It may be banned in CA, but apparently some clueless, stupid chefs and restaurant owners are milking the law by offering it "free" with 3-5-7 course expensive meals. In other words, if you spend enough money, you get foie gras as a "gift." Absolutely repulsive. Article link:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/iteam&id=9092775
Foie gras may have cultural importance in France (with Egyptian roots), but it is just plain cruel and evil. When we now know, through scientific studies, so much more about how animals feel, what they feel, and how they think, how can we justify this treatment? Nature is interconnected, break connections and we see catastrophes and extinctions. Minute, local, large, global - catastrophes and extinctions. These interconnections demand that we no longer turn our fat faces away from animal cruelty. Human evolvement in understanding nature (by now) screams that we are not the only "important" creatures who suffer . Certainly, then, this knowledge trumps a culturally significant, yet evil act? It must, if we are to continue plodding upon this earth, amongst each other. Otherwise, there is no line.
Also, please don't be fooled by "humane production of foie gras," because, as we all know, anything done for profit, at large scale, and where one has control over another deemed "lesser," will never be humane or right.