----- Original Message -----
From: "Parindra" <Parin...@gmail.com>
To: "Vegetarian Humanist Group" <vegetarian-humanist-group@googlegroups.com>
Cc: <parin...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 5:34 PM
Subject: Vegetarian Health Laws

> Dear Friends,

> I want to share something that happened to me.  Perhaps it may have
> happened to you.
> By sharing this, I am hoping we may all come together and help do
> something about it.

> Some time ago, my partner and I were eating at our favorite Mexican
> joint.  They have a Vegetarian menu, and we always get the same
> thing.  An order of a cactus burrito with sweet maduros (sweet fried
> plantains).

> While eating my food, I noticed that something I bit into tasted
> strange.  Spitting it out, I realized it was a piece of burnt fried
> pork.

> I complained to the workers, that my vegetarian cactus burrito dish
> had meat in it.  They apologized and in Spanish were saying to each
> other "so what?"

> They said they were going to throw out the big bowl with the
> ingredients prepared, and make a fresh one.

> That was the last time I've ever eaten there again.

> We took home with us the fried sweet maduros.  Eating it the next
> night, I noticed that there were small burnt pieces in the bowl.  It
> was burnt pork.  There were several pieces of it.

> Then it hit me.  There had been occasions before where while eating
> the maduros I sometimes tasted something that didn't taste like it
> should have.

> And so, I understood.  They fry the maduros in the same deep frier as
> they do the meat.  Sometimes, I guess the loose pieces of pork swim
> into the basket.

> Let me ask you all something, how many of you like to eat out at
> Chinese Restaurants.  I sure do.

> I love ordering a dish called Sesame Bean Curd.  But the thing is,
> they fry my bean curd in the same oil as they do the chicken, etc...
> Sometimes even at the same time.

> This is a serious health code violation for us Vegetarians, isn't it?

> I mean, for those strict vegetarians, how many of you don't even eat
> out at places because they fry our food in the same spot as they fry
> the meat?

> So, I do not consider myself a fanatic, or extremist, but gosh I
> really do want to be able to eat out with feeling of comfort.

> So what I have done, was write my representative, asking for some law
> to be passed that would require restaurants and eateries to have
> separate deep friers and separate grilling plates for meat and non
> meat items.

> I would like to ask you all, to please help me succeed with this, by
> contacting your representatives, and senators, whoever it takes to
> pass some sort of heath code law that will support us vegetarians in
> being able to eat out, with out eating in things we don't want in our
> bodies.

> Thank you all very much for taking the time to read this.

> Lenny