"Where some people have turkey, we'll have monkey meat...."
I just read this and felt a need to share it. Myself being vegan and an animal rights activist, I have ALWAYS been confused by some of the laws that exist in the western world. Like why it's OK to raise and eat pigs, cows, chickens, etc....but not OK to eat dogs, cats, and other animals that we consider to be pets. Those that are far from being extinct. We as a western society frown upon those in South Korea that cage and eat dogs, yet ourselves keep many species of "farm" animals in cages and in horrid conditions with no laws on the books to protect them. My own thoughts such as these started way before I was vegan.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071124/ap_on_re_us/monkey_meat
There are MANY religious ceremonies around the world where people use dead meat or share it as part of their customs. Passover has those that attend have a "shank bone" on a plate....a "hard boiled egg" as well.... Why is this woman wrong, and our society right?
Maybe those that went to her house were eating a Big Mac when the pulled up to question her.... :-\
Interesting article, Dave. I, too, before I was vegan, tried to remind people who criticize Asian countries for eating dog that eating cow is just as strange and immoral to practicing Hindus. It's so strange (and sad) how animals are grouped into "smart, cuddly, non-food" and "non-cuddly, stupid, food" categories however we as a people choose to group them. :-\
I also like that they are so concerned about the potential health hazards of monkey meat because we all know that the meat eaten in the U.S. is completely free of disease...did someone say E. Coli ? Salmonella? Mad cow? ::) *sigh*
Putting all the ethics (which I totally agree with) aside for a second....
Eating monkey meat carries a HUGE risk of getting Ebola? ......shudders....one of the scariest diseases I've heard of!
since most if not all Monkeys are endangered and/or threatened...I see a bit of a difference
but I agree with the point youre trying to make
I actually have a much more open mind about certain animal products being used as food than I did when I ate meat. Now when I think about pigs feet and beef tongue and other such culturally "gross" parts of the animals being used, I am a least a tiny bit glad the whole animal is at least being used...as opposed to say, shark fins being removed and the shark being thrown back in the water.
I don't have much to say about the type of meat that she was eating, but I think first and foremost I'd be worried about her illegally bringing the meat into the country. There are laws about that kind of thing for safety, and if SARS and Ebola are truly an issue, that is a big deal. What with hoof and mouth and Mad Cow (I know these presumably do not pertain to monkey, but you get where I'm going), and this contamination and that contamination... you see what at least part of the issue is.
On the variety of meat... I personally don't want to eat any of it (obviously), so I don't see much of a difference between cow and cat and dog and fish. I can see how people are weirded out by primates, which are so similar to us humans, but it seems so arbitrary to me that people eat cows and sheep but not horses.
I actually have a much more open mind about certain animal products being used as food than I did when I ate meat. Now when I think about pigs feet and beef tongue and other such culturally "gross" parts of the animals being used, I am a least a tiny bit glad the whole animal is at least being used...as opposed to say, shark fins being removed and the shark being thrown back in the water.
Personally, I have to say, I feel ALL life is precious. From a shark to a monkey to a cow to a pig to a dog to a cat to a spider hanging upside down from my living room ceiling. They are all beautiful and valuable to me. Whether a person ingests a part of an animal or throws it out...seems to make no difference to me...it all makes me feel sad. But that's just me.
Funny, I don't have as much compassion for human animals though. I'm trying...I really am...
It's interesting that her lawyer said the government is, "picking on a poorly educated immigrant," who doesn't understand the, "highly technical regulations regarding bushmeat." The people sending the monkey meat to her knew not to include it on the manifest and when investigators asked her about importing monkey meat she knew to deny it. I'd say she understood just fine. I have no sympathy for her.
As to the question. I never understood why some animals could be eaten and others couldn't be, socially.
Passover has those that attend have a "shank bone" on a plate....a "hard boiled egg" as well....
I don't disagree with you on this topic, as a whole, but....you don't mean the Jewish passover do you? Because shark is not kosher. Its not kosher because animals with gills must ALSO have scales, sharks have gills but no scales...so it cant be kosher...? Whats your source on that, out of curiosity?
Personally, I find all these laws very arbitrary. For me there really is no difference in people choosing to eat dog or rat or snake or monkey over pig, cow, turkey, etc.
I also think those "extinct lists" should be eradicated. As, it's been proven that the fastest way to become extinct is to get on that government list. Mainly because when something is rare more and more people will want it. So, the whole "about to go extinct" list is really very self-defeating. Those lists should be kept top secret. Seriously.
