A Muslim woman's Facebook post went viral this week after she criticized members of a Muslim Somali community in Minnesota
Friday, October 24, 2014
An organization representing Somali refugees in Minnesota is demanding more availability of halal products on food pantry shelves, asking local officials to reallocate part of their budget to accommodate Islamic dietary restrictions.
Emina Dedic could relate to the community’s struggle. The 25-year-old Muslim woman came to America more than two decades ago after her family escaped a concentration camp during the Bosnian genocide. While she remembers what it was like to struggle during her family’s resettlement in the U.S., the idea that a Muslim community was asking for government accommodation didn't sit well with her.
“I’m about to put a smack down on my brothers and sisters,” Dedic wrote in her Facebook post on Oct 20. “Why on earth [do] they think it is okay to look into the eyes of the already generous US taxpayer and say your charity is not good enough for me. I demand special treatment.”
A political activist who holds conservative beliefs, Dedic added, “If you truly have trouble getting Halal foods, ask your mosque. Ask the Islamic community.”