The Silent Scream of the Asparagus

[BlueStateSaint]

I kid you not.  And, in the Weekly Standard, too--as a warning.

The Silent Scream of the Asparagus
Get ready for 'plant rights.'
by Wesley J. Smith
05/12/2008, Volume 013, Issue 33





You just knew it was coming: At the request of the Swiss government, an ethics panel has weighed in on the "dignity" of plants and opined that the arbitrary killing of flora is morally wrong. This is no hoax. The concept of what could be called "plant rights" is being seriously debated.

A few years ago the Swiss added to their national constitution a provision requiring "account to be taken of the dignity of creation when handling animals, plants and other organisms." No one knew exactly what it meant, so they asked the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology to figure it out. The resulting report, "The Dignity of Living Beings with Regard to Plants," is enough to short circuit the brain.

A "clear majority" of the panel adopted what it called a "biocentric" moral view, meaning that "living organisms should be considered morally for their own sake because they are alive." Thus, the panel determined that we cannot claim "absolute ownership" over plants and, moreover, that "individual plants have an inherent worth." This means that "we may not use them just as we please, even if the plant community is not in danger, or if our actions do not endanger the species, or if we are not acting arbitrarily."

The committee offered this illustration: A farmer mows his field (apparently an acceptable action, perhaps because the hay is intended to feed the farmer's herd--the report doesn't say). But then, while walking home, he casually "decapitates" some wildflowers with his scythe. The panel decries this act as immoral, though its members can't agree why. The report states, opaquely:

At this point it remains unclear whether this action is condemned because it expresses a particular moral stance of the farmer toward other organisms or because something bad is being done to the flowers themselves.[/quote]

The rest of this is at:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/065njdoe.asp?pg=1


 

[phillygirl]

Shoot.  I thought this was a recipe.  I have a bunch of asparagus that I wanted to cook today.  Maybe I'll ask them how they feel about it.

[Chris_]

Shoot.  I thought this was a recipe.  I have a bunch of asparagus that I wanted to cook today.  Maybe I'll ask them how they feel about it.

I'm boring, I always steam it and then squeeze a lemon on it.

Do you happen have any good roasting recipes for asparagus? After having developed a fair amount of winter fat, I am back to the SB diet.   

[Chris_]

Oh for crying out loud, the Swiss are irrelevant. 

[phillygirl]

I am on day 7 of SB.  So I have a bunch of asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach to cook/eat.  I generally just steam it as well, but I'll probably make some soup out of it today.  Just some asparagus, leeks, onion, garlic, chicken broth and a smidgen of light cream at the end.

[Chris_]

I am on day 7 of SB.  So I have a bunch of asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach to cook/eat.  I generally just steam it as well, but I'll probably make some soup out of it today.  Just some asparagus, leeks, onion, garlic, chicken broth and a smidgen of light cream at the end.

That sounds delicious! Listen to us... we're cannibals. 

[Chris_]

I am on day 7 of SB.  So I have a bunch of asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach to cook/eat.  I generally just steam it as well, but I'll probably make some soup out of it today.  Just some asparagus, leeks, onion, garlic, chicken broth and a smidgen of light cream at the end.

I hope your asparagus suffered.  ;)

[Carl]

I am on day 7 of SB.  So I have a bunch of asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach to cook/eat.  I generally just steam it as well, but I'll probably make some soup out of it today.  Just some asparagus, leeks, onion, garlic, chicken broth and a smidgen of light cream at the end.

If you like those things okay but if not....

[Lord Undies]

Shoot.  I thought this was a recipe.  I have a bunch of asparagus that I wanted to cook today.  Maybe I'll ask them how they feel about it.

I'm boring, I always steam it and then squeeze a lemon on it.

Do you happen have any good roasting recipes for asparagus? After having developed a fair amount of winter fat, I am back to the SB diet.   

Par boil it in about an inch of water for three minutes, drain it on paper towel, lay out on cookie sheet, salt & pepper them, drizzle with olive oil, toss gently, wrap about five stalks at a time in a strip of bacon, and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.   Squirt with lemon juice before serving.

Then pray to Carmen or Ghia or whoever for forgiveness for killing these innocent veggiecitizens of earth.

[Chris_]

Shoot.  I thought this was a recipe.  I have a bunch of asparagus that I wanted to cook today.  Maybe I'll ask them how they feel about it.

I'm boring, I always steam it and then squeeze a lemon on it.

Do you happen have any good roasting recipes for asparagus? After having developed a fair amount of winter fat, I am back to the SB diet.   

Par boil it in about an inch of water for three minutes, drain it on paper towel, lay out on cookie sheet, salt & pepper them, drizzle with olive oil, toss gently, wrap about five stalks at a time in a strip of bacon, and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.   Squirt with lemon juice before serving.

Then pray to Carmen or Ghia or whoever for forgiveness for killing these innocent veggiecitizens of earth.

Thanks Undies, I will try that. The bacon is probably not so good for my diet.... but we go through this world but once. And.... you may as well take a couple veggies with you. 

