Spain – Land Of The Rabbits

No doubt about it, Spain
is getting pricey. According to Que!, a local newspaper in Madrid, since the
change from pesetas to euros the cost of daily items has increased
significantly–most notably the price of bread, which has shot up 100% in cost.

Of course, nothing hits the pocket harder than the holiday season; but above
stuffing stockings, in this food-crazed culture, Spaniards are thinking about
stuffing their bellies. In Spain,
no Christmas meal is complete without lamb or roast suckling pig. However, with
prices going right through the chimney, what is a madre to do?

Don’t worry, when trouble is at hand, count on the government! In response to
the Christmas crisis, President Zapatero’s dietary overlords are recommending rabbit
as the new Christmas meat of choice in a campaign entitled, “Rabbit Meat, Light
and Exquisite.” Perhaps missing from the slogan is the bottom line: “and
cheap!”

The Secretary General of Food & Agriculture, Josep Puxeu, is making his
rounds to promote this initiative, taking part is several rabbit-tasting
events. In addition, over one million fliers are being distributed with
rabbity-recipes, convincing nutritional information (low in fat and sodium,
high in vitamin B, iron, zinc, and magnesium), as well as advice on how to
prepare and preserve this “tasty and digestive!” holiday treat.

But not everyone is feeling a hopping holiday spirit. The Secretary General of
the oppositional, right-wing Popular Party flippantly stated that “Spaniards
will end up hearing the slogan: Eat rabbit. Government Of Spain.

Of course, not just the right-wingers are against this initiative, but
anyone from classical anarchists to the average Juan will be alarmed by this
government intervention in free choice, irked by this official state seal of
approval on a product. After all, if rabbit is cheap, healthy, and good, won’t
things work out by themselves? What happened to competition? If people want to
buy meats they can’t afford, isn’t that their personal decision? Should we make
irresponsible shopping illegal? Shopping sprees punishable by 200 lashings,
binges by death?

Then again, maybe things are just coming around full circle. After all, Spain is
essentially “The Land Of The Rabbits.” One theory holds that word Spain comes from the “Hispania,” derived from
the Phoenician I-Shapan-im or “Island of the
Hyrax.” This naming was a mistake though, as the animals they found hopping
around were not hyrax but an unknown new animal: rabbits.

History lesson aside, in the carnal debate, the biggest losers are our little
bushy-tailed amigos. After all, if the Land Of Rabbit‘s
official slogan is “Eat Rabbit”…well, maybe it’s time to make a hop for the
border.

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