Lovers of liver may taste victory after all - 2 aldermen seek to end foie gras ban
Lovers of liver may taste victory after all - 2 aldermen seek to end foie gras ban
By Gary Washburn and Mark Caro
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
Published September 12, 2006
As Mayor Richard Daley vetoed a controversial ordinance on Monday, two aldermen said they are seeking to repeal another: Chicago's ban on foie gras.
Ald. Bernard Stone (50th) and Burton Natarus (42nd) originally voted in favor of the measure when it was approved by the City Council in April. But both since have had second thoughts.
Stone contended that Chicago has become a national laughingstock since outlawing the delicacy, which is made from the livers of geese and ducks.
He acknowledged that inserting long tubes down the bird's neck and force-feeding it to produce foie gras is torture to the animal. And "in principle [the ordinance] is probably correct," he said.
But "anybody who has traveled anywhere in this country knows that people are just laughing their heads off at us," Stone said.
Natarus, who said he isn't worried about ridicule, favors repeal as "a matter of logic. It is a matter of reasonableness."
The council "can't do every single thing in terms of regulating our lives," he said. "People should be able to exercise choices. If they feel the creation of this liver dish is an irresponsible thing, they shouldn't eat it."
And, "quite frankly," Natarus added, "we do an awful lot of things to animals and to fish. I think the fly fishermen who catch fish for sport and take the hook out and put the fish back are just as irresponsible as is this foie gras situation."
The aldermen's disclosure of their repeal proposal came on the same day that Daley vetoed the hotly contested "big-box" minimum-wage ordinance.
Daley, who enjoys foie gras, is no fan of the ban measure, either. He has called the council's prohibition the silliest law to come down the legislative pike at City Hall.
"Hallelujah!" declared Chris Robling, an industry spokesman, after hearing of the repeal attempt. "This is wonderful.
"My fingers were crossed," said Robling, who speaks for Artisan Farmers Alliance, which represents North America's foie gras producers and some distributors. "That's great news."
Copperblue executive chef and owner Michael Tsonton, who last week became the second restaurateur cited by the city for serving foie gras after the ban went into effect, also cheered the move by Natarus and Stone.
"The foie gras thing was beyond silly," Tsonton said. "It was irresponsible."
But Gene Bauston, president of Farm Sanctuary, a farm-animal protection organization, contended that "animal cruelty should not be a choice."
"We have many laws that regulate our behavior," he said. "Beating children is not allowed. Eating cats and dogs is not allowed, and eating foie gras should not be allowed."
Chicago a laughingstock?
"Chicago has set a humane example, and it should be proud," Bauston said. "There are millions of people across the U.S. who are looking to Chicago as a shining star."
Ald. Joe Moore (49th), who sponsored the foie gras measure, said Monday that it "is simply an ordinance that tried to stop the practice of animal torture, pure and simple.
"My reaction is the City Council had a vote," Moore said. "It was 48-1 in favor. Time to move on."
The Stone-Natarus proposal will get a hearing in the council's Health Committee. If it wins a majority of votes there, it goes to the full council. Repeal would require a simple majority of votes at a council meeting.
"Some of my friends, chefs outside Illinois, have named Chicago the `Nanny City'--nanny, like the person who takes care of your children," said Allen Sternweiler, executive chef at Allen's--The New American Cafe, 217 W. Huron St. "I've gotten a few letters, with people saying, How would you like a tube stuck down your throat?
"My throat is not like a duck's throat. If you have some tragedy like an oil spill or a fire around a wetland, they would be using an exact same feeding tube to feed those injured ducks."
Colleen McShane, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, applauded the Stone-Natarus measure.
"Given the full facts of the issue--for instance, the fiscal impact, the image damage--I think that the majority of the aldermen would probably consider repealing this," she said. "This foie gras [ban] turned Chicago, which is a great food city, into a mockery."
But repeal proponents can expect a fight.
"We are going to be monitoring the situation closely and vigorously oppose efforts to undo this humane ordinance," Bauston said.
