Last week there was a hearing in Dutch Parliament on yes or no implement an absolute ban on animals being slaughtered without anaesthetizing the animals first. Although Dutch and European laws generally prohibit slaughter without stunning, exception is granted to ritual slaughter, practiced by parts of the Jewish and Muslim communities.
There is indignant opposition by Jewish and Islamic congregation; they insist on this needless suffering of the animal – to practice their religious need for ritualistic cruelty. They are supported by our Christian political parties – because of the so highly regarded Freedom of Religion.
The Party for the Animals (yes, we have a political party that voices the rights of animals – quite unique) introduced this bill into Parliament and the final vote will be in July. Chances are this new law will pass. In my previous blog on this matter |see here| I’ve made my stance in this very clear: Freedom of Religion or whatever freedom, never, NEVER, means you can do whatever you want at the expense of other living beings – animals included.
So, the hearing:
Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who especially flew in from London to represent the Jewish community, stated the Jewish method of slaughter is more secure because it is not done by machines but by human hand. He might have a point there – but then again not: it is the human that is capable of extreme torture and animal abuse, like the reports and video’s on how cruel animals in Indonesian slaughter houses are treated (just one of many, many examples of the human hand treatment). So no – not a valid argument.
Another of his arguments against such a law is that ‘it isn’t scientifically proven that animals suffer more when not anaesthetized’. Well, WTF!!!, how does one need scientific proof when it is a simple common sense fact! When you yourself are going to be slaughtered, would you prefer your throat being cut without anaesthetic suffocating in your blood for minutes? Or would you prefer to be shot in the head? I know I would prefer the bullet. Why did no one ask him?Next: It isn’t scientifically proven animals experience pain like we humans do. (An argument to enfeeble the scientific proof animals suffer more and longer when slaughtered the ritualistic way). No we do not know that – for all I know animals could experience pain more intense – so that would be – again - an argument against ritualistic slaughter. (*it is very likely animals experience pain like we do: aren’t we all the same flesh and blood?)
Another argument against: it does happen when animals are being anaesthetized things go wrong and the animal suffers extremely in spite of or due to anaesthetizing. Of course, this is horrific and we as human beings should make sure this doesn’t happen – but I fail to see how this is an argument? It is merely an argument to intensify the inspection of the slaughter houses – to make sure the anaesthetizing is done effectively.
Furthermore – as the video embedded below shows – also with ritualistic slaughter things go wrong and the animals are clearly NOT ‘respectfully killed’ as claimed by him.
*NEWS* the law has passed – but already they are discussing ‘exceptions’ again Unfortunately the law didn't pass after all...
Animals are our Equals
I am sad we even have to discuss this in Parliament – it should be a given fact we will not allow and accept animals to suffer in any way whatsoever.I am not discussing whether we should or should not eat meat; I am discussing the by us all allowed and accepted stance – that we humans are superior to animals and therefore have the right to do as we please. Nowhere the integrity of the animal itself is discussed. Nowhere our supposed superiority is discussed. It isn’t just the Jewish or Muslim religion that places humans above the animal; through our own Christian roots we too have allowed the programmed conviction that ‘God gave us the animal to serve us’. Atheist, vegetarian, spiritualist, intellectual, new ager… not just the church going religious people. Even animal lovers believe this to be true. When dare we finally question this deep-seated conviction? When dare we finally see and comprehend that animals are our EQUALS – how unbearable ashamed will we be of ourselves...
The Jewish spokesman referred to WOII where the right to ritualistic slaughter was also forbidden – as an omen. I like to remind the Jewish people how animals are treated by us, we act like the Nazi’s, currently and in the past… there is quite a resemblance.
Recommended read
And God created Ritualic SlaughteringRitualistic Slaughter – video
There is some shocking footage in this video - but hey, we do allow this to happen to animals, so then you should be brave enough to look at what we allow.
partially Dutch spoken
sources:
Wikipedia Ritual Slaughter
http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5091/Religie/article/detail/2445575/2011/06/16/TNO-Bewijs-tegen-rituele-slacht-rammelt.dhtml
http://nieuwsuur.nl/onderwerp/248789-wel-of-geen-verbod-op-rituele-slacht.html
http://nos.nl/artikel/248790-verbod-ritueel-slachten-bedreigt-joodse-geloof.html
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