Yesterday was the How Berkeley Can You Be parade and festival. An annual freak show in lovely Berkeley, CA. Our float was for a new Seoul Food restaurant, with a mostly korean and all-dog menu. As in dog meat in every dish. We walked the parade route offering free grilled dog-meat samples and handing out brochures (Side 1, Side 2) which explained that our dog meat resource is the already euthanized dogs from animal shelters, and that we not only contribute to their bottom line through the meat purchases, but also donate to free animal hospitals in urban areas. The brochure also explains the many benefits of eating dog meat and even features several dog recipes (Chili con Perro anyone?).
It was, of course, a prank.
However, I'd say well over 50% of the people we talked to bought it hook, line and sinker. And some of those who fell for it still tried the "dog". Go Berkeley! The dog samples were mostly regular pork sausage, but we also shared some rabbit ("chiuahua") and goat ("german shepherd") that was hanging above the grill. Several of our group were threatened, many vegetarians got quite huffy, and the cops showed up ....so we consider it a grand success.
How can a vegetarian like myself participate in such carniverous silliness? With gusto, baby. With gusto.
[Seoul Food Prank Photos]
[More Seoul Food Prank Photos]