A CNN article reports on the Chinese government's proposed ban on eating cats and dogs. Eating cats and dogs is common practice in Guangzhou, a city in southern China.
Professor Chang Jiwen at the Chinese Academy of the Social Sciences is a top campaigner for the law, and stated that "cats and dogs are loyal friends to humans...a ban on eating them would show China has reached a new level of civilization."
Or more accurately, the Chinese government has reached a new level of fascism by telling restaurants what they can and cannot cook and telling people what they can and cannot eat - kind of like Los Angeles's ban on new fast food chains a couple of years ago.
CNN reports that the Chinese Government has "signaled a willingness to take the meat off the market." (See full story here). However, the government's actions can more truthfully be described as a willingness to control what consenting adults may cook and eat. And of course, it is a willingness to put certain people out of jobs by forcing the closure of the many restaurants that serve these types of meat.
China forced local restaurants to take dog meat off of menus during the Beijing Olympics, and the implication is that China is concerned about its international image. However, the rest of the world may not be as judgmental as China may believe. Even in a pet-loving nation such as the United States, a good number of commenters on CNN seemed not to be disgusted or offended by the practice of eating dogs and cats.
One commenter noted that "culinary habits are extremely cultural." Another asked why Chinese people should not continue to eat what they have always been used to eating. Another shared his own experience of eating dog, and also eating horse when he was growing up poor in America in the 70s. One poster also noted that Americans eat animals that people in other cultures keep as pets or hold sacred.
Other commenters pointed out that people should eat whatever is available if they are hungry, and that an outright ban would only cause the industry to go underground.
Then there is the expected self-righteous, likely ethnocentric vegan who clearly hasn't thought the whole thing out - "As a vegan, I'm appalled at this...I think its wrong to eat all animals, but to eat dogs and cats?" In this country, numerous animals are put to sleep every year in animal shelters because they are unwanted or unadoptable. They are killed because no one wants to deal with their existence or pay money to keep them alive. God forbid in China they eat it after they kill it.
Time and time again, governments are unable to learn the hard and repetitive lessons about bans. In the United States, the disaster of prohibition and the resulting deaths, injuries and violence were no deterrent to the federal government as it launched into the even more devastating War on Drugs. The criminalization of prostitution in almost all states has resulted in needless deaths of women and needless spread of venereal diseases.
In San Diego, the ban on drinking on the beach has only caused people to take to drinking in rafts in the bay, which in turn has created risks of drowning and problems with littering.
The best way to reduce drinking, drugs, prostitution, and consumption of fatty foods and cats is through awareness and discourse, a tactic governments do not know how to use. Governments everywhere only know how to effect unjust change through force, threats and fines. The result is that the targeted offense instead is forced underground, and the consequences flowing from the ban are almost always worse than the original offense itself.
Comments
Jennifer your argument is lame - at best.
I'll provide for you the best argument against eating dogs and cats, as it obviously has escaped you. And, it is this: Until mankind learns, accepts, if you will, that animals are to be treated with understanding and respect; there is absolutely no chance that we (humans) will ever treat each other in a humane way.
So by criminalizing eating certain meats and levying unreasonable fines or possibly throwing people in jail for eating cats and dogs, China would be treating its fellow man...more humanely?
And I suppose by throwing people in jail or fining them, they will "accept" this lesson? Or do you mean it will be shoved down their throats?
Some people I know call cats "roof rabbits" and dogs "stew meat" when added to the menu. Really, it is no more "wrong" to eat them than anything else. There are bigger issues. Eat what you want and stop meddling in the lives of others. Food is a personal choice. Now, I couldn't stomach eyeballs, but I'll not condemn anyone who feels differently.
Not sure why you need to label vegans as "self-righteous" and "likely ethnocentric" because they live a life of compassion, but I am also not sure you are at all educated about the dog meat trade in China. You might want to study up on how the dogs are treated prior to and during slaughter for this cultural delight. Education is key here - please read up - do a web search for China Dog Meat Trade - make sure you see some photos too.
The point isn't just whether eating cats and dogs is bad. The thought of eating cats particularly pains me. The question is what will happen if you ban this behavior, and the answer is the same with all bans - the industry will go underground and the consequences will be far worse than the original ill of eating cats and dogs.
Bans always result in loss of jobs, unfair fines, and jail time for our fellow humans. That's not very "compassionate."
You think that's bad, check out "Fetus Soup!" next time you're using Google. Yum-Yum!! Go China, Go! I suppose that shouldn't be outlawed by some "Stew-Ped" government as well?
So by criminalizing eating certain meats and levying unreasonable fines or possibly throwing people in jail for eating cats and dogs, China would be treating its fellow man...more humanely?
And I suppose by throwing people in jail or fining them, they will "accept" this lesson? Or do you mean it will be shoved down their throats?
W.D. Box:
Your feeble attempt at emulating Mother Teresa is laughable. History does not reflect any truth in your statement.
W.D. Box and Compassionate Human:
I understand that you believe (with good reason) that cruelty to animals is not only unnecessary, but despicable. But that's not the issue raised in this article. The issues is eating certain animals. As much as I treat my pets with love, I'll be angry if someone told me that I can't eat certain foods.
If we were to turn the tables and have a government entity ban eating of vegetables, how would vegans feel? The rationale could be the same: Plants are living things too, they should be treated with respect and not eaten. The fact that they can't scream and shout when you chop them up/pull them out of the ground makes it even MORE important that you don't eat them, because they are even more vulnerable than animals (can't protect themselves).
"the industry will go underground and the consequences will be far worse than the original ill of eating cats and dogs"
It will raise the cost of both producing and consuming the meat which will ultimately reduce consumption. I'm generally libertarian but this entire article is crap that sounds like it was written by a C+ average college freshmen at a mediocre school.
For example: "However, the government's actions can more truthfully be described as a willingness to control what consenting adults may cook and eat."
Yes, that is correct. For example, pretty much no one allows people to eat other people. I am absolutely fine with people not having the freedom to eat cats and dogs.
"In this country, numerous animals are put to sleep every year in animal shelters because they are unwanted or unadoptable. They are killed because no one wants to deal with their existence or pay money to keep them alive."
You can probably guess that people against eating pets are also again
to get rid of dog and cat consumption is like getting rid of mcdonalds in the usa. ironically we eat animals like pigs that are also pets. so if i get a cow as a pet, should we ban eating cows.?
banning dog meat is THE WORSE THING china could done like usa banning horse meat and you the consequences horse suffering even more in other countries.
what I'm saying is that their are to much dogs and cats in this world getting put down than having a good home, why can't we leave the Chinese eating dog meat that was part of there culture and stop budding in. oh and the reason why cats and dogs are beating to death for food is because guns or anything relating it could have you having a death sentence. STUDY MORE ON THIS THAN BEING IGNORANT.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!