[Lord Undies]

Shoot.  I thought this was a recipe.  I have a bunch of asparagus that I wanted to cook today.  Maybe I'll ask them how they feel about it.

I'm boring, I always steam it and then squeeze a lemon on it.

Do you happen have any good roasting recipes for asparagus? After having developed a fair amount of winter fat, I am back to the SB diet.   

Par boil it in about an inch of water for three minutes, drain it on paper towel, lay out on cookie sheet, salt & pepper them, drizzle with olive oil, toss gently, wrap about five stalks at a time in a strip of bacon, and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.   Squirt with lemon juice before serving.

Then pray to Carmen or Ghia or whoever for forgiveness for killing these innocent veggiecitizens of earth.

Thanks Undies, I will try that. The bacon is probably not so good for my diet.... but we go through this world but once. And.... you may as well take a couple veggies with you. 

You don't have to eat the bacon.  It has already added a good bacony flavor to the veggie. 

[phillygirl]

I am on day 7 of SB.  So I have a bunch of asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach to cook/eat.  I generally just steam it as well, but I'll probably make some soup out of it today.  Just some asparagus, leeks, onion, garlic, chicken broth and a smidgen of light cream at the end.

I hope your asparagus suffered. 

Not yet...but the romaine was absolutely tortured.  The jello was screaming a bit as well.   I do always hate to think about the chicken feti, though...that does actually disturb me a bit more than the cow hide. 

[DumbAss Tanker]

Does this mean no more toilet paper in der Schweiz?  Fit out all the bathrooms with Moslem-style water squirters?

 

[Uhhuh35]

Carrot juice constitutes Murder!
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmK0bZl4ILM[/youtube]

[Tess Anderson]

On second thought, maybe things aren't looking THAT much better in some parts of Europe:

You just knew it was coming: At the request of the Swiss government, an ethics panel has weighed in on the "dignity" of plants and opined that the arbitrary killing of flora is morally wrong. This is no hoax. The concept of what could be called "plant rights" is being seriously debated.

A few years ago the Swiss added to their national constitution a provision requiring "account to be taken of the dignity of creation when handling animals, plants and other organisms." No one knew exactly what it meant, so they asked the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology to figure it out. The resulting report, "The Dignity of Living Beings with Regard to Plants," is enough to short circuit the brain.

A "clear majority" of the panel adopted what it called a "biocentric" moral view, meaning that "living organisms should be considered morally for their own sake because they are alive." Thus, the panel determined that we cannot claim "absolute ownership" over plants and, moreover, that "individual plants have an inherent worth." This means that "we may not use them just as we please, even if the plant community is not in danger, or if our actions do not endanger the species, or if we are not acting arbitrarily."

Full article: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/015/065njdoe.asp

 

Yes, they're serious.

[DixieBelle]

Shoot.  I thought this was a recipe.  I have a bunch of asparagus that I wanted to cook today.  Maybe I'll ask them how they feel about it.

I'm boring, I always steam it and then squeeze a lemon on it.

Do you happen have any good roasting recipes for asparagus? After having developed a fair amount of winter fat, I am back to the SB diet.   

Par boil it in about an inch of water for three minutes, drain it on paper towel, lay out on cookie sheet, salt & pepper them, drizzle with olive oil, toss gently, wrap about five stalks at a time in a strip of bacon, and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.   Squirt with lemon juice before serving.

Then pray to Carmen or Ghia or whoever for forgiveness for killing these innocent veggiecitizens of earth.

Thanks Undies, I will try that. The bacon is probably not so good for my diet.... but we go through this world but once. And.... you may as well take a couple veggies with you. 

You don't have to eat the bacon.  It has already added a good bacony flavor to the veggie. 

You don't have to eat the bacon? What blasphemy is this??? You always eat the bacon. Pork is God's way of telling us he loves us and wants us to eat his creatures.

Did I mention that I like bacon? I like bacon ON my bacon too.

[megimoo]

Does this mean no more toilet paper in der Schweiz?  Fit out all the bathrooms with Moslem-style water squirters?

 

Turkish_Moslem_style :Use the left hand only with a single sheet with a hole in it. After you have finished stand on the rim and beat your chest and let go a loud tarzan scream !

[mamacags]

 

[Chris_]

I think this is a dup... I'll see if I can find the earlier one.

[Dixie*Darling]

Oh for God's sake!

... and the garden screamed ...

Lettuce:  Let-us have our dignity!
Potatoes:  We will mash the oppressors!
Tomatoes:  No soup for our enemies!

[megimoo]

Oh for God's sake!

... and the garden screamed ...

Lettuce:  Let-us have our dignity!
Potatoes:  We will mash the oppressors!
Tomatoes:  No soup for our enemies!

How about the poor lobsters in the pot of boiling water tapping on the lid with their claws .If we could hear the cry of every thing we ate we would all stop eating anything but grass but I suppose even grass screams when it is cut ?

[stickyboot]

Oh for God's sake!

... and the garden screamed ...

Lettuce:  Let-us have our dignity!
Potatoes:  We will mash the oppressors!
Tomatoes:  No soup for our enemies!

Sweet potatoes: I yam what I yam, and that's all that I yam!