Wonder if my thoughts about the United Nations get a lift out of recent events?
They tell us they want us to stop smacking our kids!
When Dictatorship comes some will call it freedom.
UN seems unable to fix the starvation in Africa, the Mass Murdering in the middle east.
But finds time to interfere in our countrys parenting?

>>How then did ritual slaughter become established, pray tell?<<

The same way that vegan restaurants became established: there was a market for it. It's called capitalism - if you don't like it you're welcome to move to a communist country. I hear those places are awesome.

>>Referring to the RSPCA, why wasn't it taking action on domestic ritual slaughter over all of those years?<<

It probably feared the accusation of anti-semitism: schechita (kosher slaughter) is almost exactly the same as dhabihah (halal slaughter) - the actual method of killing is the same in both cases, essentially exsanguination via the jugular vein and carotid artery. The powerful Jewish lobby would be quick to label anybody trying to outlaw schechita as an anti-semite, a label that has held grave connotations since the Shoah. I think the RSPCA should take a stronger stance against ritual slaughter but I can see why they haven't.

>>Now we all pay for Halal religious approval<<

Not if we don't want to: there are very strict labelling laws for kosher and halal food - probably more for the benefit of the Jews and the Muslims: no vengeful god will strike me down if I buy the wrong sort of steak. But it has the added benefit of making it very easy for the discerning shopper to avoid inhumanely slaughtered meat. If you can't be bothered reading labels there is an easier way: change your diet. Pork is forbidden by halal and kosher diets so there aren't any ritually slaughtered pigs. And if you want red meat kangaroo is always game meat - you can't farm kangaroos and they aren't killed in slaughterhouses.

Kosher and halal approval are not paid for out of the public purse. They are a cost incurred by those sort of businesses who presumably pass it on to the consumer: if you're not a consumer of their products then you aren't contributing to their business costs.

Cheers,

Tony

Foxy,
Glad to see we can agree on some things. I liked your quote about vigilance being the price of liberty. This is why I am keen to see the laws enforced relating to FGM, forced marriages and polygamy. No prosecutions here or the UK for FGM, but France has had over a hundred and they only need a medical examination to convict the parents of the girls. I understand the rate of FGM has dropped in France greatly. countries like Aus should be able to eliminate it entirely. (almost)

Belly,
I share your misgivings about the UN. I wonder why we continue to support it, but maybe because there is nothing better. It certainly meeds reworking, at least.

"""
UN seems unable to fix the starvation in Africa, the Mass Murdering in the middle east.
But finds time to interfere in our countrys parenting?
"""

The Government seems unable to solve Australia's growing loss of industry and jobs, the massive theft of the peoples money via junkets (See OTB's thread below).

But finds time to interfere in our parenting and marriage preferences?

There fixed it for ya!

Dear Banjo,

I think if we were to sit down and talk about many
issues we'd find we had quite a great deal that we agree on.
I often think that what people post on forums like
this one is often misrepresented because of the way
things are expressed. Anyway, I'm glad you liked the
quote. And I also hope that the problems that you mentioned
will sort themselves out with enough public pressure.
You certainly are doing a good job by bringing these things
up for discussion.

Onthebeach, how predictable, yet another personal attack on others who don't agree with your constantly negative comments.

I was asking for proof from you about your claim that inhumane 'ritual' slaughter IS happening in Australia, but obviously you can't substantiate that.
Personally, I don't like any slaughter method used anywhere, so I am not one to go looking myself.

If people from cultures that ask for certain ways to prepare their meat as a religious preparation are accepted into Australia, then at least we can ensure that meat slaughter is done humanely here.

There is no point whinging and whining about that fact, because many of those people have been here for generations and are part of Australia now, so just deal with it and move on.

Aboriginal people have had to deal with the fact that Europeans have virtually taken over their culture and forced their own culture on Australia, so I am sure you can deal with ritually slaughtered meat for the few who require it...