Muslim MPs Want Halal Meat Options In Westminster

Muslim politicians in the U.K. are complaining about not having halal meat options in the many restaurants and cafes in the Palace ofWestminster. Granted, they're also angered by the fact that they were told that the meat served was halal when it was not. As a health-conscious vegetarian, I too would be pissed off if I was misled into thinking a meal was vegetarian when it wasn't, but demanding that the eateries cater to their particular religious dietary requirements is going way too far. How about skipping that meat for lunch, or bringing your own halal meat sandwich from home if you must satisfy your carnivorous cravings.

I know there are those who claim that Halal meat and poultry is better for you, but the method in which the animals are slaughtered is horrifying, which is one of the many reasons people refuse to eat it, and why Westminster refuses to serve it. But another turn-off to many is the fact that Halal meat slaughter is Shariah compliant, which to some members of the Church of England is "effectively spreading Sharia law''  throughout England.  All good Muslims are required to eat meat that has been slaughtered the Islamic way. Apparently a prayer is said prior to slitting the throats and both the slaughterman and the animal should face Mecca, though that's not evident in the video below. Nor does it look cruelty free, as halal promoters claim.

According to an answer on yahoo answers about the benefits of halal meat, and whether the slaughter of the animals is cruelty free one person wrote:

You're right, the Islamic Law prohibits cruelty to animals, so even when they are slaughtered, they abide by strict rules like giving to animal water, massaging or petting it to soothe it if its nervous, saying a prayer and then proceeding to slit the throat in a manner that is painless to the animal. This is because the main vein that is cut immediately anesthesizes the pain and all the blood is drained out in a continuous flow. This ensures that no blood congeals inside the body, which is very bad for health if consumed. Its disgusting to think that the non-halal meats contain congealed blood, even though it not visible to us, but when you put some heat on it, you can see the gush of blood in the pot/pan....

I didn't see any of that pampering in the video, nor did I see anyone saying a little prayer before the poor animals were slaughtered. And all that writhing, for what seems like an eternity, didn't seem pain-free to me.

And it's not just the Muslim MPs and Peers complaining about being misled. Conversely, consumers who have been served halal meat in venues throughout Britain unbeknownst to them are also pretty darn mad.

In 2010, the Mail on Sunday revealed schools, hospitals and restaurants were serving halal meat to unwitting customers. Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Somerfield and the Co-op all said they stocked meat slaughtered according to Islamic tradition without letting customers know. Fast-food chains including Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, KFC, ­Nando’s and Subway are also using halal meat without ­telling customers, it was revealed.

I'm glad I'm a vegetarian!

GRAPHIC VIDEO- BEWARE