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Ok so this is a REAL POLICAL Post. I really want some peoples opinion on this.
I am involved in alot of poltical issues in Florida and one of the ones that came up, I seem to be not sure on the best way to address it. So why not try in here and see what a few thousand people would do. Maybe we could come up with a solution that could help.

The issue is the Courts in Florida a forcing prisons to provide Kosher and Halal meals to inmates. The question is should they force prisons to make religious meal to protect inmates rites to practice their religion? The different types of religions that may have special dietary needs are listed below.

A number of religions have dietary guidelines which might be observed more or less closely. Different denominations within the same religion may have slight differences in food guidelines.

Islam/Halal
Meats should be slaughtered under Halal guidance; pork is not allowed. Generally, foods that are kosher are also accepted under Halal. The major exception is alcohol, which is banned under Halal. For strict observers, this may mean not eating foods cooked with vanilla extract. There are numerous guidelines for fasting, particularly during Ramadan.

The list of Haram foods includes pork, alcohol and any products that contain emulsifiers
made from animal fats, particularly margarines.

Bread or bread products fermented by yeast may possibly contain traces of alcohol and so
may be considered Haram.

Gelatine made from pork or from any other animal that is not Halal is forbidden. (Some
gelatines may be Halal.)

Caffeinated drinks such as coffee may be considered Haram.

Muslim fasting periods vary. The month of Ramadan requires mandatory fasting from dawn
until dusk as do other dates of religious significance, such as the ninth day of Zul Hijjah.

Judaism/Kosher
This extremely complex set of guidelines includes restrictions on how meat is slaughtered, which animals/birds/seafood may be eaten (most famously pork and shellfish are not allowed), the part of the animal that can be eaten, who makes certain foods, combinations of foods, avoiding contamination, what can be eaten on religious holidays, and more. Many non-Jewish people prefer foods labeled kosher because they believe them to be cleaner / more strictly prepared.

Foods must be prepared in the right way in order to be Kosher; for example, animals that
provide meat must be slaughtered correctly.

The consumption of certain foods, including dairy products and fish, is subject to
restrictions; for example, there are rules forbidding the mixing and consumption of dairy
products with meats.

Ritualised fasting is also included in Judaism. For example, Yom Kippur – the Day of
Atonement – is a Jewish fast that lasts from approximately dusk till dusk.

Jewish feast days include Rosh Hashanah and Passover.

The Passover commemorates the birth of the Jewish nation. The food eaten helps to tell
the story of the Exodus; for example, bitter herbs recall the suffering of the Israelites
under Egyptian rule.

Hinduism
A lactovegetarian diet is followed by many Hindus – no meat, poultry or fish, no eggs, but milk products are allowed and encouraged. Beef is prohibited, as the cow is considered sacred. Brahmins may have restrictions on who prepares their food and how it is stored. There are many fasting days and periods in the calendar, with restrictions such as eating only plant foods.

Many Hindus are vegetarian but this is not compulsory.

Depending on the level of adherence to this belief, in many cases beef is forbidden while
pork is sometimes restricted or avoided.

Prohibited animal products tend to vary from one country or region to the next. For
example, duck and crab may be forbidden in one geographical location while fish may be
part of the staple food for people living in other areas.

Most Hindus do not eat beef or beef products, because the cow is held to be sacred.

Dairy products including milk, butter and yoghurt may be eaten.

Foodstuffs such as alcohol, onions and garlic are thought to inhibit the Hindu’s quest for
spiritual enlightenment. They are therefore avoided or restricted.

Fasting depends on the person’s caste (or social standing) and on the occasion; for
example, rules regarding fasting depend on whether the day has religious or personal
significance.

Buddhism
There are no set prescriptions for food restrictions in Buddhism. Under the concept of ahisma / doing no harm, a lacto-vegetarian diet is followed by many Buddhists. Buddhist monks have additional restrictions such as fasting and not eating solid foods after noon.

In his multiple lives on Earth, Buddha cycled through various animal forms before attaining
the form of a human being. Most Buddhists choose to become vegetarian to avoid killing
animals.

Similarly to the Hindu concept of Karma, Buddhism proposes that violence or pain inflicted
on others will rebound on you, hence the need for a vegetarian lifestyle. Some Buddhists
believe that a contributing cause of human aggression is violence against animals.

Some Buddhists avoid meat and dairy products, while others only shun beef. This is
affected by cultural, geographical and dietary influences.

Religious dates vary from one region to the next. Mahayana Buddhism, for example,
celebrates three festivals for the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha, while
Theravada Buddhists observe all three events on a single day.

Buddhist monks tend to fast in the afternoon.

Buddhist monks and nuns are not allowed to cultivate, store or cook their own food;
instead, they must rely on ‘alms’, which are donations from believers. This sometimes
includes meats, as monks and nuns aren’t allowed to ask for specific foods

Christianity
Catholicism
Devout Catholics fast on holy days and periods.
Eastern orthodox
Practicing orthodox Christians follow a number of fasts. Weekly fasts include abstention from meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and sometimes other foods such as olive oil and alcohol as well. Other fasts are longer and exclude some or all of the foods avoided in the weekly fasts.
Some Catholic and Orthodox Christians observe several feast and fast days during the
year. For example, they may fast or avoid meat on Fridays, during Lent or on Good Friday.
Some eat fish instead.

Most Protestants observe only Easter and Christmas as feast days and don’t follow
ritualised fasting.

The ritual of communion is regularly celebrated by many Christians. This involves eating
bread and drinking wine (or substitutes) to represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Some Christians don’t drink alcohol. These include many members of the Salvation Army
and other Protestant churches.

Mormons and Seventh Day Adventists also avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Many
Seventh Day Adventists don’t eat meat or dairy products. Those that do eat meat don’t eat
pork.

Self-denial (of food), or fasting, is sometimes considered to be ‘praying with the body’. It is
believed to improve spiritual discipline by overcoming the sensations of the physical world
and focusing on prayer and spiritual growth. It may also be used by some Christians as a
way to respect those people around the world who regularly face starvation or malnutrition

Seventh-Day Adventist
Seventh-Day Adventists are lacto-ovo-vegetarian – they avoid meat, poultry and fish but eat eggs and milk products. Alcohol, coffee, and tea is also prohibited.

Mormonism
Mormonism prohibits alcohol and caffeine (in coffee, tea, chocolate etc.).

Jainism
Jainism prescribes to ahisma, or nonviolence, following scrupulous rules for the protection of all life forms. Strict Jains don’t eat meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, and sometimes milk; they may avoid eating root vegetables as the whole plant is killed when the root is dug up. There are a number of religious practices involving fasting, particularly for women.

Sikhism
Although Sikhs participate in many Hindu practices, they differ significantly in their belief in a single God. Sikhs abstain from beef, but pork is permitted; alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
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SOOOOO what do YOU THINK?
Should prisons be force to provide special meals for religious reasons and if so what are the rules and who will pay for it. If you disagree please state why. I am very interested in the opinions of people that don't live in the US. Should be interesting.

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