I was 12 years old the first time I held a live fish in my hands. I took my brother's fishing pole and headed to the creek to see what I could catch. I didn't even use any bait. I just put the pole and hook in the water and within a few minutes there was a tug at the line. I caught a large-mouth bass. This was a beautiful fish. It wriggled in my hands and the scales reflected the light like a rainbow. It was a big enough fish to eat, but it was too cute.
I started to take the hook out of the mouth and just looked at the fish face to face. Then I talked to it. I said, "I caught you. What are you going to do about it?" I was not as hungry then as a fisherman should be and I wasn't as smart as I should be either. I held the bass with two hands and admired the beauty of the fish.
I had underestimated the power of the fish. It wriggled for a second and just flopped back into the stream and zoomed out of there. At that moment I realized there is an order in the world. Some things are made for food and some things are made to be pleasing to the eye. A bass may be a little bit of both. As I gazed on the beauty of the fish, I had no chance of eating the meal I caught.
Today people go about their lives eating creatures that have intelligence and beauty without a second thought. The meat is packaged as hot dogs or sausages that look a bit like candy. Sushi comes in a pretty package and none of the fish smile at you before you add the wasabi.
In the same way, if you knew how smart and cute pigs were, you would probably think twice before you had to cut one up into sausages for dinner. Would it be better if a law was passed that people had to kill and process their own meat for consumption or not be able to eat it at all? Would it be better for people to "Meet their eat"?
I think it would be a good law. At least I would know the conditions of the food I am eating. I would know whether it was healthy or tainted or what kind of environment it came from.
At the same time it would be very difficult for me to come to the kill. I still have that heart of the twelve year old boy that wants to talk with the animal and give it a fighting chance.
It's hunger that changes things. About 20 years ago I was on a boat off Korea's West Sea. I had been fishing all day without breakfast. I was not like the twelve year old boy. I split the worms on the hook to make sure that blood was everywhere and the fish took the bait. I knew there was nothing on that boat to except for the fish in the sea. When I got a bite I rolled up the line and took the fish the cutting board. Right then a there I chopped it's head, scaled it and then sliced it up sushi style. When it comes down to it I found myself doing what I couldn't do when I was twelve.
A law like this would change the world. People would all think twice before eating. Perhaps the law should be extended to all food. If you are not the one growing it then maybe you should not be the one eating it. I know that goes against all the trade agreements countries have made with each other but there is no better way to screw the establishment than growing and eating locally whether it is meat or vegetables or fish. I don't think this will ever become law because lawmakers are the ones that want to keep the establishment going. They are lobbied by industrial food processing industries and international exports and imports.
Self sustenance may never become mainstream. There may never be laws about killing and processing your own food. But it may be the most responsible thing to do.
All pictures here are taken by me with my camera. The story and opinions are my own. Maybe your opinion is different. I'm open to hear it.
