this is not what i wanted

God you people are paranoid. How on earth do you draw a link between banning a particular method of slaughter and "racism"? Please, someone draw me a diagram.

Steve,

Religious Jews only eat food that is "Kosher" (I won't go into the exact dietary laws).

If you ban Kosher food you are basically forcing them to leave (or they'll starve).

Anti-Semitism is hostility or violence against Jews.

Banning Kosher food is very racist.

David,
please look up the definition of a semite. Also,could anyone explain to me what exactly is involved in the slaughter of Kosher meat?

Thanks,

>David, please look up the real meaning of a Semite

Ok George, from dictionary.com I see that a semite is

1. A member of a group of Semitic-speaking peoples of the Near East and northern Africa, including the Arabs, Arameans, Babylonians, Carthaginians, Ethiopians, Hebrews, and Phoenicians."
2. A Jew.
3. Bible. A descendant of Shem.

Now, let's look together at the definition of ANTI-SEMITE:

"One who discriminates against or who is hostile toward or prejudiced against Jews."

So, you could be a Semite (for example being an Arab), and still be an anti-Semite (someone who hates Jews). In fact, many in the Arab and Muslim world are anti-Semites.

Which one are you? A semite or an anti-Semite? Or maybe both?

As for the exact definition of the kosher dietary laws, see your local rabbi for details.

Am I the only one who finds this a bad article? The person who wrote it brings nothing to support his claim, that the ban is anti-semitic,more so he does not even provide the most basic information about the law.

He states that the countries ban kosher slaughter of animals because they are anti-semitic, or because of anti-semitic feelings in these countries. I can understand how the banning of kosher slaughter can hurt the jewish society, yet this does not mean that the law was designed for this purpose.

I live in Belgium and I know that the law on slaughtering of animals changed, strangely enough not because of animal right groups ( although they had part in it), but mainly because of the muslims. During each start (or is it ending) of the rammadam they go out in the country and buy sheep which they slaughter themself ussually in their bathroom, leading to many health problems because of bad hygenic circumstances. They changed the law making these kind of slaughters illegal. Is this the law he is talking about? If it is he should at least done a little bit or research and discovered this. If it is not than the question is which law is he talking about? Does the law soly bans kosher slaughter or is this a side effect of a more general law. These are the things which I miss in this article. Beside opinions, give us objectif information about this law.

He also states a lot of cases of anti-semitic incidents, but how exactly can they proof or disprove that this law is anti-semitic? Where the people who voted this law involved in these incidents? I personnally seem them more as rants and not relevant to matter namely the banning of kosher slaughter of animals. More so what do incidents in Canada or Australia have anything to do with the ban in 5 european countries? The biggest part of the article does not even deal of about the ban. If he wants to write an article about anti-semtism in the world I fully support this, but than change the title, and for that matter leave the kosher slaughter ban out of it.

It is easy to say that things happen because of anti-semitic feelins, but at least try to investigate incidents objectively and open minded. IMHO this article failed to do so.

Most people in the world are anti-semetic so this doesn't come to me as a surprise.
Europeans blamed the Bubonic Plague of 1347-1349 on the Jews, saying they poisoned the wells.
Europeans have historically expelled Jews whenever it was necessary. Since the Catholic Church banned usury, Jews became bankers and moneylenders to fill in the employment gap. This was beneficial to the economy. However, when there were enough non-Catholic bankers, Jews were often expelled for their beliefs. This is where the notion that Jews are good with money comes from. Europeans also concocted the myth of "bloodletting". They maintained that Jews let the blood of Christian youth run to make their matzah (yeastless, dry, thin food eaten on the Jewish holiday of Passover). A couple of years ago, a Saudi newspaper published an article saying that Jews put pins in Moslem children and use the blood to make Hamantashen (pastry with a raspberry or apricot filling eaten on the holiday of Purim).

The ban of kosher foods is one step in the subtle process. Just remember that the frog thinks he is taking a nice hot bath until he is fatally burned in the cooking pot.

I've just comleted two units of work in school Yr.9 : Prejudice and Racism which focussed on the Holocaust and Civil Rights movement in the U.S.A.
I've scoured newspapers, web sites concerning these issues.
There is a lot of anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim hatred prevalent at this moment in time - still embedded in and growing out of ignorance.
Unbiased education is a key to enlightenment concerning these issues. Let's look for the good in people and celebrate it - the negative and bad needs to be looked at too and solutions found. A lot of young people are horrified by the unfair and unjust treatment of others - take example from them.

