OK, for a while, Chicago had a ban on Foie Gras. The legal maneuvering that led to this ban was spearheaded by the fearless leader of the 49th Ward, Alderman Joe “Foie Gras” Moore. This is my home ‘hood, and it’s riddled with drug dealing, gang crime, and random street violence (lately, two people who thought they were buying used cars off Craigslist were stuck up at gunpoint in the same alley). Not a single restaurant in his ward even served foie gras, but Moore does represent a lot of pain-in-the-ass holier-than-thou fur-is-murder-yet-I-don’t-shave-my-legs-or-armpits types, and this so this mope got the ban passed by convincing other Chicago alderman, more traditionally interested in kickbacks, lucrative re-zoning and other aspects of the Chicago Way, to go along with it.

And, lo, all our urban woes were solved; we became a shining neighborhood upon a hill. Those champagne-cork drive-bys that were dinging our luxury vehicles were no more. The pate and liverwurst dealers lurking on dark streetcorners fled to less enlightened climes. True, you couldn’t get toast points from that guy by the alley anymore, but we all have to make some sacrifices for the greater good.

Or not. The actual response, besides world-wide ridicule: restaurants across the city gave away foie gras and charged for the salad it came on, became “duckeasies” serving it off-menu, or promoted foie gras sausages they otherwise wouldn’t have bothered selling. Only a handful of joints were ever ticketed, and those that were got more than their money’s worth in free publicity.

In the end, the laughingstock angle took effect, and Mayor Daley used his political muscle to get the ban repealed. There are a lot of problems in the world, and maybe I’ll worry about over-fed geese when we’re out of Iraq, Afghanistan and the pending Second Great Depression. And probably not then.

133 replies on “Foie Gras Lessons from Chicago”

  1. @41: says who? That’s a nonsensical rewrite of history. And don’t confuse “the Jews” with “Israel.” As has been shown recently, they’re not the same thing.

  2. So Lizzie, it is your belief that a fetus is something less than a living being. What if the fetus would survive outside the womb? Babies can survive a birth as early as 24 weeks into a pregnancy. Would you be for a ban on all abortions after that time?

  3. Rob, I’m going to assume that you’re a man (excuse me if I’m wrong…), and I’m going to assume that you’ll never have to worry about getting an abortion in your life. So until you grow a fucking uterus, stop using abortion ethics to make a point about being pro-foie gras.

    You will never on your own accord have to make the end-all choice to kill a human fetus, but every time you eat meat or patronize companies who put support the meat industry, you are saying it is OKAY to kill an animal.

  4. #51, Not all Jews ate it of course, that was just the 10 second version of foie gras history to explain why we haven’t banned it yet and some countries and cities have. Google for more details.

  5. @2 – I have no idea whether there is a ban in Amsterdam, but if there is, it isn’t enforced AT ALL: I’ve seen it on the menu in different restaurants. And yes: I almost always order it, because it’s delicious. As for the cruelty arguments, let me just say this: I’d much rather be a goose in France than a chicken in the Netherlands. Up until the last two, three weeks of their lives, those birds have an amazingly comfy life, and they don’t seem to mind the last two weeks so much either. The chicken, on the other hand, live in a confined space all their lives, and often never even seem daylight. Since getting people to give up cheap chicken would be pretty difficult, I guess it’s a less attractive target.

  6. @46 kid icarus you’re a liar. Lark isn’t answering the phone this early, and you don’t need reservations for parties smaller than 6. You would have bragged about it if you were bringing them that much business. You would have been bragging if you even had 5 friends.

    You internet trolls only know how to lie. None of you are going to consume more meat or buy foie gras or patronize Lark. You think you and your keyboard can do all the work as if real life were the same as your imaginary Internet sex life. One real NARN protester standing on the sidewalk is worth 1,000 of you posturing phonies on the Slog.

  7. Chicagofan:

    There are a lot of problems in the world, and maybe I’ll worry about over-fed geese when we’re out of Iraq, Afghanistan and the pending Second Great Depression. And probably not then.

    This is the kind of dysfunctional, jackass remark I would expect to hear from a Limbaugh-listening lowbrow, not from someone who–am I remembering this correctly?–is a professor at an institution of higher learning.

    This reminds me of the (former) friend of my mother’s who remarked during the Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primary that, if Obama gets elected, “those people” are going to be taking over. And this woman was a professor at a state teaching college.

    It’s strange that alleged cruelty to animals is an issue strikes such a nerve with people that they can’t even have a measured, non-hysterical, intellectually honest debate. And it’s strange that even college professors apparently are no less immune from such immaturity.

  9. @54: I did, and came to the conclusion that your “10-second version” was a rewrite to suit your purposes, rather than the actual history. I stand by my opinion that the bans are symbolic bans, as they haven’t affected actual consumption- a quick Google search will confirm that it’s pretty easy to get foie gras in London, for example. And I stand by my opinion that the reason you/your group goes after foie gras rather than more egregious animal abuse is because you’re bullies and cowards. Going after an obscure practice that sounds weird when described, is eaten by the rich, and has a French name is easier than going after problems that affect the majority. But it doesn’t show any courage in your convictions.

