Pat Condell raises some important points…
One thing he mentions is ‘Halal meat‘.
For a while, I have been trying to compose a post about this….but have been having a lot of trouble (I have a lot of trouble with things where there is serious cruelty to animals). So, let me just urge you to read up about what the whole ‘Halal’ thing is about on your own. I can’t even do links – sorry – it just bothers me to see this stuff so much…
While you do, I would like to ask you to pay attention to two separate ways in which ‘Halal food’ production will impact our society.
First and foremost is the cruelty with which animals must be slaughtered in order to be considered ‘Halal’. This is obvious.
So, when choosing restaurants and fast food outlets, I always make sure to avoid ‘Halal certified’ places. And, if you find the place you are in is serving ‘Halal’ meat, and you choose to walk out, please, tell them why.
Or, perhaps, if enough people ask Peta, they might organize a ‘Halal-awareness Campaign’! They’d be very good at it!
And, perhaps they would reveal just how ‘stealthily’ this ‘Halal-compliant’ food is entering our food chain. Because some of the multinational food corporations are ‘standardizing’ their practices: often, this means slaughtering all animals in compliance with ‘Halal’ rules, but only labeling the bits for their Muslim customers as such. And, especially many school cafeterias are purchasing ‘Halal-only’ meat, in order to cater to the needs of their Muslim students. (In other words, they are taking ‘Halal’ as the ‘common denominator’ and serving it to everyone!)
The other thing to keep in mind while reading up on ‘Halal’ food is just how incompatible the requirements to keep food ‘Halal’ are with the laws of our society!
For example, a non-Muslim may not be trusted to keep any food ‘Halal’ – and must not be believed that any food they handled retains its ‘Halal’ status (unless a ‘trusted, moral Muslim’ supervises their every move) .
Regardless of how closely the technique of ‘Halal slaughter’ is adhered to, it may only be performed by a ‘moral Muslim’, or a Christian or Jew under close and direct and close supervision of a ‘moral Muslim’.
And, this continues throughout the food-preparation and delivery process.
In other words, a person’s employment is determined by their religious faith!
An employer is forced to hire preferably Muslims only, or, in a pinch, also Christians or Jews – as long as their supervisor is a Muslim…. and absolutely no non-Muslim supervisors are allowed! As for anyone who does not follow one of the three Abrahamic faiths – they are not permitted to touch or handle the food, ever. Sorry, Sikhs, Buddhists, non-believers or anyone else! No work for you in the food industry!
But, an employer is not permitted, by law, to discriminate in their hiring or promotion practices based on a person’s religious beliefs! Isn’t that right up there, in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?
Therefore, by the very fact that they are certified ‘Halal’, these places of employment are openly admitting that they are breaking the laws of our land! That they are actively committing religious discrimination in their hiring practices!
If only we had some some sort of a Commission that would be able to look into this….
Xanthippa's Chamberpot 