[GCFL-discuss] How to Photograph a New Puppy

[Discussion of the Good, Clean Funnies List]

Dear Jeanene,

Everything I submit is meant to get a discussion going. I miss the lively
excchanges we used to have. But this was more or less of a spontaneous
blurt.

It is traditional in many Asian cultures, as well as some Native American
cultures, to routinely cook dogs for a family meal, or in restaurants,
and sometimes cats as well. After all, if leopard fetus is a delicacy,
why not smaller cats? I don't believe that Vietnamese restaurants in the
USA serve such dishes, because it would not go over well assimilating in
to North American culture, and might well incur legal action. But I still
find such references to be a good joke.

Part of my motivation is to point out that we Americans become obsessed
with our own standards. Objectively, there is no reason dog meat is any
less appropriate for cooking than chicken, cows, lambs, crabs,
scallops... (Personally, I find most seafood disgusting, except for some
fish fillets, but I have many friends who love lobster). In our culture,
dogs and cats are considered cute little pets and members of the family.
I personally would like the legal right to shoot any dog or cat which
strays onto my property (if I had any) or any property I am responsible
for. They are not a universally treasured community responsibility, those
who want one should take COMPLETE responsibility and keep them out of the
rest of our faces and lives. 

I once received a fundraising appeal from some guy obsessed with his own
beloved dog who wanted to mount an international campaign to make cooking
dogs in Korea and Thailand a criminal offense. I sent him back sarcastic
remarkes about well-fed Americans denying Asian children an important
source of protein. I also remember a wealthy chic California woman who
was obsessed with her own cute little shampooed purebred complaining
about using dogs for medical research... what really got me was the
conclusion "Why don't they use prisoners or welfare recipients?" I was
ready to shoot her dog, had I been physically present instead of watching
TV, and had I owned or possessed a gun, which I don't.

I am acquainted with someone who owns cats, whose attitude is "they live
here, you don't." That is a perfectly reasonable attitude for someone to
take in their own home where they feed and care for and appreciate those
cats. But I don't wish to share in his joy.

Political correctness? I am always willing to lampoon political
correctness. And unfortunately, there are people among us who consider
not appreciating cute little furry pets to be politically incorrect. I
respect animals who do real work (sheep dogs who actually herd sheep for
instance). Remember when the San Francisco County Board amended muncipal
law to provide that dogs have "guardians" rather than "owners"?

Siarlys


On Tue, 5 Jun 2007 00:49:52 -0700 "Discussion of the Good, Clean Funnies
List" <gcfl-discuss at gcfl.net> writes:
> I suppose you meant this to get a discussion started...
> I have kept it in my inbox as a curiosity and read it every so 
> often.
> Now I find I want to know more about this.
> Was there news I missed about a Vietnamese restaurant actually 
> serving dog 
> to patrons?
> Or are you grunting about politically correctness, ethnic diversity, 
> and the 
> food sections of local papers?
> What is going on here?
> Jeanene
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> Subject: How to Photograph a New Puppy
> ... sell puppy to a chic Vietnamese restaurant.
> Photograph entree for politically correct ethnically diverse food 
> section of 
> local newspaper.
> Siarlys 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> GCFL-discuss mailing list
> GCFL-discuss at gcfl.net
> http://gcfl.net/mailman/listinfo/gcfl-discuss
> 
>