translatingtheprintempserable:
Original text: http://www.caomsc.qc.ca/
This morning your executive decided, unanimously, to strongly denounce Law 78, adopted by the government last week. This law is unprecedented in that it is now necessary to have the police’s authorization for any gathering of more than 50 people. Such…
An NPR article (http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/03/30/149700341/food-coloring-made-from-insects-irks-some-starbucks-patrons) just informed me that vegans, vegetarians, and squeamish-type-people are up in arms over the recent revelation that many pink-coloured Starbucks products use an additive known as Cochineal extract: the raw, dried, crushed remains of a South American insect, the Cochineal (Dactylopius coccus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal).
Didn’t anyone read Fast Food Nation? You’d think it’d be on a lot of vegetarians’ reading lists, since it very powerfully and accurately reinforces their beliefs. A section of that book discussed food additives, including the creepy-crawly source of pink dyes. It seems that most pink-coloured foods with the ingredient “natural color,” or some variant of that, use cochineal dye. Pink Grapefruit snacks are a major “offender.” When I first learned this I was surprised and began avoiding such products, but after some research and consideration, I decided that I don’t have a problem with it, as long as the method of procurement is safe and ethical. I guess nobody thought to check the Starbucks ingredients list until now? Cochineal extract has been mandatory on labeling since January 2011, but the “natural color” label on pink-coloured food was a pretty dead giveaway, years before that.
I’m quite sympathetic to vegetarian principles. I was once a vegetarian myself, and I am seriously considering resuming that lifestyle. I also have a strong aversion to bugs. They creep me out, they make me jump, they make me squirm. So please, don’t take it the wrong way when I say: I’m guessing a lot of these vegetarians are more pissed off by the “ewww, bugs!” factor than the principle of eating insects.
But if this really… bugs you… in principle, I have some thoughts for you.
Vegetarians for health reasons need not worry, as it will not compromise the integrity of their no-meat diet. Carmine, a colouring product created from Cochineal insects, is pure carminic acid. “Cochineal extract” is essentially just crushed cochineal insects, but aside from some amino acids and carminic acid, it’s used in such small quantities that little else will find its way into your body. A small but notable percentage of the population will have a severe allergic reaction to cochineal extract, which puts it in a similar category to… nuts, chocolate, milk, wheat, soy, and even… celery. Uh-oh… I think Starbucks has all of those!
Vegetarians for ethical reasons need not worry, because insects have zero higher brain functions, and without metacognition or emotional neural structures, they experience no more suffering than a severed head of cabbage or a simple environment-responsive computer program. Unlike many animals, insects simply don’t have the neural circuitry to translate aversive stimulus into negative emotions or “feelings.” Their brains are restricted to sensory input, sensory routing, motor control, and internal physiological regulation. This makes them exceptionally similar to plants, which (despite having entirely different physiology and cell structure) have all of the same functions.
I’m interested to hear counter-arguments for either of these cases, or perhaps another case I’ve missed.
And, for people who are just grossed out… get over it!! All organic matter (such as carrots and coffee beans) is made from reprocessed, metabolized organic matter from other organisms. Like bugs! LOTS AND LOTS of bugs! And other dead animals! And their poop! EWWWW!!!!
I don’t mind that Starbucks has capitulated to pressure to remove this ingredient from their foods. If they can find an alternative that is equally safe (or safer) and equally ethical, then why not? They provide a product for paying customers, and many of the customers are unhappy. But this whole reaction is such an inconsequential use of the “power of the people” to influence change. Enraged over some perfectly safe insect remains, in tiny quantities, in your bourgeoisie beverages? Sign a petition! Write angry blog posts! I’ll bet that a good number of those people who complained haven’t lifted a finger (literally, a mouse click) to support Starbucks’ firm stance in support of gay marriage in Washington, despite strong opposition and a boycott from right-wing groups.
This is the ugly side of so-called “slacktivism.” Great things can be accomplished when a lot of people each do a little bit to support a cause, rallying behind good leadership, spurred by a swell of public awareness. But that little bit of energy is also so easily and casually misdirected, wasted on something as trivial as pink insect dye. The internet makes it easy to complain, but even so, it seems that people have only so much room for even “slacktivism” in their lives, and I’d hate to think this is what’s taking it up.
Remember When?
(via What If Everyone Saw This Facebook Status? | MoveOn.Org)
My memory is a bit fuzzy…
Page with ‘Stop Harper’ sign fired from Senate
A Senate page who was fired Friday for holding a “Stop Harper” sign during the government’s throne speech says she hopes to inspire more cases of “civil disobedience.”
Brigette Marcelle, a 21-year-old graduate from the University of Ottawa, said that she only recently decided to put her job on the line and stage the silent protest.
Though she was immediately fired from the sought-after position, Marcelle said she doesn’t regret upstaging the government on its coming out day in Ottawa.
“This is the only way we’re going to see real change,” Marcelle told CTV News Channel, as she conceded that Harper’s majority government will hold parliamentary sway for the next four years.
Marcelle managed to hold her sign up for about 20 seconds, and stood steps from Prime Minister Stephen Harper. She was quickly escorted out of the chamber and immediately fired.
Marcelle had served in the Senate as a page for nearly a year, but she decided to take action a few days ago because she said Harper doesn’t reflect the majority of Canadians.
“Harper’s agenda is disastrous for this country and for my generation,” Marcelle said.
She added that the government is “blowing billions of dollars” on fighter jets and corporate tax cuts, but ignoring important environmental issues like climate change.
But since Harper recently won a majority, Marcelle said that staging “creative” protests is the only way to fight back.
“I think that Harper’s agenda is so damaging that it called for something that is different,” she said. “I think we really need to take action.”
This is how it’s done in Canada, bitches. Peaceful protest of the powers that be. This was a bold move, and even if you don’t agree with what she did, at least she DID something. Canadians are not passive. They don’t complain without taking action to make changes. They respond, mobilize, make their voices heard.
