It is my understanding that the main purpose of this
sort of legislation is to set important precedents for
more influential animal welfare measures.  It is much
easier to attach a stigma (or a ban) to foie gras--a
highfalutin food that is even more expensive and
decadent than veal--than it is to plain old chicken
despite the fact that foie gras geese and typical
factory farm chickens suffer comparable amounts.  I
suspect that animal advocates hope that those who
support the foie gras ban will be hit by a wave of
cognitive dissonance when the discover that most, if
not all of their own favorite animal products would
also be subject to a ban on the same premises. 
(Although, my own confidence in the general public's
ability to withstand such dissonance is significantly
stronger.) 
Similarly, it is also animal advocate groups' MO to
instigate bans on gestation crates for sows, for
example, in states where there are few (if any) pig
producers and therefore very little direct opposition.
 This is also a (potentially clever) precedent setting
tactic and I am very interested to see if these sort
of efforts pan out in the long term.
-Erica

--- Dave Morris   wrote:

> This sounds disturbing, and I don't even know what
> "foie gras" is.  
> Falls under the general category of "stop torturing
> animals to make  
> our food cheaper".
> 
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Help us ban cruel methods used to produce foie
> gras
> >
> > Make a difference today.
> >
> > The Michigan Legislature is considering a bill
> that would ban foie  
> > gras that has been produced in an inhumane manner.
> >
> > Dear Nicole,
> >
> > Michigan House Rep. Fred Miller has introduced
> legislation to  
> > prohibit the inhumane practice of force-feeding
> birds and to ban  
> > the buying or selling of foie gras when it has
> been produced in  
> > this inhumane manner.
> > In producing some foie gras, ducks and geese are
> confined to small  
> > pens, and have metal pipes shoved down their
> throats as handlers  
> > pour in cups of food twice a day. This inhumane
> process causes a  
> > diseased liver condition called "hepatic
> lipidosis," in which the  
> > liver swells to approximately 10 times its normal
> size. Many ducks  
> > and geese do not even make it to slaughter, but
> die from ruptured  
> > throats or bacterial infections, or suffocate on
> their own vomit.
> > The bill would not ban foie gras -- it would
> instead ban the  
> > selling or buying of foie gras made in this
> inhumane manner.
> > American Humane strongly supports this bill. Let
> your	
> > representative know this inhumane treatment must
> not continue --  
> > support House Bill 4871 today!
> >
> > Click here to learn more about this legislation.
> Click here to take  
> > action now!
> >
> >
> >
> > Help raise awareness about this critically
> important issue --
> > Forward this message to a friend in Michigan
> >
> > Click here to unsubscribe  |  Click here to update
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> 
> Dave Morris
> cell: 734-476-8769
> http://www-personal.umich.edu/~thecat/
> 
> 
>