to not know if this offensive?

[Catnary]

Colleague in canteen queue today, I comment that the food looks tasty. She makes a face, points to the label and says “Yeah but look, I’m not eating that!”

Label says “Halal beef casserole”.

I say “but it’s just a different way of slaughtering the cow”

”Yeah I know, that’s what I mean, it’s SO cruel. I can’t have that on my conscience.”

This was all very loud and other people overheard. Neither colleague nor I are Muslim but many other colleagues are. I felt very uncomfortable, didn’t engage, and ordered the beef.

Is this just no different to a vegetarian declaring loudly that they couldn’t possibly be so cruel as to eat meat, or is it a slur on Muslims? It felt inappropriate, especially at work.

If your colleague would say the same about kosher meat, or lobster, or factory-farmed chickens and eggs, then perhaps it's fair enough. But I suspect your colleague is less vocal about this.

So actually, it's just like Tommy Robinson raging about nine Asian paedophiles in Rochdale, but saying absolutely nothing at all about the 1,323 white people convicted of sex offences against minors that same year. It's not about the crimes against women and children - it's about the ethnicity of the perpetrator. That's what makes him racist. And using the same logic, so is your colleague.

It is cruel on an industrial scale, I think it was actually less cruel historically. I think your opinion that she shouldn’t be free to say it’s cruel in public is an example of “cancel culture” and word policing that’s wrong with today.

She didn’t say anything about Muslim people but rather about a particular method of animal slaughter. I think that’s fine, she can have an opinion and speak it loudly if she wants. Free speech and all that!

But I can see why you were stressed as we are pretty primed to be offended/worry about people being offended these days.

Your question was 'AIBU to no know if this is offensive'.

And there's no single answer really. What offends one person won't offend another.

This thread has been done to death over the years and the opinions are always a mix of 'it's cruel', 'all meat eating is cruel', 'it's no more cruel than other methods of slaughter' and 'it's anti muslim to dislike halal slaughter'.

*not know

It's a horrific method of slaughter and most people who try to be politically correct about it wouldn't even dare to see a video of it. It would literally sicken them. So yes, YABU, and it is not your job to be offended on behalf of other people!

Most Halal meat in the UK that you buy from supermarkets etc is killed in the same manner as all other meat with a tape playing of prayers.
The whole meat industry is cruel, so I think she is being a bit picky over it.

I find veganism more offensive tbh, due to how militant the cohort is. It's pushes the politics and cult of it more so than the health benefits of it.

I've always avoided halal meat because there's no guarantee of a humane slaughter.

It's not hypocritical to eat meat, yet still want to avoid an animal suffering unnecessarily.

@Mark19735 gave some examples above and I avoid all of those too. I couldn't eat a lobster that's been boiled alive, or crab. I just couldn't. I always buy free range eggs. And if my understanding is correct then kosher meat is worse than halal in terms of cruelty, so I avoid that too.

It's not a comment on the religion whatsoever. I just don't agree with the slaughter methods. But people will jump to conclusions....

Most methods of slaughter are horrific though aren't they. Most people would struggle to watch any footage from a slaughterhouse, halal or otherwise. If you only speak out about the cruelty of halal slaughter, it does seem more like the religion that's the issue, rather than animal rights.
It was either intended to offend or to show he bigotry. It's a bit of a dog whistle isn't it?

Your colleague has a right to air her opinion. Whether it's welcome or not is another thing. Whether she's right or not is up for debate. If your Muslim colleagues heard that, then I'm guessing it might've caused offense so it was tackless and insensitive to say that. However, I believe no-one has a right not to be offended so people should be allowed to say what they want. It's just that there are many people out there who don't know when to be quiet, just as much as many people nowadays who are afraid of expressing themselves because they're worried about not being politically correct or upsetting the woke brigade.

As a meateater myself, I feel anyone criticising a way of killing meat that eats meat themselves is a bit of a hypocrite. I also feel vegans are hypocrites who wear leather etc.

Most vegans aren’t vegan for health reasons though.

I have a relative who is vegan and they are very hard work... for instance if anyone (of the family) dares say anything like "I love dogs!" around them they will jump on them and ask if they eat meat and if not, how they can claim to love any animals...
I think it's just we only hear the vocal militant ones talking about it. Im sure the majority of vegans just keep quiet and eat their choice of food without telling everybody they should be vegan too!

If the practices of any faith or tradition causes unnecessary suffering to any living creature, then I am not in favour of that practice, and will say so.

Method of slaughter, bullfighting, Palio of Siena, rodeos, none of them are necessary in a modern society.

Ha , yes, I think that is about right actually (but knowing when to be quiet). It was mostly rude, in a professional environment, I suppose, rather than offensive.

Of course she is allowed to have an opinion in public about religious practices she doesn't agree with. I don't agree with circumcision and would happily say that out loud - it doesn't mean I dislike the religions or the people who practice it.

'humane slaughter' is an oxymoron. You either choose to kill something or you don't, only one choice is humane.

I think I’d be quite perturbed generally if circumcision came up in conversation in the lunch queue!

I agree. I think especially in the workplace you have to be careful what you say. Controversial opinions are for friends or Mumsnet.

Halal is the inappropriate issue!

Maybe they were serving sausage?

Hmm, I'm torn.

I don't want to eat any 'religious' meat, I don't want to eat factory farmed meat either. So I don't.

There may have been an undertone of anti-islamic thought there.

However, if there was only one chicken dish available and it was halal rather than free-range, I do find that a bit objectionable. Because a religion is being given preference over decent animal husbandry.

All religions can eat most vegetarian food.

On balance I think a free-range/organic meat dish and then a good vegetarian choice would suit everyone and all religious/moral dining needs.

If you feel strongly about an ethical issue, why shouldn't you state it publicly? Evidently she was upset by the halal meat - but you seem to think she should be silent. Do you think opinions are more valid if they're due to religion or what?

Because you are at work. I don't care how strongly you feel about something, there is a time and a place.

How is different from when a cow gets a bullet through the brain? They're both quick? Both seem cruel