(US) Hogwash: Muslim Mom Denied Foster Kids Because She Won't Serve Pork

Overheal

Change.org wrote:

Now this is pig-headed. A potential foster parent in Maryland is being denied the chance to provide a stable, caring environment for foster children badly in need of nurturing all because ... she doesn't eat pork? There's got to be more to it, right? Unfortunately, there is. Contemporary Family Services, the private company licensed by the state of Maryland to place foster children with families, says it refused to allow Tashima Crudup of Baltimore to become a foster mom because she won't allow pork in her home. It didn't mention that she doesn't allow pork in her home because she is a practicing Muslim. The decision reeks of discrimination. If it's really about pork, let's talk about pork. People from many walks of life — including Muslims, Jews, vegetarians and others — choose not to eat pork and serve as exemplary foster parents to children in need. Missing out on ham sandwiches is hardly a reason to deny a child a home.
If the decision is about Crudup's religion, as the ACLU thinks it is, let's talk about that. Crudup is a product of the foster care system herself. She learned what makes a good foster mom as she was shuffled from house to house as a child. Now the 26-year-old has five children of her own and room for more in her heart and in her five-bedroom, four-bathroom home. She completed the mandatory 50 hours of training before she was denied a foster care license and filed a complaint. The letter denying her application blamed "concerns raised by statements made during the home study interview, specifically your explicit request to prohibit pork products within your home environment."

Just heard about this a moment ago on The Daily Show and went to see if it was true. Sure enough. First Amendment for some; miniature American flag for others.

TPD

To be honest, I wouldn't want to have grown up without bacon.

OutlawPete

Is this story kosher?

brendansmith

First amendment??? Get this sh1t out of here and take it to the U.S. forum ffs.

Jesus Wept

Lisa: No I can't! I can't eat any of them!
Homer: Wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute. Lisa honey, are you
saying you're *never* going to eat any animal again? What about
bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad! Those all come from the same animal!
Homer: [Chuckles] Yeah, right Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.

Sticky_Fingers

Is this story kosher?

well Porky approves, so no, probably not

Jesus Wept

If it makes her feel better, I wouldn't let vegetarians foster kids either.

rigumagoo

This seems totally above board to me.
Muslim adoptive parents shouldn't be able to force their halal religious requirements on adopted children any more than catholic adoptive parents should be able to force a child to go to mass or be baptized into their faith.

Mahatma coat

Well ya see theres the possibility that some nice Christian Kid might be corrupted by these people and their Foreiginist religious beliefs about love and tolerance, Much better to shove them off to the westboro Baptists and have them indoctrinated with good ole american Christian values. Cos Lets face it we all know that Fred Phelps is quite fond of a length of pork;):D

Jesus Wept

rigumagoo wrote: »

This seems totally above board to me.
Muslim adoptive parents shouldn't be able to force their halal religious requirements on adopted children any more than catholic adoptive parents should be able to force a child to go to mass or be baptized into their faith.

It's grand to do this bull**** if you are actually their parents.

rigumagoo

The-Rigger wrote: »

It's grand to do this bull**** if you are actually their parents.

Why do you believe that? Personally I think that is a bad thing.

Adyx

rigumagoo wrote: »

This seems totally above board to me.
Muslim adoptive parents shouldn't be able to force their halal religious requirements on adopted children any more than catholic adoptive parents should be able to force a child to go to mass or be baptized into their faith.

Does that mean it's okay for a child's biological parents to force their faith on the child?

myflipflops

This story would shock and interest me if it had of happened in Ireland.

In certain American states.... who cares?

rigumagoo

Adyx wrote: »

Does that mean it's okay for a child's biological parents to force their faith on the child?

No. That does not follow logically from what I said. You've made some kind of error there.

Sanjuro

4zn76tysfajdxp

Only in America. Eh, Overheal?

Terry

It's a tough one to call.
Foster care in only temporary, so it shouldn't make much of a difference to a child's diet. It's not as if they're going to suffer malnutrition from a lack of pork products.
On the other hand, enforcing your values on someone else isn't really a nice thing to do.

