More creeping sharia at U of T, this time Scarborough.

From an article on October 4th, in the Campus Paper, The Varsity:

Halal Food Hard To Swallow At UTSC

The Muslim Students Association at UTSC has ignited a fierce debate on the particulars of halal food on campus, refusing to support a long-awaited halal option at a Bluff’s, a UTSC campus restaurant.

The result of numerous faculty, staff and student requests, the new menu was introduced to the campus on May 29, making all chicken and beef options certified halal. Despite this, many MSA members say that any establishment that also serves alcohol and plays dance music is an unsuitable environment for their dietary needs.

So, the request was made for halal food. It was granted. But, that isn’t enough - they want the place, a university restaurant, to stop serving alcohol and playing dance music as well. Because, you know, mad beatz taints the meatz.

Some students said the restaurant, in failing to accommodate those who prefer not to eat at an alcoholic establishment, made more of a negative gesture than a positive one with the menu option.

“This initiative was brought forth solely by Bluff’s without ever consulting the MSA or Muslim students. If this was a deliberate accommodation, it’s kind of offensive in giving us the food in a manner unsuitable to us,” said Ahmad Jaballah, a former MSA executive and current Scarborough Campus Students Union VP students and equity.

Jaballah also argued that patronizing such an establishment is wrong because Muslim students would provide revenue for Bluff’s to purchase alcohol—an action forbidden by hadith, a Prophetic saying.

Is the answer so difficult then? I mean, patronize another business. Plus, I have to add, that the whole “VP for students and equity” position is a sham. On the St. George campus, I tried to voice a complaint of antisemitism last year with the VP of “equity” and was basically told to get bent. She was a Muslim, by the way.

The best part, though, is that this guy is wrong:

But Food and Beverages Manager Zalia Conde disagrees, noting that the Bluff’s restaurant serves alcohol under the university’s liquor license, rather than a license of its own. In fact, it is through the university that U of T dining establishments purchases alcohol.

When asked about the controversy, a few students argued that simply paying tuition supports the purchase of alcohol by contributing to the salary of the VP business affairs, who oversees the University Alcohol Policy.

Heh. Paying tuition funds alcohol purchases. What will they say/do about that one? I imagine it won’t be not paying tuition.

Despite the MSA, however, sales of halal food are on the rise. The sales are enough to make the program viable. And, there are some Muslim students who are a little more reasonable:

Muzna Siddiqui is one student who disagrees with MSA’s stance and now sees Bluff’s as another inclusive option for her.

“Personally, as a Muslim student, I’m happy the SCSU and UTSC are accommodating us,” she said. “For me, I don’t see how alcohol can contaminate the food like pork does. Unless someone is cooking with it, I don’t see the problem of being in an environment that serves alcohol, because it’s not something directly touching my food.”

Why isn’t that person VP of Equity?

Previously: Women’s Only Hours At UofT - Guess Why?

Posted by casey on Thursday, October 11th, 2007 at 11:27 am.