Human(e) Meat (The Flensing Of Sandor Katz) Lyrics

Lyric discussion by emmatee 

Cover art for Human(e) Meat (The Flensing Of Sandor Katz) lyrics by Propagandhi

Sandor Katz quote:

"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.

I am always open to dialogue. I am not without ethical questions about meat. I identify with many of the ideals that motivate people to vegetarianism. But I also love meat and other animal-source foods, and I feel deeply nourished by them. After a relatively brief period of vegetarianism in my own life, I followed my body’s cravings back to meat. And I am not alone; I also observe as a cultural phenomenon that many one-time vegetarians return to meat, frequently spurred by pregnancy or health crisis, following their bodies’ calls.

We do have choices other than renouncing meat altogether or resigning ourselves to mass-produced meat, raised in cruel confinement and made toxic by a diet of industrial by-products and synthetic chemicals. Animals, even those destined for slaughter, can be fed well, given space to graze and roam, and treated with consideration. Meat does require death, but not cruelty. We can and must reclaim meat, as we must reclaim our food in every aspect and re-integrate its production into the fabric of our lives. This means cultivating relationships with plants, animals, microbes, and fungi, the other creatures that sustain us. And an important aspect of those relationships, if we are to feed ourselves, involves ending their lives. I do not take animal slaughter lightly. But I do believe that if the slaughter of animals were visible in peoples’ lives, we’d eat considerably less meat, and have a culture less prone to glorifying violence (as in this song)."

So you can probably see why Prop would choose him as their preferred human(e) dish : )

The first half of the song is in quotation, i.e.: from someone's perspective (someone with similar beliefs to Sandor Katz), or just Chris' sarcasm. Then (mostly) the second half (from "a rationale so moronic it defies belief" is basically his opinion.

Sorry for pointing out the obvious, effing radd song though.

I can't say I care too much for this. (Maybe this is just because I am a fan of Sandor Katz) but I must say it's not really cool of them to pick someone with AIDS to write this kind of song about. Just my personal opinion. I believe that he was referencing his sickness in that quote that emmatee posted when he said "many one-time vegetarians return to meat, frequently spurred by pregnancy or health crisis". He most likely went back to meat because he felt he needed it for healing. Just my opinion.

First, who is "Ghandi?" Is he or she related to Gandhi?

Second, what is worse: "glorifying violence (as in this song)" by singing about killing and eating, or actually killing and eating?

I don't think they chose him because he has AIDS, I think that fact is irrelevant. And I don't think Prop are glorifying violence. I don't understand how you could come to that conclusion at all. Chris is using funny/sarcastic lyrics to convey a serious message, as he has done on numerous occasions.