Muammar Al Khadafi

The Association of Non Stun Abattoirs (ANSA) has condemned Dutch moves to ban slaughter without stunning.

In a statement, ANSA spokesman Mohammed Saleem said that "This is a retrograde step that contravenes Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides all citizens a right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion....It is against all concepts of democracy, tolerance and freedom of rights".

It's an interesting statement, many seem to like to drag out human rights, at least when it suits.

Personally, the thought that I might be eating halal food - which is quite possible since so much is in British shops unlabelled - fills me with disgust. Not being a Muslim, hoodwinking me into eating it would also contravene my right to religion.

As for democracy and freedom of rights, well that implies that we should all have a right to choose.

Will Mohammed Saleem and ANSA support my human right not to eat halal - perhaps by throwing their weight behind a campaign to bring in legislation which would see all meat killed via religious methods - whether pre stunned or not - labelled, and for it to be made an offence to sell such meats without their origin being made clear to the consumer.

It would be a great chance for ANSA to show that it cared about the rights of the rest of us, and that instead of demanding only rights for those it represented, it was also willing to protect other groups rights.

I'd like my rights to be protected too thank you, although one would sincerely guess that my rights don't matter much, just like the rest of us who don't happen to belong to some vocal minority.

Mohammed Saleem goes on to add that "It absolutely sends the wrong message about Europe to the rest of the world, and especially the Muslim world. In a time of worldwide upheaval and troubled relations between the West and Muslims, this is a dangerous move that could provoke a backlash".

Yes, there's always a backlash. The message which Islam sends to the West time and time again is that Islam will do what it likes, you will put up with it, or else. Integration is illusory, what Islam wants it will get or else there will be a "backlash", and always a "provoked" one, it is never Islams fault.

Although, I do agree that Europe does indeed send the wrong message to the world about Islam - only it is a message that we will surrender, that we will allow you to make our society over in your image, that one compromise at a time we will allow Europe to become Islamicised.