From the NY Times:
On Tuesday, legislators in New York State announced a bill that, following the example of Western states, would ban the sale, trading, possession and distribution of shark fins, possibly as of 2013. California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington are enacting similar bans that were passed last year, while Florida, Illinois, Maryland and Virginia have legislation pending.
The bill in New York is sponsored in the Assembly by Alan Maisel, Linda B. Rosenthal and Grace Meng, who represents the heavily Asian district of Flushing, Queens, and is the only Asian-American in the Assembly. Identical bills are expected to be introduced in both houses of the Legislature.
Ms. Meng, the daughter of immigrants who worked in and owned Chinese restaurants, said at a news conference in Manhattan on Tuesday that she “loved shark fin soup.”
“This is going to be a huge adjustment for the community,” she added, “but it’s important to be responsible citizens.”
12 comments:
yeah good luck enforcing that ban in Flushing
Being a responsible citizen means doing the right thing. Banning something is the act of dictators. If people don't want sharkfin they shouldn't order it.
Excellent news! Let's hope it passes asap!
Ja, zey kann alvays eat pigs' knuckles. Chust wunderbar! Hahr-hahr.
No, being responsible citizens means making sure that body parts are not ripped off live animals for soup.
Can you think of any dish that allows for dismemberment of live animals with the meat going to waste and the animal left to die an excruciatingly painful death?
Exactly, QC!
I don't think that some of the readership of this blog (let alone the general public) understand that this isn't about hunting sharks for food. It's about 1) horrendous greed and 2) an absolute lack of caring about another living thing that would make people think that this practice is "just fine" to do.
It'd be like kidnapping someone in a van, breaking their back - and cutting off their nose for a tasty broth - and then putting them back on the sidewalk to walk home afterwards.
What about the illegal ground Rhinocerous horn powder that horny old Chinese men pay mucho $$$$$ for, in the belief that consuming it will keep their puny penises erect through their 80s?
Any idea how they get the shark fins ? Well just imagine someone chopping your arms off and throwing you back in the ocean ;-( Usually when caught they just cut the fins off and throw the shark back in ;-( Meng does dog soup taste good to ?
It's all Peter Benchley's fault.
What about the non-Asian seafood restaurants that have served Mako shark steaks for years?
Good luck enforcing ANYTHING
in the Frushing colony!
Mako shark steaks make use of the whole animal. Shark fin soup does not.
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