Foie gras bill introduced in Philly

[KatieLoeb]

I think we might need a group like "Rolled-Up Newspapers for Puppies" to help the protesters with their social skills.  Any time any of them steps over the line, screaming something shrill or misleading,  someone can smack a rolled-up newspaper in their hand (don't hit the puppies, one just wants to make a startling noise) and say "NO!" firmly but calmly.  Praise them and give them treats for being good.  Gotta be cheaper than lawyers.

←

Yes, but doesn't one generally follow up by rubbing their noses where they've inappropriately soiled after scaring them with the newspaper?

I've been very interested in following the unique perpective on this that Linda Terry and Alcibiades have offered us. I think this might be a PA eGullet exclusive, compared to the local media that hasn't really shone a bright light on the tactics of HfP and the lengths to which the restaurateurs must defend their personal/professional property, customers and staff from harrassment. Let us strive to keep this discussion to the facts and in a civil tone and buck the past trend of having all Foie Gras topics come to a screeching halt due to the digression into the "so's-yo'-mama" type of flame wars that this topic seems to generate. I'd be pleased to believe the PA forum could set the example here.

[matthewj]

Laurent Mantrique of Sonoma valley foie gras, house was trashed, as well as his business. THey video taped he and his family at his house and sent it to them. Sonoma valley foiegras is going to be be moved to Canada.

These are not nice people.

[Linda Terry]

Katie, I will do my best! Well-spoken, which I am not a lot of the times.

Protest update: hugsforpuppies were not out protesting yesterday (for foie gras-there was a big protest at SmithKline) BUT were seen in the neighborhood walking around.

I think we might need a group like "Rolled-Up Newspapers for Puppies" to help the protesters with their social skills.  Any time any of them steps over the line, screaming something shrill or misleading,  someone can smack a rolled-up newspaper in their hand (don't hit the puppies, one just wants to make a startling noise) and say "NO!" firmly but calmly.  Praise them and give them treats for being good.  Gotta be cheaper than lawyers.

←

Yes, but doesn't one generally follow up by rubbing their noses where they've inappropriately soiled after scaring them with the newspaper?

I've been very interested in following the unique perpective on this that Linda Terry and Alcibiades have offered us. I think this might be a PA eGullet exclusive, compared to the local media that hasn't really shone a bright light on the tactics of HfP and the lengths to which the restaurateurs must defend their personal/professional property, customers and staff from harrassment. Let us strive to keep this discussion to the facts and in a civil tone and buck the past trend of having all Foie Gras topics come to a screeching halt due to the digression into the "so's-yo'-mama" type of flame wars that this topic seems to generate. I'd be pleased to believe the PA forum could set the example here.

←

[Alcibiades]

Terry,

I'm glad to hear that you've stuck to your guns. These guys spend huge amounts of energy on the "little guys" because they perceive us to be more easily swayed on account of the fact we're small businesses.

I think I'll pop into your place for a drink. I've never been before but I'll gladly pay double just out of appreciation for your integrity!

[cdh]

Word! Now if somebody in PHL could get the recipe for Tim Love's (of Lonesome Dove in Ft. Worth) Foie Gras shooters (gotta love the Texan twist), I could see a great fund raising/foie supporting event based around selling them... the Puppies would show up, and probably get themselves arrested.

BTW, I'm a Philly local lawyer who might be convinced into looking into civil RICO or other causes of action that the Puppies might be subject to.

Terry,

I'm glad to hear that you've stuck to your guns. These guys spend huge amounts of energy on the "little guys" because they perceive us to be more easily swayed on account of the fact we're small businesses.

I think I'll pop into your place for a drink. I've never been before but I'll gladly pay double just out of appreciation for your integrity!

←

Edited June 12, 2007 by cdh (log)

[KatieLoeb]

You go Chris! I think that's a great idea. Certainly there must be some sort of actionable transgression there. Just as freedom of speech doesn't allow one to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater, verbally and visually harassing the patrons of the restaurants who are merely trying to peacefully enjoy a night out, a well cooked meal and a beverage while supporting the local economy can't possibly be entirely legal.

[Linda Terry]

cdh-lawyer you say?

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburgh...n/s_511792.html

In May 2005, a top FBI official testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that violent environmental and animal rights groups are the nation's top domestic terror threat [testimony transcript; JURIST report]. AP has more.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=...orld&id=5334493

Pursuant to Judge Aiken's opinion that a "federal crime of terrorism does not require a substantial risk of injury," the government will likely seek harsher prison sentences under the terrorism enhancement provision of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Judge Aiken has retained discretion to determine whether the terrorism enhancement provision should apply to each individual defendant involved in arsons intended to stem environmental destruction and animal abuse. The ruling does require however, that the prosecutors prove that defendants' actions were directed at the government itself and not just at private or corporate entities.

Word!  Now if somebody in PHL could get the recipe for Tim Love's (of Lonesome Dove in Ft. Worth) Foie Gras shooters  (gotta love the Texan twist), I could see a great fund raising/foie supporting event based around selling them... the Puppies would show up, and probably get themselves arrested.

