[aka.alias] Gotta' Love Brantford!

[aka.alias]

It seems that the city council of Brantford, Ontario, are ready to vote this May 24 in favour of a new bylaw that would ban shark fins in their bustling metropolis. Kudos to each and every one of them, if they do so vote. Most newspapers reporting the story point out that there are currently no restaurants in that town with shark fin soup on their menus. They're missing the point. You don't pass a law to make anything illegal only if it's currently happening in your city. You pass the law because you believe in a principle. In this case, the principle is that cruelty is wrong.
Shark fins are the main ingredient in shark fin soup, considered a delicacy by many asians. Those who supply the fins do so by catching the sharks, slicing the fins off the hapless creatures, and then tossing them back into the water. They then sink and drown or are devoured by other sharks, drawn by the blood. “I don't see how any right-thinking person would not be abhorred by this,” said Coun. Dan McCreary about the practice.
Whether or not there are restaurants currently serving the disgusting concoction in Brantford, there are weddings taking place there, I am sure, and this bylaw would prevent the serving of this blood-suffused soup at the receptions.
I was at a reception recently where lidded soup bowls were presented to each guest. The lids were removed with a flourish and spoons were set into the liquid. Being nervous about what the bowl's content might be, I enquired and was told it was, indeed, shark fin soup. Fighting instant nausea, I asked the server to take it away. She looked at me with astonishment and explained it was "very delicious, and very expensive". When I insisted on the removal of the objectionable item, she became hostile, and told me I was "a bad guest". I am so happy to think that if Brandtford does pass this bylaw, such a scene would instantly become ancient history in their fair city. I would also like to think that their example might be what it takes to nudge into action one or two other cities, like Toronto. With the size of the asian population there, the passing of such a law would truly be cause for civic pride.
There are more than enough "very delicious" soups from which to choose, soups made without the mindless cruelty and horrendous suffering needed to bring shark fin soup to the table.

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Posted By aka.alias to aka.alias at 5/17/2011 12:53:00 PM