Having been to China and Africa where I ate all kinds of things (before I went vegetarian) ... I've always thought that the only reason western culture reacts so violently to these types of things is because there is an attitude here that what we believe is better than what everyone else believes. Therefore, anything foriegn is "weird." This attitude drives me crazy!
At any rate, the situation with eating animals is bad all around. You either have the illegal importation of said animals (which is horrible in terms of conditions of the animals) or you have the legal factory farms (again, horrible in terms of conditions). It's a bad situation all around and I wish more people would WAKE up already.
Passover has those that attend have a "shank bone" on a plate....a "hard boiled egg" as well....
I don't disagree with you on this topic, as a whole, but....you don't mean the Jewish passover do you? Because shark is not kosher. Its not kosher because animals with gills must ALSO have scales, sharks have gills but no scales...so it cant be kosher...? Whats your source on that, out of curiosity?
That's SHANK, not shark.
Personally, I find all these laws very arbitrary. For me there really is no difference in people choosing to eat dog or rat or snake or monkey over pig, cow, turkey, etc.
I also think those "extinct lists" should be eradicated. As, it's been proven that the fastest way to become extinct is to get on that government list. Mainly because when something is rare more and more people will want it. So, the whole "about to go extinct" list is really very self-defeating. Those lists should be kept top secret. Seriously.
Having been to China and Africa where I ate all kinds of things (before I went vegetarian) ... I've always thought that the only reason western culture reacts so violently to these types of things is because there is an attitude here that what we believe is better than what everyone else believes. Therefore, anything foriegn is "weird." This attitude drives me crazy!
At any rate, the situation with eating animals is bad all around. You either have the illegal importation of said animals (which is horrible in terms of conditions of the animals) or you have the legal factory farms (again, horrible in terms of conditions). It's a bad situation all around and I wish more people would WAKE up already.
This reminded me of my vegetarian biology teacher in Highschool, the leader of my schools earth club, of whom I was very fond.... I looked up to her as a sort of role model. But, she told me once that while in Australia, someone offered her the steak of an endangered sea turtle and she ATE it because she "would never have and opportunity to eat something so rare again"...I was shocked, mortified and frustrated...you would think a biology major, of all people would understand the importance of not supporting poaching....but to make an exception to her vegetarian diet because of it!!!! >:(
Passover has those that attend have a "shank bone" on a plate....a "hard boiled egg" as well....
I don't disagree with you on this topic, as a whole, but....you don't mean the Jewish passover do you? Because shark is not kosher. Its not kosher because animals with gills must ALSO have scales, sharks have gills but no scales...so it cant be kosher...? Whats your source on that, out of curiosity?
That's SHANK, not shark.
hahha...lol...I just got a good laugh at myself. thank you!
Dude... what's a shank?
Dude... what's a shank?
I think it's a certain section of a leg bone. Like in "lamb shanks". ???
I guess what puzzles me the most is what religion is this Liberian woman? She has a pastor . Perhaps I'm showing ignorance, but I assumed a pastor what a Christian name for the church leader. So, with that in mind, what religion would require her to eat monkey? Just wondering. I agree, different sources of food around the world disgust the rest of us. I'm sure Hindus must be disgusted that Americans eat cows. Heck, some Americans eat possum!
I guess what puzzles me the most is what religion is this Liberian woman? She has a pastor . Perhaps I'm showing ignorance, but I assumed a pastor what a Christian name for the church leader. So, with that in mind, what religion would require her to eat monkey? Just wondering. I agree, different sources of food around the world disgust the rest of us. I'm sure Hindus must be disgusted that Americans eat cows. Heck, some Americans eat possum!
The article said she practiced "a religion blending Christianity and tribal customs."
One of my best friends is a Catholic priest. He's served (I don't know if that's the correct term - I'm not Catholic) in places where there were mixes like that. It's pretty interesting how people reconcile all sorts of beliefs.
Thanks for clearing that up, I should have read it closer. So, that would be my answer about eating the monkey meat.
I watche d a TV programme last night about Peru and saw them barbecuing skewered guinea pigs, heads and all. It made me feel so queasy
I guess what puzzles me the most is what religion is this Liberian woman? She has a pastor . Perhaps I'm showing ignorance, but I assumed a pastor what a Christian name for the church leader. So, with that in mind, what religion would require her to eat monkey? Just wondering. I agree, different sources of food around the world disgust the rest of us. I'm sure Hindus must be disgusted that Americans eat cows. Heck, some Americans eat possum!
pas·tor
noun (plural pas·tors)
Definition:
1. Christian minister: a Christian minister or priest in charge of a congregation
2. spiritual adviser: somebody who is not a minister or priest but who gives spiritual advice to a group of people
Maybe?