In a Jan. 11 editorial, The Herald took issue with my effort to ban foie gras production immediately, and ban its sale by 2012.
Foie gras is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese with metal pipes shoved down their throats, so they contract hepatic lipidosis, causing their livers to swell up to 10 times normal size and sometimes explode. While acknowledging (as has Pope Benedict XVI) that this is immoral, The Herald believes a ban is unwarranted.
I disagree. The production ban is simply proactive. Banning the sale of foie gras produced by torture by 2012, the year California’s ban becomes effective, should give French restaurants and specialty stores enough time to find humane alternatives.
The rich can feed on tax breaks President Bush has given them without their desire for foie gras putting birds into overcrowded, industrial conditions with liver disease – which makes them susceptible to other illness, including avian flu. If the 20 percent of Americans that support foie gras production practices cannot give up pate by even 2012 to avoid fostering conditions ripe for an avian flu pandemic, then we all better stock up on another delicacy: Tamiflu.
The Illinois Senate, for example, recently voted unanimously to ban the force feeding of ducks and geese to produce foie gras. My bill certainly does not distract from other issues being addressed by the Legislature. Interestingly, I sought no attention for it, preferring to focus on my many other bills including those protecting sexual assault victims but the media loves animal stories.
Let’s take torture off the menu.
Rep. Brendan W. Williams
Vice Chair, House Judiciary Committee
22nd Legislative District
Olympia
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