Someone Comes to their Senses in Chicago

The Chicago City Council bows to a vocal minority and oversteps their authority by banning foie gras. La resistance begins to take shape.

My adoration for foie gras is no secret. My devotion to the proper balance in the rule of law is unquestioned. My desire for each of us to make conscious choices and to take personal responsibility would not be doubted by anyone who talked to me for 5 minutes or read my work.

But someone who clearly has read nothing I've written on local, sustainable agriculture, or conscious food choices, has recently called me an "inhumane boor" for suggesting that hungry children deserve as much attention as overfeed ducks. He carries the weight of a "meetup group" in South Florida whose focus is animal rights. I'm all for animal rights, really. So that makes me an "inhumane boor?" He also goes on to make sweeping generalizations and assumptions about my lifestyle, my values, etc. Whatever.

But let's be clear: chefs in Chicago and other cities who serve foie gras are selling a legal product in demand. The government regulates the import of this product from abroad and regulates the sale and production of domestic varieties.

The CCC (Chicago City Council) has no more right to ban the sale of foie in their restaurants than they have to dictate green beans on Monday, beets on Tuesday. There is no compelling public health or safety issue at hand that might allow them to interfere with legally operating businesses. But - they have.

Chefs for Choice have backed a lawsuit raising these and other points and I, for one, applaud their efforts. I look forward to raising a glass of Sauternes with the chefs at the forefront soon.

Vive la Resistance!