SDL:

Judging by your post, i would suggest that you hail from our neighbor to the North (Grade 9, when we say 9th grade.). I hate to say it, but in the West hate crimes agaisnt Muslims are vastly overnumbered by crimes (by numbers and by general severity) agaisnt Jews. Especially in France, where the Muslims largely commit the crimes. As for you're readings, I would suggest that you ignore you're local paper and look at the Daily Telegraph.
Publius

Hello: I am a Rabbi from the United Kingdom I find this article very interesting indeed! I am offended that nations would ban the Kosher slaughter practice or any other religious practice, by the way must correct the individuals who used the term racism, this has nothing to do with race, as a minister in the Judaic Faith and an educated man in general I know the differance between racism and Religious bigotry which the above article is an example of! Judaism has followers who are Western European (like myself) or Aushkanazics as it is in the Hebrew tounge, Hispanic European Sephardic, Western Asians (Middle Easterners) Mizrahic, sometimes the Mizrahim are classified as Shephadim for purposes of simplification, getting back on track there are converts of Negro, Far Eastern Asian, and many other racial and national origins.

Now that we have cleared that up and we know that Judaic (Jewish) identity is a religious matter not a hereditary one (Anyone can convert, and anyone born into Judaism can apostitize!) what we should be concerned about is the fact that these nations don't believe that their civilians are entitled to the liberty of the free excercise of religion, above it was noted that an individual shouted "The Jews crucified Jesus!" this individual is an example of a long existing problem in the region of Mainland Europe, Christian bigotry against non Christian Faiths, including Judaism!

I'm sorry mates its my fingers are getting tired I'll continue this later

Shalom

Europeans in general are much less acceptable of other cultures and peoples. It is not natural for them to accept new immigrants and to be open minded about other customs.

They behave this way against Jews, but also against Muslims or any other minority - contrary to most Americans who have the ideas of religious freedom, personal liberty and respect of others very well understood.

For this reason the term "anti-Semitic" or "racist" can and should be used in this context:

"Most Europeans are racist and anti-Semitic. Five RACIST European countries banned kosher food. The bastards."

Note: I have traced back the message from Saul Sandlin and it turns out he posted it from a WebTV terminal in the US. The email he gave is also from a non-existent domain. This put his comments in an unfavorable light since he lied.

I said I was from the United Kingdom Mr. Melle I did not say that I was currently in the UK, I so happen to by visiting a Friend in the Western United staes, Colorado to be exact, and about te false e-mail address I prefer to keep my privacy.

All right Saul, fair enough, you posted your comment away from home and you give out fake emails to keep your privacy - I can understand that.

That said, the Europeans that ban kosher food are still racist bastards. :-)

Isn't it also halal meat that is banned? What do people who can only eat this meat do? Do they eat food that their religion says is they can't eat? It must not be that big a deal if they continue to eat non-kosher food. If this type of animal slaughter is brutal, why is it allowed here in the US? Maybe animal rights groups here need to look into this more to also make it illegal.

You are all a bunch of idiots. There is 5.000+ years of anti-jewish feelings, do we really believe things are going to change now? Why?

To those of you who do not see what the big deal is with this article, who think the author is just being paranoid, I don't blame you. If I weren't Jewish, I might think the same, because I probably wouldn't be alert to anti-semitism in the world and therefore might have a hard time recognizing it as such. But, as a Jew, I have to be aware of anti-semitism, it is not a choice. And as one who is aware, to put it simply to non-jewish readers out there: Anti-semitism is sneaky. It often appears harmless, even rational, to those it doesnt affect (Gentiles). Most Gentiles today have been brought up in a post-Holocaust world, and therefore may think that anti-semitism that isn't on the horrific scale of the holocaust is nothing for Jews to worry about, and may even secretly think Jews should just stay silent and stop "whining" over such events (which is anti-semitism itself, actually). However, to my Gentile friends I say this- Jews know full well how anti-semitism has worked over the centuries. It starts with small, seemingly insignificant actions against Jews and escalates slowly, subtly, until it is out of control. This is the case with the Kosher food in the above article. There should be no reason to not have kosher food in a country-it is simply the practice of kindness to animals- they die a quick easy death, as opposed to the awful death they die under modern non-kosher food production standards today. I say this with the least of bias, as although I am Jewish, I choose not to keep Kosher. Outlawing Kosher food in those countries is akin to forcing Hindus in the US to eat beef(the cow is very, very sacred to them and they will not eat it), both groups could eat the foods, in theory, but to do so would be a complete renunciation of their morals, standards, and faith. Just as Catholics in the US would be quite upset if we outlawed comunion wine and wafers thus outlawing comunion, so Jews in europe have equal right to be pissed off that kosher food was outlawed-since it doesnt only interfere with food one one day of the week (as no comunion would) but on every day! And the most frusterating part is-those who rationalize it for any reason just refuse to see it for what it is-a senseless act of law designed to punish jews. Just out of hostility, nothing else. Maybe for whats going on in israel (that's also unfair to bias against-people in those same countries were yelling "Jews go to palestine " during the times of the holocaust, which is why our peopl had to flee there. Now people yell "Jews out of Palestine" basically suggesting- Jews Nowhere!). Maybe because we jews are different than people in those places and they dilike people different from them. Whatever the cause of outlawing kosher food, however innocent the cat may seem, its very existance points to deeper, more sinister anti-semetic views harbored in the minds of government and peoples of these countries. Jews need Gentiles to see anti-semitism for what it is, and to bravely stand behind us in our quest to stop it.
p.s. to the person who wanted to lump anti-semitism in europe with racism in europe:it ain't the same. Racism is a horrible thing, but anti-semitism is its own problem entirely, with its own unique traits- to lump racism and antisemitism in one group is tosay that we are being discrimated against because of outside characteristics, while sidestepping the actual fact that people are being hateful directly towards Jews not because of what we look like, but because of who we are- our morals, our culture, our way of thinking, our very existance. that is something dangerous in its own respect, and is not racism.

