2008 Woodie Awards
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'Enlightened' food police are just annoying
In my opinion
by Tyler Graf | Opinion editor
PUBLISHED ON 5/1/07 IN Commentary
As someone who eats meat, I don't want to sound like a shill for factory farming. Anyone who thinks that factory farmed salmon, with its bright pink pallor and rubbery texture, tastes better and than its wild counterparts is a liar, or has no taste buds. Anybody who believes that factory farmed beef tastes better than open range, corn-fed beef is also a liar.
That is why I think people should see where their food comes from, so they can make informed decisions about their diets. People who choose to look the other way, though, are merely exercising their right to remain apathetic about the manner in which animals are slaughtered.
The food police are very real. Not only do they care about what you ingest, and are willing to outlaw food that displeases them, they want to transplant their food hang-ups on anyone with an appetite, at the expense of culture or taste. And I don't think they understand the significance of this coercive tendency.
If I had my druthers, I'd outlaw any food that was not delicious. I won't do that, however, because I don't want to be accused of being the food police myself. We all need to have boundaries.
tgraf@dailyemerald.com
That is why I think people should see where their food comes from, so they can make informed decisions about their diets. People who choose to look the other way, though, are merely exercising their right to remain apathetic about the manner in which animals are slaughtered.
The food police are very real. Not only do they care about what you ingest, and are willing to outlaw food that displeases them, they want to transplant their food hang-ups on anyone with an appetite, at the expense of culture or taste. And I don't think they understand the significance of this coercive tendency.
If I had my druthers, I'd outlaw any food that was not delicious. I won't do that, however, because I don't want to be accused of being the food police myself. We all need to have boundaries.
tgraf@dailyemerald.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 6
Cathy Apgar
posted 5/02/07 @ 12:01 PM PST
"Food is culture." Yep, you said it. Lots of things define a culture- for instance, suicide bombers (Islam), throwing your child off a cliff if his teeth come in first on the bottom instead of the top (Some dumbass tribe in Africa), shaving the heads of the mentally ill as the state-of-the-art treatment (Afghanistan). (Continued…)
Drew Soderberg
posted 5/03/07 @ 9:39 AM PST
What's annoying Cathy is that you choose to compare throwing babies off cliffs with eating duck. Give ME a break
Dorothy
dorothy
posted 5/04/07 @ 12:45 PM PST
Ok,guys,each one to your corner of the ring.Stop fighting for the moment.If you want to eat goose liver,and ham,that's your choice;if someone wants to eat veggie,it's up to them. (Continued…)
Dorothy
dorothy
posted 5/04/07 @ 12:48 PM PST
Hey,watch it,some of like asparagus AND duck.(usually on the same menu.)
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