Chicago repeals foie gras ban
Chicago's aldermen showed Wednesday that they have had their fill of the ban on foie gras and made it legal once again for city restaurants to serve up the delicacy made from duck and goose liver. Mayor Richard Daley, who had once dismissed the ban as "the silliest law the City Council has ever passed," squelched debate on the measure and commanded the council to vote. Looming above the council at the dais, his arms crossed and his gaze stern, he ignored the repeated, shouted objections of the ban's sponsor, Ald. Joe Moore (49th). After the 37-6 vote, Daley seemed weary of the topic, as he noted the widespread attention that the ban has brought to Chicago since its passage. "There's been extensive, extensive, extensive debate on this," Daley told reporters after the council meeting. "This has been talked about, debated about constantly by international, national, local press, media, by the whole hospitality, culinary field, all of it . . . This has been going on forever." (...) Moore spent hours Wednesday in hushed conversations with fellow aldermen on the council floor and in the antechamber. The only five who stuck with him in defiance of Daley were Toni Preckwinckle (4th), Ricardo Munoz (22nd), Ed Smith (28th), Scott Waguespack (32nd) and Rey Colon (35th). After the vote, Moore spoke briefly and warned his colleagues that what happened to his measure "tomorrow could happen to you." In a caustic voice, the mayor shot back: "Thank you, Ald. Joe 'Foie Gras' Moore."
Mayor Richard Daley, who had once dismissed the ban as "the silliest law the City Council has ever passed," squelched debate on the measure and commanded the council to vote. Looming above the council at the dais, his arms crossed and his gaze stern, he ignored the repeated, shouted objections of the ban's sponsor, Ald. Joe Moore (49th).
After the 37-6 vote, Daley seemed weary of the topic, as he noted the widespread attention that the ban has brought to Chicago since its passage.
"There's been extensive, extensive, extensive debate on this," Daley told reporters after the council meeting. "This has been talked about, debated about constantly by international, national, local press, media, by the whole hospitality, culinary field, all of it . . . This has been going on forever."
(...)
Moore spent hours Wednesday in hushed conversations with fellow aldermen on the council floor and in the antechamber. The only five who stuck with him in defiance of Daley were Toni Preckwinckle (4th), Ricardo Munoz (22nd), Ed Smith (28th), Scott Waguespack (32nd) and Rey Colon (35th).
After the vote, Moore spoke briefly and warned his colleagues that what happened to his measure "tomorrow could happen to you."
In a caustic voice, the mayor shot back: "Thank you, Ald. Joe 'Foie Gras' Moore."
City Hall. Hard at work.
FWIW, while Moore is a frequent interloper in my circle, I'm squarely with the Mayor on this one. "Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.
The process of force feeding geese to make foie gras is self-evident mistreatment bordering on cruelty and seems to be done simply to maximise profit. I have tasted foie gras and it isn't any better to a normal pate imo. Knowing what is involved I will not eat it again and, whilst it may seem prissily politically correct, to ban the product of a cruel practice was a good thing. keep to the Fen Causeway
Also, geese are assholes. Fuck 'em.