  11. @49

    It’s not a contradiction. A fetus is a parasite, an animal is an independent being. That said, I fucking love foie gras. Also, you are an idiot.

  12. Are these NARN people actually motivated by altruism toward animals, or are they motivated by a desire to be superior to others and condemn anyone who doesn’t conform to their narrow worldview?

    I’m just asking because after reading through this comment thread, it’s pretty hard to tell.

  13. 53, I’m not buying the, “You can’t have an opinion on abortion because you’re a man!” argument. It’s just a diversionary tactic because you don’t want to cop to the contradiction of being pro-abortion, while being anti-meat. Is it okay to kill a human fetus? Is it okay to kill an animal fetus?

    Oh, and I’m fine with killing animals for food.

  14. Actually, 56 some of us will go to eat at Lark because of this article. While you may think posts on Slog are not effective your lame attempts at insulting some of us are even less effective. Animal rights activists need to adjust to the fact that in a venu like Slog their opponets have equal footing and will not back down. They will not have the last word and if they attempt to outlaw foie gras in Seattle there will be organized and vocal opposition.

  15. 61, a fetus can survive outside the womb as early as 24 weeks. Are you for a ban on abortion after that time?

    Is aborting animal fetuses okay in your opinion?

  17. @57 Exactly! The way that meat-eaters vehemently defend their lifestyle is one of the funniest, most delusional methods of argumentation, akin to american conservatives.

    It’s not that these people really WANT foie gras all that bad (well, some of them do, apparently), but they fear change, especially change instigated by people different than them.

    The best part is that people who otherwise consider themselves progressive and liberal are totally unaware of how they are the ones looking like close-minded, uneducated fools.

    If this was a debate over the viability of an all vegetarian diet for diverse people – those with limited access to vegetarian protein, for example – that would be one thing.

    But as it is, a bunch of predominantly single, college-educated, home-owning, and I’d be willing to bet white, males (according to the Stranger’s readership profile, google it) are getting really fucking upset about anti-foie gras protesters.

    Cool!

  19. Oh Rob, I’m so sorry you don’t buy it. But who says you can’t have an opinion on abortion? I’m sure you have an unlimited amount of opinions on all sorts of topics. But as it stands, your opinion – or rather, attempts at cornering your NARN opponents by comparing abortion to foie gras production – doesn’t mean shit in the real world because you will NEVER BE ABLE TO HAVE AN ABORTION.

    Will you be able to kill an animal? Yes.

    And anyway, killing a human fetus and killing an animal fetus are two totally different things that have nothing to do with being pro-abortion and anti-meat. If a woman chooses to have an abortion it is HER BODY and her right. If a human decides to abort an animal fetus it is quite obviously NOT the animal’s choice.

  21. Abby, some of those countries I listed have bans on production, not sale, and some bans are new and have not taken effect yet (like in California). I didn’t phrase my first comment right, but the bans that have been enacted do mostly work. I’m not a member of any group, I don’t know who NARN is, and I didn’t even know there were protests until Slog posted about them. Foie gras isn’t an obscure food for the rich, they sell it from a blender at Quinn’s pub for $8. It’s just a new-ish trendy (but cruel) food that needs to be addressed before it spreads.

    I agree with both the libertarian method – avoid and protest businesses that sell foie gras – and the democratic method – ban the unnecessarily cruel practice of producing and selling foie gras.

  28. 77, I’m not anti abortion. I just find it interesting that someone who is against eating meat on moral grounds can also rationalize that it’s okay to kill a human fetus.

  30. nobody tell rob about the left’s opposition to the death penalty. or the rights support of preemtive war.

  32. Hot Doug’s is friggin’ great. Do we have any photos or these characters from NARN? I bet it would *hilarious* to see just who these jokers are…

  33. “Trying to get someone to profess their stance on abortion really does nothing for your pro-foie gras cause.”

    Because you can’t and refuse to answer it.

    Eating fois gras? evil!

    Pulling out 7 month old fetus, cracking it’s skull, sucking out its brains and tossing it in the trash? OK!

    “I don’t believe that fetuses are separate independent creatures.”

    They can be at 6 months; I gave birth to a perfectly healthy kid at just under 7 months. Do you support late term abortions still? I do, but I’m also sensible, I have no problem with people eating fois gras. That’s called ‘being consistent’ in your values.

    And fyi I’m 100% pro-choice.

    “So until you grow a fucking uterus”

    I have one, thanks.

  35. ” I bet it would *hilarious* to see just who these jokers are…”

    You can guarantee they are all white, college educated and middle class. THis is why I have so many Asian and black friends, they aren’t anywhere near as stupid as these twats.

  36. I love that by bringing up the abortion issue, all you anti-anti-foie gras folk now have to accuse vegans and vegetarians of being inhuman, baby-killin’, abortion-lovin’ satanists.

    If that’s not a neocon argument I don’t know what is!