You'd have to know more of the facts before making an informed decision, such as; will the prospective foster child be expected to join the family in prayer services, or will the child be expected to follow all Muslim values, or is a lack of a sausage and bacon sandwich with brown sauce (I want one now) the only thing at issue?

I'd be wary of enforcing any strict religious teachings on any child, but then you would be excluding the child from family time, and this may make them feel isolated in their new home. Perhaps if the child was given a choice here, then things may be easier.

Without the full facts, all you can do is speculate.

sensibleken

its probably because she would not be able to devote enough time to them with her hectic schedule of hating our freedom.

GerHankey

Are there Muslim kids in the US foter care system? What happens to them if they are sent to bacon-eating Christian foster parents?

Terry

Having watched the show, it seems quite unfair that this woman is not allowed to foster children.
She clearly stated that any child she fosters will have the freedom to follow their own faith.

AnonoBoy

Has she done got herself a husband yet? Any lady that don't done got herself a husband has to have got something wrong with her insides or her brains. Ain't no way I'd let any young 'uns be broughted up by some funny head lady that don't got the good sense to bag herself a man for carryin' things, shootin' things and doin' the bedroom stuff too.

hyuck! hyuck!

orourkeda

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/07/18/article-1200532-0505A679000005DC-86_468x286.jpg

Yummy

Cookie_Monster

Terry wrote: »

Having watched the show, it seems quite unfair that this woman is not allowed to foster children.
She clearly stated that any child she fosters will have the freedom to follow their own faith.

and won't be affected by living in a house with (at least) 6 muslims and their religious nonsense?

AnonoBoy

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

and won't be affected by living in a house with (at least) 6 muslims and their religious nonsense?

What about living with 6 Jewish people and their nonsense or 6 Catholics and their nonsense?

Why should Muslims be singled out for their nonsense?

wes

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

and won't be affected by living in a house with (at least) 6 muslims and their religious nonsense?

So only Atheists should foster children?

So basically you would rather the child she could take care of, remain in a orphanage, due to your problems with Religous people........

Terry

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

and won't be affected by living in a house with (at least) 6 muslims and their religious nonsense?

I suggest you watch the segment in question.
It's on More 4 at half 8 tonight.

The only aspect of Islam which will affect the child would be the no pork rule. The child is free to go to any local restaurant and eat some pork there.

prinz

Terry wrote: »

The only aspect of Islam which will affect the child would be the no pork rule. The child is free to go to any local restaurant and eat some pork there.

I wonder will the child have to comply with Ramadan for instance, any mention? Seems stupid if the pork is the only reason, no different to other cases where Christian foster parents have had difficulties tbh.

craggles

You can hardly expect the child to have money to go to a restaurant though. But let's say he does and he decides on his way home from school to buy a pork McRib from McDonalds. He gets home, it's -16 degrees out and the family refuses to let him in until he finishes and washes himself until he is ritually clean. What then? Is that right?

Cookie_Monster

AnonoBoy wrote: »

What about living with 6 Jewish people and their nonsense or 6 Catholics and their nonsense?

Why should Muslims be singled out for their nonsense?

because its a particularly vile, intolerant and unequal religion to introduce a non-muslim western child to that is just wrong.

wes

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

because its a particularly vile, intolerant and unequal religion to introduce a non-muslim western child to that is just wrong.

So, you only hate Muslims, so that makes it ok :rolleyes:.

Terry

prinz wrote: »

I wonder will the child have to comply with Ramadan for instance, any mention? Seems stupid if the pork is the only reason, no different to other cases where Christian foster parents have had difficulties tbh.

I'll upload the clip to youtube as soon as I get home.
She's very reasonable when it comes to religion. There was no mention of ramadan, but she clearly said that she would respect the religious beliefs of any of the children she was to foster.

prinz

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

because its a particularly vile, intolerant and unequal religion to introduce a non-muslim western child to that is just wrong.

There are worse things a child in foster care could be "introduced" to.

Nodin

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

because its a particularly vile, intolerant and unequal religion to introduce a non-muslim western child to that is just wrong.

