2008 Woodie Awards
Illini Media
WPGU
buzz
Illio
TechnographFoie Gras ban should be statewide
By Gene Baur
Posted: 1/30/07 Section: Letters
Zogby International, the well-known polling and market research firm, just released the findings of a nationwide survey which asked likely voters and members of the general public a range of questions about foie gras.
Chicago area residents who have been subjected to a barrage of misleading rhetoric and incomplete newspaper stories and telecasts about foie gras since the City Council voted 49-1 last year to ban the serving of it in city restaurants, should find the Zogby results refreshing.
Meanwhile, effete political leaders in Chicago, who have openly ridiculed the historic ordinance, and law-breaking Windy City restaurant owners, who continue to serve the so-called delicacy, will find they have been unmasked by the poll's conclusions.
For openers, the notion that Chicago's ban on foie gras somehow is going to deprive legions of well-heeled diners of a wildly sought after, cannot-do-without-appetizer, comes as an unalloyed myth, according to poll findings. So is the claim that the ban is taking a healthy slice out of restaurant profits.
When poll respondents were asked how often they consumed foie gras, 2 percent replied once a month. Three percent said at least once a year. Another 37 percent had never eaten it while the greatest number, 50 percent had never heard of the expensive appetizer.
The greatest piece of misinformation utterly refuted by the poll is the notion- advanced not-so-subtly by opponents of the Chicago ordinance, that those most in favor of the law and most prepared in fiercely fighting any attempts to repeal it, are members of some tiny, fuzzy fringe group.
Wrong!
When Zogby pollsters informed respondents that foie gras, French for fatty liver, was produced by force-feeding ducks and geese with large quantities of food through a pipe shoved down their throats, that the practice caused liver disease and other torments, and that several European countries and California had outlawed the practice, this is how they responded to the central question of whether the practice should be outlawed in the U.S.
An overwhelming majority, a whopping 73 percent, said they agreed that it should be outlawed. Only 21 percent said they disagreed and six percent said they were uncertain.
Given these poll results, is it not time to take Chicago's enlightened lead to the next level? Is it not time that the General Assembly in Springfield adopt a statewide law banning the production and sale of foie gras?
Gene Baur
president and co-founder
Farm Sanctuary
Watkins Glen, NY
Chicago area residents who have been subjected to a barrage of misleading rhetoric and incomplete newspaper stories and telecasts about foie gras since the City Council voted 49-1 last year to ban the serving of it in city restaurants, should find the Zogby results refreshing.
Meanwhile, effete political leaders in Chicago, who have openly ridiculed the historic ordinance, and law-breaking Windy City restaurant owners, who continue to serve the so-called delicacy, will find they have been unmasked by the poll's conclusions.
For openers, the notion that Chicago's ban on foie gras somehow is going to deprive legions of well-heeled diners of a wildly sought after, cannot-do-without-appetizer, comes as an unalloyed myth, according to poll findings. So is the claim that the ban is taking a healthy slice out of restaurant profits.
When poll respondents were asked how often they consumed foie gras, 2 percent replied once a month. Three percent said at least once a year. Another 37 percent had never eaten it while the greatest number, 50 percent had never heard of the expensive appetizer.
The greatest piece of misinformation utterly refuted by the poll is the notion- advanced not-so-subtly by opponents of the Chicago ordinance, that those most in favor of the law and most prepared in fiercely fighting any attempts to repeal it, are members of some tiny, fuzzy fringe group.
Wrong!
When Zogby pollsters informed respondents that foie gras, French for fatty liver, was produced by force-feeding ducks and geese with large quantities of food through a pipe shoved down their throats, that the practice caused liver disease and other torments, and that several European countries and California had outlawed the practice, this is how they responded to the central question of whether the practice should be outlawed in the U.S.
An overwhelming majority, a whopping 73 percent, said they agreed that it should be outlawed. Only 21 percent said they disagreed and six percent said they were uncertain.
Given these poll results, is it not time to take Chicago's enlightened lead to the next level? Is it not time that the General Assembly in Springfield adopt a statewide law banning the production and sale of foie gras?
Gene Baur
president and co-founder
Farm Sanctuary
Watkins Glen, NY
The Daily Illini encourages on-topic discussion through article commenting on its articles and blogs. It is our policy not to delete any comments based upon political or ideological point of view. However, we reserve the right to remove comments that are abusive, off-topic or use excessive foul language.
The posting of copyrighted material, including any and all content for which you are not the author, is illegal under Federal intellectual property laws. Such activity will not be tolerated. Comments containing copyrighted material will be removed, and continued violation of copyright law is grounds for being banned completely from commenting on DailyIllini.com.
If you feel any post meets these conditions or merits review, please e-mail our editors at meonline@dailyillini.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Soldier
posted 1/30/07 @ 7:52 AM CST
Zogby. There's a name you can trust.
That politically-motivated, left-biased company isn't worth the electrons that power their website.
This is the same polling agency that released results of a poll stating that 73% of soldiers in Iraq opposed the Iraq war. (Continued…)
Melissa
posted 1/30/07 @ 4:58 PM CST
If you told residents the way their burger or chicken nuggets were produced, I think you would get similar results. Yes, gavage (force-feeding) causes liver disease, but almost all industrial agricultural practices cause disease and pain in animals. (Continued…)
Post a Comment