Tag Cloud
Friday, February 10, 2012
Activists, Vegetarians Descend on Downtown Sacramento for Film Premiere
by John Schmidt, published on May 22, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Storyline: Food
Let’s face it: Sacramento is rarely visited by celebrities. But on Wednesday night, actor Martin Sheen visited the Crest Theatre to help State Senator Dean Florez welcome about 200 guests to a screening of the new documentary film Food, Inc. Sheen does not appear in the film, but he clearly shares a passion with Sen. Florez for fixing our broken food system.
Food, Inc. offers a critical look at the way America grows, distributes and eats its meals. A food system dominated by a few mega-corporations and unevenly regulated by the government is making us sick. This system has wrought havoc on the environment, and many farmers, ranchers, and laborers are trapped in a hopeless spiral of debt. Still, the film makes clear that it is ultimately the consumer who has the power to change this bleak landscape.
Food, Inc. is co-produced by Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser and takes source material from Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. To the delight of many in the audience, Schlosser and Pollan appear prominently in the film. And the author of this article was secretly hoping one or both of them would pop up unexpectedly from the crowd, but it was not to be.
The audience, made up of food system activists, local foodies, farmers, and vegetarians, was treated to a lively panel discussion after the film. Sheen, first introduced as West Wing’s President Bartlett, was a witty and engaging participant. “I can feel the anger in this room. Anger can be good. Anger can motivate us to push for real change. Anger is only bad when we push it down and swallow it,” Sheen said.
Chef and food activist Alice Waters spoke about the vital importance of providing America’s children with fresh, wholesome food every day. She also described the battle between the corporate fast food, quick profit system we now have and a healthier system of localized grower-eater relationships as one in which there can be “no compromise.” Waters, co-owner of Berkeley’s Chez Panisse restaurant, reportedly visited Sacramento’s Grange Restaurant and Bar on her visit and called the restaurant “an Oasis.”
Carmen Hirkala, a lab technician and teaching assistant at Sacramento City College, was in the audience for the film and for the discussion. She thought the film was very effective and hit all the right points, but wondered how extensively it would be seen by those who are not already educated on the current state of the food system. Hirkala also challenged Waters’ no-compromise attitude toward food. “I have a lot of respect for Alice Waters, but she has to understand that for a lot of people, food is just something they have to eat for sustenance. We have to think about better ways to reach those people as well. I hope this film helps.”
Food, Inc. opens Friday July 3rd at The Crest Theatre.
For more information:
Food, Inc. Official Website: href="http://foodincmovie.com
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan: http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php
Chez Panisse: http://www.chezpanisse.com
Grange Restaurant and Bar: http://grangesacramento.com
Crest Theatre: http://www.thecrest.com
Conversation Express your views,
debate, and be heard with those in your area closest
to the issue.
Leave a Comment
It's no coincidence that vegetarians are almost all radical lefties. Why is that? Because you're somehow more enlightened then us meat eaters? Eating meat is a sign of lower intelligence? Because radical vegetarians believe in something they are morally and intellectually superior?
The Vegetarian movement is nothing but just another religion and they want to force it on the non believers. If they could they would outlaw eating meat and send the non believers to reeducation camps.
If you read Omnivores Dilemma, you would know that the author of the book, Michael Pollen, is far from being a vegetarian. And so am I (something you neglected to ask but rather assumed). In this case, shifting away from mindless consumption means I care enough to ask where my food is coming from. I support local businesses who thrive on good quality product and customer relationships. I don't see anything wrong with ensuring that my meat is not ground with feces, pumped with hormones, or antibiotics, and is treated with the kind of respect it deserves while it is alive.
Further, I agree that many vegetarians jump to conclusions about meat eaters, but most do not. Most are simply trying to be good people. When they see large factory farms needlessly torturing animals just to turn a bigger profit than last year, the vegetarians have decided to opt out of that system. Good for them for living what they believe.
Another part of the "SHIFT" is making a conscious effort to move away from divisive hatred and towards Inclusive kindness. Let's step away from our judgments of each other and towards a greater understanding. With that said, Mr. Knapp, please enjoy your pork, but next time you head out to Armadillo Willies, try asking where that pig came from.
