When my editor, Andrew Beaujon, first showed me the arresting photo that Darrow Montgomery had snapped for our look at The Source‘s new izakaya-style menu, I told him, “The animal rights people are going to kill us.”

I didn’t think that was necessarily a bad thing. The animal rights people often have a better understanding of where their food comes from — and they don’t like it. Others remain blissfully unaware of the bloody, boiling messiness involved in getting animals to the table for our enjoyment.

Montgomery’s photo (and Melissa McCart‘s story) is a visceral reminder of the animal sacrifice often required for our meals. I told Beaujon that for those who only see a sculpted and sauced protein on a plate, or a shrink-wrapped slab of red meat in the grocery store, this picture will jolt them back to reality. And very quickly. That strikes me as the best kind of photojournalism.

Not everyone feels the same way.

The paper, to date, has only received one complaint about the cover shot, but I spoke with the PR representative for the Source, who said the restaurant has fielded its share of unhappy calls.

So now I want to hear from you, Y&H Nation: What’s your reaction to Montgomery’s photo?

Photo by Darrow Montgomery