  39. “So if I’m anti-abortion and anti-meat, it’s okay, right?”

    It’s at least consistent. You won’t be a hippocrit and I’d at least respect you while disagreeing with your position.

  40. “I bet it would *hilarious* to see just who these jokers are…”

    Ask your grandson to show you where to find Facebook, dumbass.

  41. Come on people. It’s not that difficult. You can support abortion rights without believing fighting pitbulls in your basement or shooting cats for fun or torturing animals for a trendy dinner is okay.

    For people who want to avoid restaurants that serve foie gras, here’s a list below — it’s probably not complete and please post a comment if any of these places have stopped serving foie gras. For people who want to show how tough and cruel they can be, go ahead and make reservations at all these restaurants out of spite.

    Seattle Restaurants That Serve(d?) Foie Gras:

    Downtown
    Campagne
    Matt’s in the Market
    Maximillen in the Market
    Le Pichet

    Capitol Hill/Central District
    Lark
    Quinn’s Pub
    Crush
    Licorous

    Belltown
    Restaurant Zoe
    Lampreia

    Ballard
    Le Gourmand

    Wallingford/Fremont
    Art of the Table

    Queen Anne
    Opal
    Canlis
    Portage

    Madison Park
    Nishino

    Columbia City
    Verve Wine Bar

    Laurelhurst
    Enotria

    West Seattle
    Ama Ama Oyster Bar

  42. No, I liked it better when the meat-eaters decided that the only good vegans/vegetarians were the anti-abortion ones.

  43. @71: you’re wrong. It’s not a new trendy food, it’s an old food with a lot of history, something that’s been on menus for quite a long time. Just because this is the first time you’ve heard of it doesn’t mean that it’s some new thing for people. It’s been a symbol of luxury since before you and I were born, which, admittedly, is one of the things that makes it exciting for people to get small amounts of it at places like Quinn’s. There’s nothing trendy about it.

    I don’t think that the bans work, because it’s easy to acquire in places where it’s “banned” and therefore hasn’t affected much (as the comment @55 notes). We’ll see how the California ban works, since it seems to be far more comprehensive than the bans in Europe, which are, as I said, symbolic.

  44. lizzie, what is trendy about veal, foie gras, etc etc?

    And the idea that people consume any of those things to be trendy…makes me wonder about how you view other people’s actions.

  45. @all y’all:

    Nice thread for comments, demonstrating many different ways to build solid arguments, as well as how to construct a series of tangents that resembles the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

    One response: to everyone who doesn’t buy my There Are Other Things I Worry About More argument, a small dose of day-to-day realism: we only have so much time and energy, and we therefore have to prioritize what we spend our political/personal capital on. I am amazed that when their fellow citizens are dying in a war built on lies and being tossed out of their homes and jobs, some Americans worry more about geese. Just beyond me.

    As for “pin drop,” go piss up a rope. Ad hominem attacks like that aren’t counter-argument, they’re just blowing smoke.

  46. @95, These people don’t understand what Opportunity Cost is. You’re wasting your time founding an argument on that basis.

  47. @ Rob in Baltimore:

    You’re giving a red-herring argument, because being pro-CHOICE doesn’t necessarily mean being pro-abortion. I CHOOSE not to eat animal products. The fact that anyone in this thread (trolling or not) has ever referred to themselves as “former vegetarian” implies that at one point, that person made the same choice. At some point down the line, I may choose to eat meat again, for whatever reason (global armageddon, extinction of soy and wheat crops, etc.), but right now I choose not to. I’m a man. I will never have to ultimately choose whether or not to have a child, though I will offer input into the decision. I may have a child. I may not. But your premise that being pro-choice and vegetarian makes one a hypocrite is flawed.

  48. Abby and #94, Foie gras production has over tripled worldwide in the past decade alone. It has been around forever, but only recently has it become common enough (especially in Seattle) to warrant attention.

    Chicago Fan @95, Protesting and blogging about the restaurants popping up that serve cruel food will make a difference, and already has. People in Seattle are already more aware of restaurants that serve foie gras and that it is a serious animal cruelty issue than they were a week ago. It will continue and more people will become aware. If you can suggest something as easy that we can do to stop the war in Iraq faster or cure the economy faster, I’m open to suggestions.

  49. “We” Mr. Savage? “Our” capital? “Our” time?

    Just when did “we” agree that you could spend “our” valuable time getting so self-righteous? I have to say, all of “our” valuable resources you spent seem to have only elected a president who vows to continue the killing, albeit with a softer public face. Good job.

    Meanwhile, animal rights activists have gotten one law after another passed and made a real difference with how they spent “our” political/personal capital. Results matter, you know that?

    How should I contact you for permission next time I’m thinking of spending “our” resources on one of my silly hobbies, Mr. Savage? I suppose I’ll find you chained to the gates of a military base, right?

  50. 97, so you’re okay with killing, as long as it’s a human fetus, but killing animals for food is bad?

    I’m not arguing against abortion here, so the “You’re a man! You can’t understand!” thing doesn’t really apply.

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