E-mails I have recieved

Here is a selection of questions that I have been asked in various emails and also my reply (please note that I am still working through the back-log):

Q1. About Muslims \ Jews \ Hindus
I've had a few on similar lines, some of which are (some edited for spelling mistakes and text speak!):
Have just signed your petition, but someone pointed out to me (I signed before reading the cover letter) muslims do eat cows, hindus don't and I'm fairly sure they're right so you should change your letter before submitting it.

I just signed the petition for the chocolate - about them using animal renent used from calves I wanted to mention that this is a big issue for hindus as well as cows are holy to us and being vegetarians we cant eat it as well but this was not mentioned in the letter before the petition so just wanted to inform you if it could be mentioned. thank you

Thanks for setting up the petition to Masterfoods, which I have signed and urged all my friends to sign also. Please could you give me a few more details as to what the derivation of the rennet in the Mars products actually is?
Is it from calves - or also from other animals? If it is calves then I am not sure why this is not Kosher or Halal, I thought Muslims and Jews only avoid pigs? If you could clear this up for me it would be much appreciated.

Answer 1.
I remember reading somewhere that it is calf rennet although cannot be 100% sure. You are correct in saying that Muslims and Jews avoid food derived from pigs - but they also need to ensure that the food they eat is Halaal (Halal) for Muslims and Kosher for Jews. Making sure they eat food which is not derived from Pig is one aspect, but there are also other aspects such as making sure the animal is killed in accordance with Islamic or Jewish law - such as making sure the animal is slaughtered as quick as possible using a sharp blade across the throat and for Muslims mentioning the name of god at the time of killing the animal. There are a lot of Hindus that do not eat cow too.

Some Muslims and Jews say that food derived from an animal which has not been slaughtered according to their religious law is not allowed - including Whey that is produced by using rennet. In addition there may also be Jews or Muslims who may be Vegetarian too.

More details can be found here for Halaal:
http://www.ifanca.org/halal/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhabi%C4%A5a
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_dietary_laws

Details can be found here for Kosher:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods
http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashrut

Details of similarities and differences can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Dhabi%C4%A5a_Halal_and_kashrut

Details can be found here for Hindus belief about the cow:
http://www.hfb.org.uk/Default.aspx?sID=795&lID=0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_cow

Yes...I know lots of links to the wiki....but that is because it is easier to find these articles there!


Q2: About the removal of certain signatures

Answer 2:
I have e-mailed the guys at petition-online and still have not got a reply with regards to removing names.


Q3: About changing the petition including:
I've just signed your Masterfoods petition. I went to show it a friend to get him to sign too and he noticed there's a typo in the letter you wrote to Masterfoods on the main page. At the end of the letter you have put 'Thanks you' - instead of 'Thank You'. We figured you should change that - just so it looks better.

Answer 3:
Thanks...the only problem is you can't edit the petition after signing it!! As mentioned on their site: Also keep in mind that a petition cannot be changed after it has been submitted, because any changes would be unfair to people who have already signed the petition. Apologies, as I may not have the best spelling and grammar!


Q4: About the community doing their part (slightly edited to protect privacy):
I have been following the efforts of your blog and commend you for your dedication and perseverance. I just want to send you this email to let you know that the campaign to persuade Masterfoods to change its decision stretches to island of Ireland.

Yesterday, May 15th, I sent an email to a national radio station, which graciously read it out. In essence it warned listeners about the Masterfoods decision and gave them the information to seek out your site and petition, and ultimately get involved.

The response has been very good, and I would just like to recommend that you ask other visitors to your blog to contact their local media organisations, be they radio stations or local newspapers, and draw attention to the deep opposition. I have seen first hand the effect this hand and fully believe that it will add further and deadlier pressure on Masterfood.

Again thank you for providing such a dedicated and wonderful site and for coordinating such a widespread response. As a vegetarian for the best part of my life, I have never before felt so passionately about being one as now.

Firstly thank you for creating this petition, its growing nicely!!

* * *

I am equally disgusted with Masterfoods, I have signed the petition, emailed them AND rang them to talk to them about my disappointment in their recipe changes. I have also created a forum group on facebook to try to raise awareness that this is happening and signpost people to the petition. I have put the link at the bottom if you would like to see it.

I am thinking about starting a petition where I live, it is national vegetarian week next week which would be a perfect time!! There are a few events so I am thinking about emailing the vegetarian society to see if they would mind me visiting their different events, and asking people to sign a petition. I have never done this before but you have given me inspiration!!


Answer 4:
Keep it up guys and thanks a lot - the action and responses that have happened so far would not have happened without you. So thank you all, let us keep up the good work and keep pressurising masterfoods into producing veggie-friendly chocolate.