"...we do suggest that you travel abroad to exercise your food rights and chow down on all those goodies you can't have back home in America..."

Sorry, Neil. I disagree with you completely. Many food laws are in place to protect endangered or soon-to-be-endangered species. For example, illegal shark finning butchers between 73 and 100 million sharks each year -- so that some Asian cultures can enjoy shark fin soup (See: http://www.divester.com/2006/09/27/73-million-sharks-killed-each-year/ and http://www.divester.com/2006/12/06/australias-shark-populations-collapsing/). While many people may not *like* sharks and don't care what happens to them, removing a single species from an ecosytem -- especially an animal as important as a shark! -- can cause irreversible harm. Think: ecosystem collapse.

It's not a "right" to eat animals whose populations are dwindling rapidly. It's not a "right" to massacre entire species so that a few needy people can demonstrate their self-worth. What IS right is to spread the word about shark finning, its ecological consequences, and what you can do to stop it.

BTW -- cheilean sea bass is a protected species, too, and shouldn't be eaten. It's delicious, to be sure, but soon there won't be any left (http://www.endangeredfishalliance.org/chileanseabass.htm).

I think your posts are great, Neil, but this one was irresponsible.

Reply