Washington, D.C. -- Today in a stunning yet welcome reversal of an ordinance that had made the Windy City a national laughingstock, Chicago's City Council voted 37-6 to repeal a two-year-old ban on the sale of the delicacy foie gras. The move is certain to anger animal rights activists and please fans of gourmet dining.

David Martosko, Director of Research at the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom, reacted to today's news with the following statement:

"Chicago's latest experiment with Prohibition was always bound to end like this. It was just a question of when. Americans don't like government dictating what they can and can't eat. It's as simple as that. If misguided animal rights activists could maintain a ban on foie gras, it follows that veal, pork, and cheese would probably be next. We all knew that sooner or later, Chicagoans would stand up and refuse to become 'Tofu Butcher to the World.'

"Eating foie gras, or veal, or sushi, or anything else on the menu, should be a personal choice. The last thing a big city like Chicago -- or a small town like Anytown, USA -- needs is a Nanny State looking over the shoulders of restaurant customers. If animal activists, or anyone else in Chicago, doesn't like the idea of eating foie gras, they still have a simple option: Don't order it. The rest of the restaurant-going public should be left alone to make their own decisions about what to eat and drink."

The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices.

For media comment, contact our media department at 202-463-7112 ext. 115