America's Christian Right created a fake controversy for themselves over Thanksgiving by complaining about the fact that Butterball turkeys are killed in a way that happens to be consistent with both Jewish and Muslim religious rules. Of course, it was only the consistency with Muslim rules that sparked the outrage. Imagine if they had complained about "Jewish" turkeys!
Here, for example, was the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer warning American consumers about the scourge of Muslim turkeys: "I want to talk a little bit about Butterball turkeys. And I want to let you know [that] every single Butterball turkey sold in the United States of America has been sacrificed to Allah. Every single turkey that Butterball sells has been ritually slaughtered according to Islamic practice and has had an Islamic prayer prayed over that bird while it is being slaughtered."
Anti-Muslim blogger Pamela Geller was also outraged by the prospect of "stealth halal turkeys" on dining room tables nationwide. "Across this great country, on Thanksgiving tables nationwide, infidel Americans are unwittingly going to be serving halal turkeys to their families this Thursday. Turkeys that are halal certified -- who wants that, especially on a day on which we are giving thanks to G-d for our freedom? I wouldn't knowingly buy a halal turkey -- would you? Halal turkey, slaughtered according to the rules of Islamic law, is just the opposite of what Thanksgiving represents: freedom and inclusiveness, neither of which are allowed for under that same Islamic law."
Source: Political Animal
Yeah, imagine if the same complaints were being made about Jews. Imagine Bryan Fischer whining that "every single Butterball turkey sold in the United States has been sacrificed to Yahweh." Imagine him complaining about every turkey having "a Jewish prayer prayed over that bird." Imagine Pam Geller whining that Americans served "kosher turkeys to their families." Imagine Pam Geller saying "I wouldn't knowingly buy a kosher turkey, would you?"
Well, that's no different from what they actually wrote, especially since the turkeys were indeed all kosher. There's one striking historical parallel to the hypothetical comments I just listed, and I think you know what it is.
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