Lettuce Lady Braves Police Detainment in Jordan

Posted on by Ashley Fruno

A vegetarian awareness demonstration in Amman was interrupted when PETA’s Jordanian Lettuce Lady was detained by police just minutes after the public-education event started. Even though the proper permit for the event had been secured, police officers dragged Lettuce Lady Amina Tariq into a police car and detained her at their headquarters for more than three hours. PETA’s lovely lady of leafy greens is truly a hero for animals, braving not only the searing heat and crowds of onlookers but police detainment as well.

Amena Tarik, a Jordanian woman, wears a full-length gown made of lettuce as she takes part in an awareness campaign to urge Jordanians to go vegetarian in Amman July 25, 2010. REUTERS/Majed Jaber  (JORDAN - Tags: CIVIL UNREST)

Why do heroes like Amina risk so much? To let people know that going vegetarian is the best thing that you can do for animals, your own health, and the environment.

The Quran states that animals are communities and nations unto themselves; they are more than just resources for us to use. But on factory farms, which are becoming the dominant producers of meat, eggs, and dairy products around the world, animals are treated as nothing but machines. They are confined to tiny spaces and are routinely debeaked, dehorned, castrated, and branded—all without painkillers.

During transport, animals are typically denied food and water and given no protection from extreme weather, and they are sometimes allowed to languish for days while waiting to be slaughtered. Many animals are still kicking and crying out as their throats are cut. “Halal” should be synonymous with “humane,” but an investigation of a Halal slaughterhouse in India found that animals had been skinned and had their limbs hacked off while they were still alive—methods that would clearly make the meat taken from these animals haram (forbidden)!

Inspired by Amina? Do the right thing for your health, your spirit, and animals by taking our pledge to adopt a vegetarian diet today!

Posted by Jason Baker