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Horse Meat: What's the big Deal?
hello comrades!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i realise this story is a few weeks old and has been a little done to death, BUT i cant help bringing it up here. on the show Top Chef Canada, they had an episode where horse meat was featured in one dish (i would also point out that only one of the competitors had to use it). the explanation for the choice is that the challenge was doing "traditional french cuisine with a twist" and horse meat is part of traditional french cuisine and i suppose they didnt want all of the 10+ dishes to have the same or similar proteins.
anyway, as you can imagine, this has sparked HUGE outrage all over the WORLD (here in canada we love it when we get international attention; it happens so rarely). my question is this (and i admit it is coming from the viewpoint of a vegetarian, but also someone who was raised and worked many years in the restaurant industry) why is this such a big deal???? to me, eating a horse isnt really different from eating any other animal. i have heard similar outrage over people who eat dog. as someone who doesnt eat any animals, i dont understand why some people have a moral opposition to eating some kinds of animals but not others.
the only argument i have heard that comes close to making sense is people who base their food choices on either sentience or intelligence. but cows are sentient, and pigs are intelligent, so it still doesnt make very much sense to me at all.
thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Andres Rio on -
I haven't heard about this at all! Maybe I just don't keep up with the 'net as much as I used to but still... For me, this whole dilemma gets filed in the "whatever" category. Horses are animals and humans are omnivores that combination equals meal time! We can eat and enjoy horse meat. I understand that various people may feel a connection or special relationship to their horse, but still, you can develop that relationship with a cow (which we eat in American cuisine), a dog (South Korean cuisine), a guinea pig (Peruvian cuisine), and all there examples are good to go! I am now going to go and find a nice mutton chop. Poor Lambchop :)
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Permalink Reply by Christopher on -
Horse meat is alright... but it sits in your stomach like glue. Oh wait...
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Permalink Reply by Chloé FH McIntosh on -
hahahahahahah 'like'
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Permalink Reply by K. E. Argonza on -
... WIN
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Permalink Reply by K. E. Argonza on
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I don't know. What's wrong with eating dog and cat?
I've eaten horse, and various other animals people would consider pets.
Other than horse tasting a little tough, I didn't really have much of a reaction either way.
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Permalink Reply by Athena on -
says the person with a dog for a profile pic.. lol
I could never eat a dog or cat, I have such a close bond with my pets, it just seems very strange to me that people would eat pets.
It's a cultural thing I suppose, but I can't imagine wanting to eat cat or dog.
I wouldn't eat horse either for the same reason, I used to go riding and the emotional attachment to the animals is too big to consider eating them.
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Permalink Reply by Tiffany on -
Technically, there really is no difference. An animal is an animal. However, some animals just seem to be off limits because of the emotional attachment we have for them. We love beef here in America, however, in India the cow is a sacred animal. So a lot of Hindus would probably be outraged if someone ate beef. I just depends on one's personal feelings towards the animal I guess.
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Permalink Reply by Little Miss Me on -
It's culture quite simply
I couldn't imagine eating anything that I considered a pet as a child
I don't eat much meat anyway but I refuse to eat lamb because my friend had pet sheep when I was younger and I made the decision back then
Most people will say it's on intelligence and that's why they don't eat dogs etc but pigs are ridiculously intelligent!
I'm working with pigs right now and my god I love them, they have personalities and are just amazing creatures, although one of them is an absolute bitch! I do still eat pigs however...why? I guess it's what I'm used to quite simply, I tried to be a vegetarian once...I lasted about two weeks...so I thought if I'm going to eat them then I might as well give them the best welfare possible right?
I understand that it's ridiculous to class animals as having different values and that it's okay to eat some but not others, but the thought of eating a dog or horse makes me feel physically repulsed, I'm a product of society and to be honest I'm happy with it
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