Muslim inmates unhappy with food in state's prisons

The Seattle Times ^ | Monday, February 13, 2006 | Maureen O'Hagan

[Checkers]

Do Muslim prison inmates have a right to specialized meals that include meat?

That's the question being asked repeatedly of federal courts in Washington state in a flurry of inmate lawsuits. One case was filed recently by inmate Ronald Keal, and at least three others have been making their way through the courts.

Keal and the others say their religion requires that they eat what's known as "halal" meals, which require slaughter of animals in a tightly proscribed manner.

Some of the lawsuits ask for substantial monetary damages, while others ask for a change in the meal plan along with nominal costs.

Washington state prisons don't give practicing Muslims pork (which is forbidden in their faith) or meat from animals slaughtered improperly. In fact, they don't get any meat at all. Instead, inmates who choose a Muslim diet are on a lacto-ovo vegetarian meal plan, which includes eggs and milk products.

Thus, if a Muslim inmate wants to follow his religion, he has to become a vegetarian. And some inmates just aren't keen on eating so many greens.

Mohamad Joban, president of Washington's Imam Fatwa Committee, which makes rulings on religious issues, said that when he used to visit the prisons as a chaplain, he heard numerous complaints about the diet from Muslim inmates.

He even wrote a letter to prison officials asking for halal meals but didn't make any headway.

"Muslims are encouraged to eat meat," he said. "For them, [a vegetarian diet] is not a solution."

[Checkers]

"Do Muslim prison inmates have a right to specialized meals that include meat?"

No.

[television is just wrong]

lol, serve pork and lots of it.

[RexBeach]

F'em. Give'em bacon cheeseburgers.

[roaddog727]

Feed them pork sausage.

[boomop1]

A little pork BBQ, hush pups and slaw, yum yum, from Wilbur's.

[VRWCmember]

Here's a thought: Don't commit crimes and you won't have to worry about what kind of food they serve in prisons.

[kinghorse]

don't break the law and you can live your life free. don't like the food? stop eating.

[Maceman]

What part of "prison" don't they understand?

[MNJohnnie]

Quit feeding them then

[Zeroisanumber]

Hrmmm... Halal tends to be pricier that regular meats, a solution might be to take the difference out of what a prisoner earns from working in the prison. Veggies for free, but Halal costs. Seems fair.

[BJClinton]

Muslim inmates unhappy with food in state's prisons

While non-Muslims found it to be just peachy.

[jazusamo]

If they're looking for a catered diet, they should look somewhere besides a prison. Prison is not there to pamper anyone, even Muslims.

[jimfree]

They can get a balanced diet.

[TXBSAFH]

Do what we do in TX, we make them raise pigs for the pork they eat. If you don't like what the Boss serves you don't eat.

[SIDENET]

It's not supposed to be a vacation, Mohammed.

[RonF]

If Jewish prisoners get kosher meals, then Islamic prisoners should get halal meals. If not the one, though, then not the other.

[Itzlzha]

Muslim inmates unhappy with food in state's prisons

Well, they can always E.S.A.D.!

Don't do the Crime, if Mohammed Can't do the Time! Awk!"

[southernnorthcarolina]

My religion requires lots of Beluga caviar, rare rack of lamb, and authentic New York cheesecake. I'd be a high maintenance inmate.

[bboop]

heck NO They are just lucky we don't cut off hands and feet here. They are in PRISON, for heaven's sake. They are CRIMINALS. In a foreign country. Oh, don't get me started. Such sniveling & whining I have never heard in all my born days. How about "This is what we are eating tonight. if you don't like it, don't chose a life of crime." Or perhaps, "You might like Guantanamo even better."

[Checkers]

DON'T DO THE CRIME IF YOU CAN'T EAT THE SWINE

DON'T DO IT

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Brings a tear to my eye.

[F16Fighter]

Is it a prison, or an airline??

This is what happens when our feckless DoJ refuses to beat the sh*t out of ACLU lawyers.

[Checkers]

You beat me to it.

And you can take dat to da bank.

[Alouette]

Give them kosher meals.

[auto power]

if they don't like the food...don't eat.

