You recently read an article in the Kowloon Voice calling for a ban on the French delicacy foie gras in Hong Kong. Foie gras is goose liver that comes from geese that are forced to eat large amount of corn before they are killed. Write a letter to the editor supporting or opposing the article’s call for a ban on foie gras.
Dear Editor,
I am writing to express my support towards the ban on the French delicacy foie gras in Hong Kong. From my point of view, the process from which goose livers are obtained is undoubtedly unethical. The ban should be in place.
First and foremost, the process is neglecting the animals’ rights. To keep the goose livers fat, geese are forced to eat an excessive amount of corn and hormones are injected into their bodies. Many geese end up being obese. Although they are just a type of poultry, their lives still deserve respect. At least they should have the right to choose how much they consume. It is selfish for us, human beings to tread on animals’ rights so as to satisfy our wants. The ban on bears’ pancreas was implemented decades ago because people found it unethical to obtain the pancreas while the huge bears were locked in tiny cages. Most people from society agreed that this act is disrespecting the bears’ rights and so the obtaining of bears’ pancreas was made unlawful. The case for foie gras is simply the same and therefore, it should be banned.
Not only is the method of raising the geese unethical, but the way of obtaining the livers is also extremely cruel. The documentary on BBC filmed and disclosed the process in which the livers were taken out while the geese were not killed so as to keep the livers ‘fresh’. It is totally unacceptable to do this on humans, but why is it acceptable on geese? It is shameful to see humans treating animals like this, just to feed our stomachs at the expense of the animals.
Besides, food wastage problem should not be neglected, either. One goose can supply plenty of meat but it is supposed to only offer one liver. Many geese are therefore killed so the number of livers reaches humans’ demand. Meanwhile, humans only require a little amount of goose meat. As a result, the geese whose livers are taken out die and their meat is left useless. We, as humans, should take up the responsibility to protect the environment. Therefore, foie gras should be banned.
It is undeniable that foie gras are delicious. However, animal rights are not something that we, human beings, should neglect or sacrifice in order to satisfy our appetite. It is fortunate of us to be born in this developed city where we do not have to worry about getting enough food. At the same time, we should not forget the underprivileged who live in poor, undeveloped and underpoverished countries. They face hunger and they struggle for a living every day. It is never an ethical act to waste food. It is time people considered the negative impacts when enjoying the delicacy. The government should also play a leading role on respecting animals’ rights and the environment. After all, to support the van or not is reflecting our demeanour, kind or selfish. My choice is definitely, removing the French delicacy from the menu.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Wong
Chris Wong
Lam Oi Yi Jasmine
6E 2015-16