I am a Muslim. Just so we clear the air here. I am a practicing one too.

But I do not like the sight of bloody streets, dead corpses hanging everywhere, blood-stained walls to commemorate victory over the animal that just gave its soul to feed you and the dozens of poor cows being squeezed into one tiny car to face their death.

I do not eat meat, but I do not judge you if you do; I only object to how savage the whole process is.

I realize you want to kill the animal and give away the meat to the needy; but why does it have to be so disrespectful? So brutal? Why do we have to make such a show of it?

Why do you have to parade the animal’s body around like a trophy? What does it show? That we can hold a knife and have money enough to buy the cow? Why can’t we show a little respect to the animal that lived a miserable life and then died a miserable death to feed us, savage humans? Why can’t we raise it respectfully in decent areas, giving them decent meals, allowing them the least decency of space to move around and then at least transport them for their final destination in a car that’s big enough to fit them?

If you’re rolling your eyes now thinking “God created them as food for us and it’s allowed in most religions,” well, god never intended them to be treated as such, I am certain. There are rules to keeping and even killing an animal that Islam stipulates. If we’re going to follow the religion, then we might as well follow the bit that tells us to treat them kindly, to not make them scared before killing them, to not let them see others getting killed or the knife you will use to slaughter them and that they be well-rested and relaxed throughout the process. I am yet to see any of those conditions fulfilled.

I also find it utterly heartbreaking that a five-year-old has to live with a sheep for a week, feeding him and taking care of him and then be taken by his father one morning to watch his pet die, gets skinned and then hung in the street in plain sight for everyone to witness. What message are we giving him about religion and humanity? Is he really old enough for such a traumatic experience? Why can’t we raise our children to respect the animals, even if they will end up being a meal that will feed them later on. And what’s the point of involving him anyway? So that when he’s old enough he can do it himself? There’s a reason why kids are kids and grown ups are grown ups. Why don’t we shove five-year-olds down the sea and let them survive so when they grow up, they know how to handle the situation as well.

It’s not natural for children—and even adults—to see animals getting killed, blood being spilled and corpses being paraded. It’s simply unnatural.

If you want to eat meat, go ahead and eat meat. If you want to slaughter animals and donate the meat to the needy, go ahead and do that. But show the least respect to the animal; keep him well, transport him well, don’t let him see your knife, don’t slaughter him in the street for the blood to flow and please, oh, please, don’t hang his corpse as a show of how strong and right you are.