Foie Gras battle heating up in New York City

Fairway's foie gras sign, now removed

While I was out of town, there was an anti-foie gras protest in front of the Fairway Market on the Upper West Side. Farm Sanctuary, "the nation's leading farm animal protection organization" is trying to get Fairway to remove foie gras from its shelves. They've gotten the store to remove a sign they posted last year proclaiming the store "Foie Gras Central" and now, buoyed by their success in gaining bans in Chicago and California, they've set their sites set on New York. According to the New York Sun, "the group recently opened an office in the city and hired a full-time development coordinator." Poking around their site, I see that they've got protests scheduled every Sunday for the month of February to "educate Fairway's customers and other Upper Westsiders about the truth behind foie gras."

First of all, Fairway shouldn't have folded and taken down their sign. They have every right to sell foie gras, and they have every right to explain why they're doing so to their customers. By removing the sign, they've clearly emboldened the anti-foie grasists. Second, is anyone complaining to Fairway about the protesters in front of the store, trying to push their values on Upper Westsiders? If I shopped there, I certainly would.

Maybe what we need is a pro-foie gras contingent to go up and hand out pamphlets explaining the migratory behavior of ducks and geese that causes them to gorge and naturally fatten their livers. Or maybe not. Maybe everyone should spend their Sundays making their own decisions, not being pressured by strangers trying to get their value system codified by the government.

Posted on February 13, 2007

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