[gakrak]

What a bunch of crap, don't these scum know they are in jail, they don't get to choose.
They need to get a wakeup call and eat what they are given of starve. It's their choice. Amen.

[Checkers]

~sniff~

poor baybee

I'm all broke up

[steve-b]

Hrmmm... Halal tends to be pricier that regular meats, a solution might be to take the difference out of what a prisoner earns from working in the prison. Veggies for free, but Halal costs. Seems fair.

Makes sense to me -- the prison system is accomodating their religious requirements, just not in a way that exactly suits their preferences.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"If Jewish prisoners get kosher meals, then Islamic prisoners should get halal meals. If not the one, though, then not the other."

---

I'm neither Jewish nor Muslim, but my understanding is that the kosher and halal process are similar enough that Muslims shopping for halal food in areas with few Muslims (and thus no halal delis) often purchase kosher food instead. Maybe they can serve Muslims in prison kosher food. But given the fact that the article doesn't mention a double-standard regarding kosher food, I have to assume that Jews in that prison who keep kosher need to turn vegetarian just like the Muslims who keep halal.

[jess35]

If they were so concerned about being good muslims, they wouldn't be in jail to begin with.

[steel_resolve]

I suggest we feed the inmates each other. Soilent Green Mile - problem solved.

[expatguy]

Next they will want a seperate kitchen that uses seperate utensils and such so that the food will not be "contaminated".

Not just halal food, but halal preparation as well.

[humblegunner]

They are CRIMINALS. In a foreign country.

I think most are locals who magically convert once they get into stir.

[Rummyfan]

Let's do it the way they do in Saudi: their families can feed them!

[joesnuffy]

Just shop for an imam who says Allah is kewl wid it y'all.

Hell...an imam gets to say when rape,theft,murder,torture,and even lying to a cop and judge is OK...

I mean if an imam can tell you when it's ok to fly a fully loaded passenger jet into an officer tower...he ought to be able to ok a few years of eatin pork n beans on the tax payers dollar...and after you get out ..that same imam can tell you to go and kill a few of those dirty infidel tax payers for what they put y'all through...

know what I mean?

[steve-b]

If Jewish prisoners get kosher meals, then Islamic prisoners should get halal meals. If not the one, though, then not the other.

The story doesn't say, but I'd assume that Jewish prisoners have the same option (getting the same vegetarian diet, which meets both kosher and halal requirements with minimum cost and hassle to the prison administration). If so, then I don't see any problem. If not, then there's actually a valid complaint here.

[montag813]

[Checkers]

I strongly suspect our penal system isn't full of Jews who keep Kosher.

[Checkers]

I strongly suspect our penal system isn't full of Jews who keep Kosher.

[SmoothTalker]

If they don't like prison food they should avoid crime.

[meandog]

lol, serve pork and lots of it.

Yeah, but let it be pickled pigs feet, chiterlin's, mountain oysters, hog rectums, etc., everything LOW on the hog...(after all, one CAN eat everything but the squeal).

[NRA1995]

If ya don't like it, keep your butt out of jail, moron!

[Czar]

"F'em. Give'em bacon cheeseburgers."

Along with a heaping side of deep fried pig cracklins...

[tflabo]

And as for the drink? well isn't that the blood of the jews that they so crave? Give them the blood of hogs instead so they will be satisfied with the kindred blood juice of their enemies. Make mine a V-8 please.

[llevrok]

Yet again, religion being used for power and not for the soul (ditto for the anti Christians who are about power, not saving the Constitution)

[King of Florida]

If you won't eat the greens, then you'll eat

[steve-b]

If they were so concerned about being good muslims, they wouldn't be in jail to begin with.

It is rather curious that people who got into prison in the first place for murder, theft, and other acts prohibited by every religion I've ever heard of are suddenly so concerned about such details....

[San Jacinto]

...their religion requires that they eat what's known as "halal" meals, which require slaughter of animals in a tightly proscribed manner.

But doesn't putting a cow in a suicide vest tear up the meat?

[Lazamataz]

You know what they say.

Prison can be hal (al).