The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 2 of 30)

br> -- Antoine Comiti br> President of the non-profit Stop Gavage br> Bordeaux, France /p>

While we appreciate the intentions of John Luik and Patrick Basham in trying to settle the debate over the animal suffering involved in foie gras production ("No ducking the issue," May 26), their creative misinterpretation of the European Union's study on foie gras production presents a flawed, one-sided view of the issue.

A more careful examination of the EU report on the welfare of birds used in foie gras production reveals another story: painful damage to the esophageal tissue, severely compromised liver function, difficulty standing and breathing, and demonstrable fear of the force feeder. Subsequent studies, pathology reports, and videotape evidence obtained from inside foie gras farms have all reinforced these facts pointing to severe animal suffering.

Indeed, far from condoning the practice of force feeding birds for foie gras production, as Luik and Basham would have readers believe, the EU Committee summarizes its report by plainly asserting, "The Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare concludes that force feeding, as currently practised, is detrimental to the welfare of the birds."

No matter how the foie gras industry apologists try to spin it, there is simply no humane way to produce foie gras. The fact that legislators in the U.S. are finally joining their European counterparts in banning it shows that U.S. laws are, thankfully, finally catching up with the humane views of the U.S. population -- 80% of whom support a ban on foie gras production, according to a recent Zogby International poll.

p>We invite readers to view the evidence on foie gras production for themselves. The full facts on foie gras, including the text of the EU's report, can be found at www.nofoiegras.org . br> -- Gene Bauston br> President

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