Posted on 12/17/2005 9:01:21 PM PST by LibWhacker
By TREVOR PADDENBURG 18dec05
A WA hospital has scrubbed baked ham from its Christmas menu, fearing Muslim patients could be offended.
It has also overhauled its entire menu so that all meals are now halal – containing only meat and other food prepared according to Muslim customs.
But Port Hedland Regional Hospital staff and many non-Muslim patients are outraged, saying it is a case of political correctness gone mad.
Kitchen staff are so angry that they have organised a petition demanding ham be put back on the Christmas menu.
Other WA hospitals are also introducing halal dining, though the Health Department says Port Hedland is the only one to convert its entire menu to suit Muslims.
Hospital directors decided to axe the traditional festive season baked ham because of the high percentage of Muslim patients.
Eating pork or ham is forbidden under Muslim custom.
Until now, Muslims were asked to supply their own food if they did not want to eat hospital fare.
The hospital's nursing director, Judy Davis, said though ham was not on the menu, Christian patients would not miss out on festive cheer.
"We'll still make Christmas special – we've got prawns and all sorts of other special treats," she said.
But one long-time Port Hedland hospital worker told The Sunday Times the menu change was "unAustralian".
"It's going to be a boring old Christmas lunch for the patients," he said.
"After all, what's Christmas without a ham, or Sunday morning without bacon and eggs?
"The management of the hospital are unable to stand up to a minority and keep our Australian way of life intact. They are bowing to the pressure of a select few."
He warned that the only politically correct fare would soon be "a bowl of rice and a cup of tea".
"No wonder the true-blue Australians are getting angry," he said.
"Now all we need is for someone of the Hindu faith to jump up and down and we'll have no beef.
"Before we know it, if you're sick in Port Hedland, you will have to be happy with a diet of boiled rice and a cup of tea."
A Health Department spokeswoman said the menu change was about meeting the needs of the Islamic community.
She denied it meant sacrificing Christian traditions.
"Port Hedland has one of the largest Muslim communities outside the capital cities of Australia, and has done so for many years," the spokeswoman said.
"Changes to the menu meant pork and ham were no longer offered to patients.
"However, other meat and alternatives are available."
She said no patients had complained, but the Health Department was aware that staff at Port Hedland were unhappy.
"We are aware that staff would like ham for Christmas lunch, and this will be provided by the hospital," the spokeswoman said.
"The majority of hospitals try to take into account the different patient mix when deciding on their menu, and offer several choices."
I guess we'll soon see Jewish people rioting in the streets over this
There are going to be some be-headings when the Seventh Day Adventists find out about this.
Aussies are a funny lot, every State has a Labour State Premier, but repeatedly in the Federal elections the same people have elected a conservative (The Liberal Party Leader) John Howard, Prime Minister. I guess the Aussies want their bread buttered on both sides, they know that Labor spends like a drunken sailor and they like that fine, but when it comes to serious issues like security and the economy, Labor just cannot be trusted with either...
But the events in Sydney might change all that. The New South Wales Premier, son of an immigrant member of the Italian communist party, has virtually closed beaches along a 200 mile coastline, cancelled an annual surf carnival, painted his constituents as racist drunks and invited the muslim community leaders to visit the beach at Cronulla while the locals are staying at home, and motorists visiting the suburb are required to show police their identification before they can continue on their journey.
Of all the arrests made, the 'men of middle eastern appearance' are out on bail, but the 'white racist neo-nazis' are in jail already.
Iemma, the Premier of New South Wales was not elected, he stepped into the position when Carr, the previous Premier retired 'to smell the roses' ... (methinks he was pushed to give this groomed clown the job)
Let's see if he gets himself elected when the time comes. If he does, there'll be a halal menu in Sydney Hospitals, and anyone with blue eyes and fair hair will need a permit to go to the beach.
Amazing. Bend over backwards for the 'slimes. Why didn't they do the same for the Jews? Aren't they forbidden from consuming ham too?
It's OK to offend everyone but a Muslim apparently
Yep. Anything that don't eat us first. I haven't eaten pickled pig's feet in a very long time.
Ah, the traditional holiday prawns.
Port Hedland sure has changed since I saw it by the sound of it.
Is pork really that forbidden, I've seen practising muslims happily eat it or concoctions like Spam but they were berber rather than arab.
"Well, now we know what they think of the Jewish."
Bingo ! My exact reaction as well when I read this.
Thanks for the ping!
As long as there's a little romance before hand, I'm all for it.
((I'll be Home for Christmas))
I want ham for Christmas,
You can count on that.
Please have ham and candied yams,
And pie that makes me fat.
Christmas Eve will find me,
With cola and Jim Beam,
I want ham for Christmas,
But I'm sure I'll get tofurkey.
...agreed! If the Muslims want a special menu, they can have their relatives bring it!
Merry Christmas!
It's very similar to Kosher methods except the Rabi doesn't have sex with the animal before slaughter.
Ever try a bacon grilled cheese sandwich with chili? Now THAT is living!
It's our list!
and we sadly suffer no lack of the ridiculous, the banal, the stupidly insane, and the just plain dangerous to report upon.
Doesn't a photoshop genius out there somewhere have a picture of a PIG with a PANCAKE on his head? "Isn't there anyone out there who can tell me the real meaning of Christmas!?"
*BURRRRRRRP*
"Hey, somebody pass me another slab o' that Christmas ham!"
A.A.C.
"The Final Crusade has commenced - be sure you have a large enough ham, and extra plates for your infidel neighbors!"
In America we have Catholic, Presbyterian, Jewish, Methodist, baptist, and Mormon hospitals. I'd imagine that in Australia theree similar variations. Are there no muslim hospitals? Come to think of it, I don't think there are any in the US.
"Having a swine time!"
Sneak in some pork rinds. Put some in the washer, drier, forced-air filter and smash a biggun under their floormat of their car.
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