Not that long ago, I wrote an entry “announcing” the release of 2 mp3’s from Propagandhi‘s imminently forthcoming record, “Supporting Caste.” One of the 2 tracks, Human(e) Meat (The Flensing of Sandor Katz), called into question said chef’s beliefs respecting the treatment, slaughter, and consumption of nonhuman animals. And if done “lovingly” (my word), it’s a perfectly justifiable practice. OK, I’m largely paraphrasing a lot of the songs meaning at this point, but I’ve heard the “logic” more than once. And, therefore think, it’s a safe assumption to be thinking that.
In all honesty, Sandor Katz, wasn’t someone I’ve ever heard of prior to hearing this track. But his “argument” isn’t new to me. And the song provided me enough information to deduce he’s yet another “new welfarist.” Even now all I know of him is what the song so descriptively illustrates of him.
For the record I think, anyone, including him, being offended, for reason’s other than his apparent “logic,” is a tad excessive. If not completely ridiculous. Read the lyrics, Mr. Katz…
But first, to be fair, I’m not too sure about the validity of his “response,” seeing how I couldn’t find a more legitimate source—meaning one even remotely tied to Katz—other than PunkNews.org. And his apparent “response” has been taken from, of all things, an A.F.I message board. Keep in mind there is a significant chance this is entirely bullshit. But I, honestly, caught myself laughing out loud at this;
“I’ve had some inquiries lately regarding a song being released by a Canadian punk band, Propaghandi, called “Human(e) Meat: The Flensing of Sandor Katz.†The song describes slaughtering and preparing me as food. It does so using images I take to be references to and interpretations of the chapter “Vegetarian Ethics and Humane Meat†in my book The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved. I find it ironic that group named for Ghandi, someone so insistent upon practicing resistance in nonviolent ways, would express their ideological disagreements with me through violent imagery describing my death, as well as a threat on my life. That is not funny to me.” Continued…1
For what it’s worth, I’ll respond anyway. Not that it’s,by any stretch of my imagination, my duty or even my role, for that matter. I haven’t anything better I could be doing. So take this for what it’s worth. Which, admittedly, ain’t a helluva lot.
Here it goes. I don’t see it as a difference in “ideas,” it’s a simple question of morals. But, be that as it may, if he spent anytime looking at the song he apparently took exception to, he should have seen the first part of the song, the part that describes the “slaughtering and preparing” him as food, was italicized and in quotes. Signifying, to me at least, that part of the song was not meant to be speaking in any sort of reality. Or, better still, not to be taken literally. It’s called satire. It wasn’t a threat. And it was “funny.” Not funny “ha ha.” But funny, ironic.
Propagandhi merely turned, what I’ll assume are, his views around on him, specifically. But the sentence immediately following his part in the song should have well provided him that clue;
“(ahem) A rationale so moronic it defies belief [the reasons for his, or any other animals, “flensing”]. Post-vegetarian I must submit to you–respectfully–be careful what kind of world you wish for. Someday it may come knocking on your door.”2
Or that’s how I chose to take it. But tell me, Sandor, what makes this song “not funny” when describing your “flensing,” yet remains perfectly acceptable to be performed on other animals? Because it’s “wrong” to treat humans the same way “we” treat “food animals?”
Oh what selfish and small minds we humans have…
- 1 Sandor Katz’s apparent response to the song Human(e) Meat via PunkNews.org.
- 2 Propagandhi, Human(e) Meat