Food Stamps: Muslims Demand Welfare Be Free Of Pork For Islamic Halal Diet? [Video]
According to viral reports, Muslims using food stamps in Minnesota are demanding that the welfare program be required to meet the stringent requirement of the Islamic diet, which does not allow pork products to be eaten. But are these reports stretching the truth?
In a related report by the Inquisitr, another viral hoax claimed a so-called Obama car program would give welfare recipients access to free cars. Although the original story turned out to be false, it turns out that Mitt Romney once implemented the exact same type of welfare program in the past as governor of Massachusetts. Some in New Mexico might have questioned if the report was real when it was claimed that politicians were considering bringing back the idea that people must work for food stamps.
The idea that Muslims’ food stamps had them upset over dietary choices is being spread throughout Facebook via viral reports. For example, The Political Insider indirectly mentioned the SNAP program when reporting the news.
“An Islamic women’s ‘advocacy group’ is demanding a county in Minnesota change its food stamp policies to require a low-price, halal food shelf. The Isuroon Project says there is a ‘desperate need’ for a culturally specific halal food shelf in the metro area which would cost taxpayers more than $150,000!”
Original reports from FOX and CBS describe the Isuroon Project as a “Somali women’s advocacy group” and the reports do not specifically mention their Islamic beliefs or that they are Muslims. But the “halal test” is specifically any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in within the context of the Islamic religion. The only other direct reference to Islam is the Muslim Imam Hassan Mohamud, who says, “It’s about human rights also, basic human rights to get the proper food and also healthy food.”
Food stamps are also not referenced at all, although the advocacy group is trying to petition for halal food to be carried at food banks in the area.
“Isuroon has reached out for Hennepin County’s support for the Ethnic Food Shelf, and has cooperated fully with the Hennepin County commissioner’s office and provided the county with their required qualifications,” the group said in a statement. “The commissioner’s office has ignored Isuroon’s requests for review and the community needs to respond to let the public know what has transpired. We want to make Commissioner Peter McLaughlin and the public know that we are serious about our need for an Ethnic Food Shelf which provides halal and appropriate nutrition for our community.”
Do you think the food stamps programs should be updated to provide religious dietary restrictions like pork products?