Once again, liberals want to re-define torture. I grew up raising cattle for slaughter, it does not behoove the farmer/rancher in any way to harm the very product they make their living off of. And if you took a survey, I would bet that 99% of meat eaters do not want feces, antibiotics or hormones in their food either.
You did admit to one thing that surprised me...vegetarians do HATE meat eaters...some even resort to terrorist acts...is this the "inclusive kindness" you're speaking of?
A couple of my favorite passages in a story about making bacon:
"...Meanwhile my son was attempting to cleave open the pig's head with a machete, to get the brain out. I watched him, with a deep and ancient pride brimming in my heart. Now if only I could get him to taste the brain frittata, then my happiness would be complete...."
"And what of the children, you might wonder. There have been neither tears nor nightmares. They've declared Spideypig's bacon very good - my son, who likes to cook breakfast on Saturday, is impressed that when you put it in the pan there's no need to add any cooking oil. And no evil white gunk comes out. He thinks roast pork may be a competitor for his usual favorite meat: beef steak, well done. And my daughter? As we drove home from the pig-butchering she looked out of the window at the first of the spring lambs. "Can we get a lamb? Please!" she asked. We waited expectantly for her next line. "We could eat him."
I am sorry to ask, but is Liberal, Vegetarian, and Socialist the extent of your vocabulary? I am very curious as to what you think "Liberals" are redefining the word "Torture" to mean in this case. You are rich on labels but lack substance in your arguments. Has it occurred to you that when you use this language, you are not seeking to communicate but rather to discredit without presenting a logical counter argument? I believe this type of behavior is what begins violence. The "terrorist" activity you mention may have been avoided if someone had the mind to listen before jumping to conclusions.
Further, I fail to see how vegetarianism became the central part of this conversation. Have you read Michael Pollen? Mindful consumption goes much deeper than simply enjoying your food. It goes to the core of understanding not only where it came from, how it was raised, and how it got on your plate, but how the way you eat relates to the rest of human culture and the environment. You, sir, should be very concerned and I would urge you to watch this movie if you don't have the time to read. If indeed you did grow up raising cattle for slaughter, you too might be concerned what large agribusiness is doing, not only to the meat, but to the family farmer. And our government is subsidizing it.
I hope that you can reach out and see further than your plate in this conversation.
Jennifer Fearing, Chief Economist for The Humane Society of the United States, was also on the discussion panel. The Humane Society was a sponsor of the film screening. For more information visit: http://www.hsus.org/farm/
When Martin Sheen visits your town, you know it is officially a socialist town.
HSUS is a radical nut job group akin to PETA, which is on the FBI's terrorist watch list.
Why do so many nut jobs want to yank the pork rib I'm eating out of my mouth?
If it were not for me posting on this site...it would be just another site full of liberal drivel and posters who all agree with each other...patting each other on the back.
Not interested in meaningful discussion?...you mean because i disagree with your thoughts...
You might want to go look up the definition of rhetoric...if it wasn't for rhetoric...99% of websites would not exist. oh..yeah.. you have now also redefined that term.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhetoric
Tell me Mr. Knapp, what have you added to the topic here besides, oh what was your word? Ah, that's right-drivel. Seems fitting.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drivel
**Addition:
After thinking about it for a few minutes, I realized that you have no intentions whatsoever of actually making any valid points. I hate having to remember my own advice and learn to leave the nasty troll alone and not feed it.
The radical animal rights/vegetarian movement is VERY well known to be a radical leftists movement. I have NEVER met a vegetarian that wasn't a Greenie, a Democrat or outright socialist/communist.
Their agenda is all about thought control. Controlling what we eat and what we think. Leave us alone.. go eat wheat grass if you want..why do the radical leftists always feel the need to force their lifestyles and opinions on others? Somehow you all feel you have been anointed as superior intellects because of your "enlightened" thoughts and dreams of a Utopian way of life.
Wealso know a gay republican, California is funny like that.
We find it more hypocritical when supposedly 'green' people aren't at the very least vegetarian :)
We wish Al Gore would put his money where his mouth is and dump the meat habit.