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I would say the same thing except I would say that it is codified convention, rather than respect. I think it is just a convention of our society that we don't eat certain domesticated animals. No real rhyme or reason to it other than that. We also read from left to right, rather than from top to bottom or from bottom to top or from right to left. We nod our heads to convey Yes. (I could go on) Just something we do.

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1. I said I understood why people don't want to eat dogs. I don't agree with it and I think other cultures shouldn't be looked down upon for eating them, but I get it. That said, I don't really give a shit about dogs I don't know personally. So, if I were in Korea and my host served me some dog, I would have no problem eating it.

2. Don't be obtuse, jackass. Animals are animals. Humans are humans.

3. Again, we have all sorts of random rules based on how cute or cuddly and friendly certain animals are. Some people think you shouldn't have fur, some people think you shouldn't kill anything for any reason at all. Some people want to shoot as many animals as they can for fun.

Just because our society has chosen one set of rules to follow for certain animals and a different set for other animals doesn't make us right. Other societies see it differently and think we're nuts. I agree on some rules and don't on others. But keeping people from eating veal and foie gras and now prohibiting people from eating good old American horsies in other countries is just stupid to me. It's a waste of time and energy, especially when there are so many people who could benefit from that time and energy.

TM

A fashion question
 

But we usually drink cocktails with no pants on. That's just weird.

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If you cut off her head and all the other offensive parts and grill her up, I'll eat her.

TM

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Sort of, yes, but isn't the convention based on that we bred one group of animals for one thing and the other for another? And per RT's post doesnt the breeding of dogs for companionship/non-food purposes go back quite a ways?

Maybe primitive man sensed that dogs had an intellect that could be exploited for man's benefit, as opposed to cows, whcih were appeared solely exploitable for food (or sex, in the case of Hank;s ancestors)

Eitherwhichway, seems there is sort of rhyme or reason.

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If I ate your dog, what would be the penalty?

TM

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at a minimum Penske would have a loss of consortium claim.

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And I am saying, I don't know that the rules are completely random. With dogs and cows I don't think the rules are random at all. Over a long history each was bred for a purpose, and over time rules and conventions and laws developed reflecting the purpose and the "relationships" with the respective animals. Other animals are more random, eg, I am not sure why we have hamsters as pets as opposed to eating them. Does anyone eat hamsters?

I am pro-veal and foie gras, fwiw. Even though I don't eat veal. It's a cow and out of respect for the hindi, I avoid them, although I have no problem with the concept of eating the cow.

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This is starting to remind me of "Road Trip." You know, "because it's YOUR dog."

Never mind.

Has anyone here (aside from myself and GWNC (confident guess)) read Gordan Korman? If so, what's your favorite? I'm looking forward to giving "No Coins Please" to an 8 year old nephew.

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1. The taboos against cannibalism also relate to health.

2. Domestication as a distinction fails because sheep, cows, goats, yaks, have all been domesticated.

3. Companionship as a distinction is purely cultural. Dogs and horses are companions in other parts of the world, but eaten there too. Plus, many animals that are not companions (or domesticated) are disfavored as food here - see e.g. rats, which are widely eaten in Vietnam.

4. Intelligence as a distinction fails because we eat many animals which are smarter than dogs, such as pigs, and is also cultural, such as the Inuit who eat whale.

5. I eat it all.

6. As an aside, Bulgarians nod their head to indicate no, and shake for yes. It is very confusing, and resulted in the beggars thinking I was overjoyed to help them out.

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I think this is probably right. We seem to have domesticated animals into two categories: "useful" and "food." Additionally, we seem to have absolutely no trouble eating non-domesticated game animals.

Someone eats guinea pigs. I can't remember where, but I think it's in South America. Close enough?

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Seriously? If someone ate came onto my property or in my house, and killed one of my dogs and ate them, what would I do? And I knew this beyond beyond a reasonable doubt?

1. Per Hank's post, sue them for them lack of consortium. Seriously though, sue them for every possible cause of action a creative plaintiff's/animal rights attorney could come up with.

2. After 1, and the passage of time, appropriate retribution outsourcing.

For Colbert fans
 

Create your own On Notice board.

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL920.../184783420.jpg

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Horsemeat was eaten quite commonly until recently, even in the West. It was the staple of England's diet during World War II. And guinea pigs (a form of hamster) are a delicacy in Peru, and taste like rabbit. Good eating.

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Apropos of which, Neil the Ethical Werewolf eats only Fallen Meat.

Writing this amuses me, obviously.