And if the child was to go to a strict christian fundamentalist, with their no drinking, dancing, rock n roll or women in authority over men.....?

Cookie_Monster

wes wrote: »

So, you only hate Muslims, so that makes it ok :rolleyes:.

no, not only muslims

Stercus Accidit

The punishment for apostacy in Islam is death, so by her own religion, if these kids are brainwashed into her faith as all kids are, then reject it, she will have to kill them.

That is not conductive to a good foster family.

AnonoBoy

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

because its a particularly vile, intolerant and unequal religion to introduce a non-Catholic child to that is just wrong.

See? It works for more than one religion!

craggles

Nodin wrote: »

And if the child was to go to a strict christian fundamentalist, with their no drinking, dancing, rock n roll or women in authority over men.....?

That's just as bad.

Cookie_Monster

AnonoBoy wrote: »

See? It works for more than one religion!

funny, cos thats not what I said

craggles

wes wrote: »

So, you only hate Muslims, so that makes it ok :rolleyes:.

You don't have to hate muslims to realise how intolerant and demeaning to women that religion is.

Should really just have a megathread in AH already.

wes

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

no, not only muslims

Well, good for you :P.

Cookie_Monster

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

The punishment for apostacy in Islam is death, so by her own religion, if these kids are brainwashed into her faith as all kids are, then reject it, she will have to kill them.

That is not conductive to a good foster family.

there ya go, good a reason as any...

wes

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

The punishment for apostacy in Islam is death, so by her own religion, if these kids are brainwashed into her faith as all kids are, then reject it, she will have to kill them.

That is not conductive to a good foster family.

Great, well seeing as the Bible says exactly that, I take you will be calling for for foster parents who are either Christian or Jewish as well. Also, seeing as most of the US identifies as Christians, this will mean there will be very few foster parents, and that the program will bascially be useless.

Nodin

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

The punishment for apostacy in Islam is death, so by her own religion, if these kids are brainwashed into her faith as all kids are, then reject it, she will have to kill them.

Considering that muslims have doubtless fostered children before, don't you think that might have occurred already...if it was on the average Muslim fosterers 'To Do' list, like.....

craggles

Conclusion: No one should foster kids, bring back workhouses

prinz

wes wrote: »

Great, well seeing as the Bible says exactly that, I take you will be calling for for foster parents who are either Christian or Jewish as well. Also, seeing as most of the US identifies as Christians, this will mean there will be very few foster parents, and that the program will bascially be useless.

Could you link this clause in the Bible? In particularly to the relevant New Testament section please?

wes

craggles wrote: »

You don't have to hate muslims to realise how intolerant and demeaning to women that religion is.

Which make them no different than other Religions, so when they start doing the same to Jews, Christians, Hindu's etc, then you may have leg to stand on, as its stands, this is simple bigotry.

craggles wrote: »

Should really just have a megathread in AH already.

You can just use Stormfront.....

craggles

wes wrote: »

Great, well seeing as the Bible says exactly that, I take you will be calling for for foster parents who are either Christian or Jewish as well. Also, seeing as most of the US identifies as Christians, this will mean there will be very few foster parents, and that the program will bascially be useless.

Most christians yes, Fundamentalist christians? Hell no, shouldn't be allowed to breed or foster.

prinz

wes wrote: »

Which make them no different than other Religions, so when they start doing the same to Jews, Christians, Hindu's etc, then you may have leg to stand on, as its stands, this is simple bigotry...

This sort of thing has happened to people of other faiths. Let's not pretend it is a new phenomenon, or confined to Islam.

craggles

wes wrote: »

You can just use Stormfront.....

I'm not racist. Because I speak against a religion I'm automatically a white supremacist now?

Cookie_Monster

craggles wrote: »

Conclusion: No one should foster kids, bring back workhouses

just ask Madge, she'll be up for it

Nodin

prinz wrote: »

Could you link this clause in the Bible? In particularly to the relevant New Testament section please?

Who allowed you shift the goal posts? Various christian sects pick and choose what sections of the old testament are still relevant and which are overridden by the new.