BTW, I'm a Philly local lawyer who might be convinced into looking into civil RICO or other causes of action that the Puppies might be subject to.

Terry,

I'm glad to hear that you've stuck to your guns. These guys spend huge amounts of energy on the "little guys" because they perceive us to be more easily swayed on account of the fact we're small businesses.

I think I'll pop into your place for a drink. I've never been before but I'll gladly pay double just out of appreciation for your integrity!

←

←

[cdh]

Indeed. I don't know the facts from any personal experience or in-depth research, but it sounds to me like what the Puppies are doing is not all that different from a protection racket. Threats of actions that are intended to damage a business and scare off customers if the business does not give the Puppies what they want... if they can get mobsters for it, they should be able to get the Puppies for it too.

Too bad I'm not a prosecutor as all that is in the hands of the DA's office and the cops... though we do have an AUSA/restauranteur who occasionally reads the PA board on eG... I wonder if Paloma serves foie dishes... hmmmm.

For a civil suit, there has to be an entity that can get hit with the judgment/injunction. If the Puppies are just a loose federation of nutjobs who are all on Nick C's speed dial, then I wonder what the law could do about it. Civil conspiracy might do the trick...

[mattohara]

thanks phil, for the rolled up newspapers comment. i laughed out loud at work here.

i'd like to restate my comment from another thread that got locked. i referred to them as kids and somebody got mad. i meant not the larger organization, just the 5 or 6 kids that i've seen outside Pif abusing our friends.

this was going to be a long rambling post but i've just deleted it all in favor of saying this: i just try to make jokes with our customers while they're out there threatening us. and yes, we definitely do sell more foie when they're around.

[KatieLoeb]

Too bad I'm not a prosecutor as all that is in the hands of the DA's office and the cops... though we do have an AUSA/restauranteur who occasionally reads the PA board on eG... I wonder if Paloma serves foie dishes... hmmmm.

Paging Barb Cohan-Saavedra to the White courtesy phone please...

[zoe b]

Last winter there was the threat of several foie gras laws in NJ--one against serving it, but the most frightening would ban distribution.

This was again, the case of an ignorant pol wanting ink meeting up with the animal rights groups--a lot of letters were written and phone calls made--these bills were either dropped or never filed.

I found members of the Ag committee the most helpful in this--probably not one of those in Philly!, but if you can figure out who is most interested in food production in the city--maybe the Tourist Board is a good way to go--they don't want Philly to look ridiculous.

Zoe

[serpentine]

Just as freedom of speech doesn't allow one to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater, verbally and visually harassing the patrons of the restaurants who are merely trying to peacefully enjoy a night out, a well cooked meal and a beverage while supporting the local economy can't possibly be entirely legal.

Well, it's legal to hysterically plead with me to not damn myself to hell while showing me pictures of aborted fetuses while I'm trying to enter a clinic for my annual ladyparts check-up. So I think that picketing a restaurant is well within established free speech rights.

The animal-rights groups are using a smart strategy. Protesting a luxury organ-meat product allows the general public to feel that they're doing some sort of great moral good with a ban, without actually asking them to change how they get dinner on the table every night. (This is why protesters don't focus on factory-farmed chicken.) The success of such bans/pressure on restaurateurs gives the groups "proven results" that help them attract support and funding. Sigh.

[Linda Terry]

Bon Jour! Check out Citypaper this week; there's an article cleverly titled "Liver Let Die" by David Snyder. It is "pro-foie".

I am still fighting Hugs For Puppies and still serving foie gras! (week 8) If you want to rally with the protestors a bit you can either come by the restuarant Friday & Saturday (there's a protestor's discount, and foie gras), usually around 7:30, or join us and the protest for our Fairmount Bastille Day Celebration on Sat July 14th! Or do both!

The street festival starts at 2:00 and the reeanctment with my beheading begins at 5:30! Hugs For Puppies have 5:30 on their schedule. Come fight the fight for freedom and choice! Fight the fight against foie gras.

Terry B McNally

London Grill

Wouldn't it be ironic if they can't pass a smoking ban but protect the ducks?

The folks that sponsor these bills should go down to Delmarva to a factory farm for chickens or to NC to a pork farm-that'd open their eyes.

←

[Vadouvan]

Agreed.

Best take on the subject.

Ruhlman and Bourdain.

http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2006/11...this_is_ge.html

[wkl]

maybe the next philly trend will be byofg's.

[Holly Moore]

Now that Chicago city council has come to its senses, anything still happening hereabouts?

[mattohara]

Holly you beat me to it. I was excited to post:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/200...-foie-gras-ban/

[MarketStEl]

Best line in the followup comments, in response to the people protesting the alleged cruelty involved in producing foie:

Oh, c’mon…cry me a liver!

[mattohara]

everybody who has posted in this thread should watch this video:

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dan_bar...as_parable.html

there's another cool one about american chinese food.