To Saul Sandlin,
Dear Sir, as a Christian, I would put it to you that anyone attacking Jews saying it is because the Jews crucified Christ, and is calling themselves Christian is a terrible liar, and no follower of Jesus, most likely has never cracked open any type of Bible, Old or New Testament. Or else they bring such baggage with them when they convert, they never study the Bible in order to cleanse themselves of the trash they brought with them to the experience. I assure you that nothing of the kind to so mistreat Jews is taught ANYWHERE in the pages of the New Testament, but instead the book teaches that the Jews are the Wife of God, Jehovah, according to the Covenant of Abraham, and all that God said which is represented in Isaiah 54, all that is reflected in the New Testament. We are taught to respect that.
We are taught that we are nothing more than branches of the wild olive trees grafted in to the Natural Olive Tree, and that the Jews are the NATURAL branches of that Tree, the Tree of Life.

I do not wish to disturb your theology by recommending this, but if you were to take some time to skim across the New Testament of our Bible, you would see that what I am saying is TRUE, and that TRUE Christians could never be your enemies - these evil ones DISGUISE themselves that they may cause a DIVISION between us, and THAT is their goal.
Whether you believe we are what we say we are or not, you must believe that if WE BELIEVE IT GENUINELY ourselves, we cannot be your natural enemy.
If you believe there was a man crucified because the Jews demanded it, you must also know that ANY segment of the Race of Man would have done the same - we certainly have done so since then - and Jesus said, "Whatsoever you have done unto the least of these, you have done unto Me." We ourselves are not innocent of His Blood.
We who are true Christians pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.
Sincerely, Rose

I came upon this website whilst searching for something else on google but thougt that I should respond as I have some opinions on the topic.

I am a Muslim and as far as I know kosher and halal slaughtered meat are the same thing and the stupid West Europeans want to ban halal and kosher using flimsy arguments like the animals suffer more in those religious methods but the scientific evidence itself point the other way and does not support their argument, namely that when the jagular is cut the animal does not and should not feel anything though it may make some spasmic moves. The other argument against these stupid Europeans is that the blood contains all the diseases and can procure diseases so it is scientifically reasonable to drain the blood but you will find that many Europeans use blood for some food items and they despite all their scientific progress do not know this simple fact.

If kosher and or halal is banned it will be great stupidity and ignorance on the part of these fools who believe that they know everything both scientific and reasonable but the fact is they do not. They think they can insult others by hiding behind such flimsy ideas as freedom of expression but they will just strut around and we must let them strut because they harm only themselves.

As regards anti semitism and racism, again they have forgotten that due to their ignorance hundreds of millions died in past wars and like numbers suffered but they are again playing these games once again.

Those who believe and do right shoud not in any way fear them because they are as empty as flames.

revised:

Hello i am jewish and of course i am against the idea of banning kosher food, but i think that some things need to be clarifed for people who read these articles who may not be jewish. Holland hasnt banned ALL kosher food, that would be impossible because then hollanders would starve too. Apples, pears, wheat, rice, cucumbers etc etc are all kosher, all fruits and vegetables are kosher. Jews living in these countries could simply become more vegitarian like some of my freinds as an alternative to moving out of the country. There are alternative forms of protien from vegetablse that vegetarians rely upon as well. Isnt the goal of hashem to get people to eat less meat? Why not look at vegetarianism as an alternative to moving?

banned kosher?that does seem racist to me,but in all honestly as long as its still imported who cares.here in the us we cant really get access to marijuana legally unless its prescribed.that law prohibiting it was pushed by this scumbag anslinger 75 years ago who said the drug was only used by negroes and latinos to create evil jazz music and inspire crimes on whites.that is even more racist if you ask me because there are plenty of cultures in the us that consider it a sacrement and they cant get it anywhere{legally}.
i read a lot of history and think most goverments are inherently evil by creating the idea of victimless crimes in the first place.
goverments and churches ussually work together to control us and im no big fan of either.
people just have to stand up for their rights and to hell with doing what the goverment says.the usa wont even declare war against other countries anymore no matter what they do to us.
our country is a melting pot of races and if youre a black crack dealer or an illegal mexican youre okay,but if your white and try to take pride in your race your a damn hate criminal.
im white non-jewish but i do think some jewish women are very beautiful.i do have 1 jewish friend{non-practising}.lemme tell you he is one of the most selfish friends ive ever had but he has a heart of gold.
now im not saying jews are selfish but my friend definately is.
if he ever needs help of any kind im there though because even though hes selfish his sister isnt!!!