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gwashburn@tribune.com
mcaro@tribune.com
By Gary Washburn and Mark Caro
Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune
Published September 12, 2006
As Mayor Richard Daley vetoed a controversial ordinance on Monday, two aldermen said they are seeking to repeal another: Chicago's ban on foie gras.
Ald. Bernard Stone (50th) and Burton Natarus (42nd) originally voted in favor of the measure when it was approved by the City Council in April. But both since have had second thoughts.
Stone contended that Chicago has become a national laughingstock since outlawing the delicacy, which is made from the livers of geese and ducks.
He acknowledged that inserting long tubes down the bird's neck and force-feeding it to produce foie gras is torture to the animal. And "in principle [the ordinance] is probably correct," he said.
But "anybody who has traveled anywhere in this country knows that people are just laughing their heads off at us," Stone said.
Natarus, who said he isn't worried about ridicule, favors repeal as "a matter of logic. It is a matter of reasonableness."
The council "can't do every single thing in terms of regulating our lives," he said. "People should be able to exercise choices. If they feel the creation of this liver dish is an irresponsible thing, they shouldn't eat it."
And, "quite frankly," Natarus added, "we do an awful lot of things to animals and to fish. I think the fly fishermen who catch fish for sport and take the hook out and put the fish back are just as irresponsible as is this foie gras situation."
The aldermen's disclosure of their repeal proposal came on the same day that Daley vetoed the hotly contested "big-box" minimum-wage ordinance.
Daley, who enjoys foie gras, is no fan of the ban measure, either. He has called the council's prohibition the silliest law to come down the legislative pike at City Hall.
"Hallelujah!" declared Chris Robling, an industry spokesman, after hearing of the repeal attempt. "This is wonderful.
"My fingers were crossed," said Robling, who speaks for Artisan Farmers Alliance, which represents North America's foie gras producers and some distributors. "That's great news."
Copperblue executive chef and owner Michael Tsonton, who last week became the second restaurateur cited by the city for serving foie gras after the ban went into effect, also cheered the move by Natarus and Stone.
"The foie gras thing was beyond silly," Tsonton said. "It was irresponsible."
But Gene Bauston, president of Farm Sanctuary, a farm-animal protection organization, contended that "animal cruelty should not be a choice."
"We have many laws that regulate our behavior," he said. "Beating children is not allowed. Eating cats and dogs is not allowed, and eating foie gras should not be allowed."
Chicago a laughingstock?
"Chicago has set a humane example, and it should be proud," Bauston said. "There are millions of people across the U.S. who are looking to Chicago as a shining star."
Ald. Joe Moore (49th), who sponsored the foie gras measure, said Monday that it "is simply an ordinance that tried to stop the practice of animal torture, pure and simple.
"My reaction is the City Council had a vote," Moore said. "It was 48-1 in favor. Time to move on."
The Stone-Natarus proposal will get a hearing in the council's Health Committee. If it wins a majority of votes there, it goes to the full council. Repeal would require a simple majority of votes at a council meeting.
"Some of my friends, chefs outside Illinois, have named Chicago the `Nanny City'--nanny, like the person who takes care of your children," said Allen Sternweiler, executive chef at Allen's--The New American Cafe, 217 W. Huron St. "I've gotten a few letters, with people saying, How would you like a tube stuck down your throat?
"My throat is not like a duck's throat. If you have some tragedy like an oil spill or a fire around a wetland, they would be using an exact same feeding tube to feed those injured ducks."
Colleen McShane, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association, applauded the Stone-Natarus measure.
"Given the full facts of the issue--for instance, the fiscal impact, the image damage--I think that the majority of the aldermen would probably consider repealing this," she said. "This foie gras [ban] turned Chicago, which is a great food city, into a mockery."
But repeal proponents can expect a fight.
"We are going to be monitoring the situation closely and vigorously oppose efforts to undo this humane ordinance," Bauston said.
----------
gwashburn@tribune.com
mcaro@tribune.com
posted by Carlos T Mock @ 7:04 PM
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