I don't want to hear the "In my culture" argument. Your freaking culture doesn't justify driving entire species of wildlife into extinction.
I would seriously criminalize the sale or possession of the body parts of any endangered species with extremely harsh punishment.
From The Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-shark-fin-ban-20110826,0,3042182.story
By Tony Barboza, Los Angeles TimesAugust 26, 2011
A bill to outlaw shark fin, the main ingredient in a traditional Chinese soup, now moves to the California Senate floor, where a vote is expected within the next few weeks.
A bill to outlaw shark fin, the main ingredient in a traditional Chinese soup, cleared a key hurdle Thursday when it passed a state Senate committee.
The bill, which would ban the sale, trade and possession of shark fins in the state, has been championed by conservation groups as a way to curb their harvest, a practice that has contributed to the sharp decline of shark populations worldwide.
But the measure has divided California's Chinese American community. For centuries the gelatinous soup prepared with dried shark fins has been served as a pricey Chinese delicacy, and opponents of the bill say banning the ingredient would discriminate against a cultural tradition.
The bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on a 5-2 vote and now moves to the Senate floor, where a vote is expected within the next few weeks.
The Assembly passed the bill in May, 65 to 8, but it ran into opposition in the upper house.
Chinese American restaurateurs and traders have lobbied against the bill and are being backed by several Chinese American lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who voted against the measure Thursday. Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) has called it "an unfair attack on Asian culture and cuisine."
Continue reading at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-shark-fin-ban-20110826,0,3042182.story
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment