line at:http://www.latimes.com/features/food/shaw/la-fo-matters5may05,1,5179965.column Activists might be tempted to give David Shaw "a piece of their minds" but educating Los Angeles Times readers, with letters to the editor, will help the animals a lot more. The site http://www.nofoiegras.org has lots of information, including horrifying photos and footage about foie gras, and also a page on what you can do to help on the anti foie gras bill at http://www.farmsanctuary.org/campaign/state_cafoie.htm I urge Californians to get involved.The Los Angeles Times takes letters at:

letters @ latimes.com (remove 2 spaces)Always include your full name, address, and daytime phone number when sending a letter to the editor. Shorter letters are more likely to be published.

 

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