If I feed my children meat, am I committing child abuse as suggested by PETA in a recent advertising compaign?

Question

http://www.peta.org.uk/feat/feat-feedingkids.asp

How do you feel about this topic?

I cook meat for the whole family and enjoy a healthy diet, but do object to being labelled a child abuser.

What are you thoughts?

I just want to add, I totally disagree with what PETA are suggesting and abhor the fact they are equating feeding meat to child abuse.

I want to hear other people's view on this and open it up for debate

Thank you for the response so far. I must point out I am not questioning my parenting skills just the validity of PETA using child abuse in the advertising campaign in this way.

Answer 1

I think you are right to feed your children meat, as you said it is part of a healthy balanced diet. The objective of the PETA campaign is to saysomething that will shock people into talking about them and they have suceeded, look what we're doing. PETA have used a very clever advertising campaign. If you feel that strongly about the comments they have made why not write to them? Everybody has the right to eat what they want to and lets be honest the PETA activists have probably eaten meat at some stage in their lives. Both you and I know the definition of child abuse and you shouldn't even question your parenting abilities, they are guilty of promoting unhealthy eating, children should be entitled to make their own decisions on food habits when they are older for now it is your choice.

Answer 2

You're not a child abuser, you're a good mom who cooks healthy meals for her kids. The people at PETA are idiots. Animals are great and shouldn't be abused. To me however, an animal is a pet, I don't feel the need to protect cows or pigs or deer from being eaten. I remember a few years ago my father was prosecuting a case in which a dog was brutally killed. There was a rape trial going on at the same time. For months he got scathing emails, phone calls (at our home), and letters saying that he was a bad person for not throwing the minor who killed the dog in jail and that he hadn't applied adequate time to the case. The idea that an animal's life is of more importance than a rape trial is laughable. That's PETA though. Ignore them, they're very caught up in something that in the grand scheme of life doesn't matter.

Answer 3

I am a vegetarian and my 13 year old daughter has been all of her life, as is my 19 year old son, my 21 year old was till he was 18 then choose to eat meat. It is in my opinion a healy diet and certainly vegetarians have a lower rate of heart attacks and generally healthier as long as they make the effort to get their protiens from other sources. But that isnt the issue is, PETA are very extreme and even as a very active animal rights activist I would not agree with that statement at all. It is simply hideous to lay guilt on a parent in an attempt to convert. Saying that consider advertisements that imply if you do this, buy that you are giving your child the very best blah blah. Ignore it! If you are interested in animal welfare and I dont mean becoming veggie take a look at compassion in world farming who push for better lifes for the animals and humane deaths. The RSPCA get involved with the whole farming process to make sure that everything is done with 'compassion' . Anyway just my opinion.

Answer 4

That article is a lot of hogwash in my opinion. Meat is good for you and is sanctioned in the Bible for those people that are religious. I think the weight gain is probably eating too much, carbs in particular, and playing computer games instead of running and playing outside. The article must be from a vegetarian. There's nothing wrong with that but when they call giving children meat child abuse, there's something wrong with the author. I'm going to ignore the article and continue eating meat as will all my family.

Answer 5

I think some of the campaigns for animal rights that PETA organise are fantastic and back them, but in this case i dont agree with them, im not a mother myself but i feel meat is a main source of protein and iron that growing kids need. i admire vegetarians and non meat eaters but feel its a personal choice and no-one should be bullied into or made to feel guilty about what food they choose to feed their family. As long as its a balanced and healthy diet then you're providing well for your family.

Answer 6

Hey. I am a vegetarian and also believe in animal rights. I also believe that nobody has the right to accuse you of being a child abuser because you feed your children eat meat. I chose not eat me because of my beliefs but I don't expect everybody else to agree with me. My family all eat meat and that is their choice. vegetarians often moan about meat eaters telling them they should eat meat, well maybe if vegetarians didn't preach so much about being veggie they wouldn't. we are all entitled to our choices and it lays on our own conscience as to what we believe is right. Peta in essence has the right intentions but can at times be extremist and offensive. You are not a child abuser. It has been proven that vegetarian diets in general are healthier and that alot of meat is fatty and not very healthy. However GM vegetables and some of the chemicals added to veggie food isn't healthy either. You have to make the decision that you feel is right for you and your family and I (even if others don't) respect you for it!

Answer 7

Peta is the other team. I'm NRA and Republican. The laws of nature apply to everything. Can anyone really explain why humans have bicuspids or canine teeth? We are naturally omnivores, meaning we eat meat and everything with it . If you came across a deer with a broken leg(this DOES happen) would you leave it to suffer or shoot it to end its suffering?
The cattle that become hamburgers at McDonalds don't die peacefully in their sleep. We call PETA eco-terrorists. They do what they do to accomplish goals NO MATTER WHAT, AT ALL COSTS. You are not a child abuser, You are shocked. These are not nice people,okay?

Answer 8

Humans are Omnivores which means we have developed to eat both Meat and Vegetables. Meat is an important source of Protien which our bodies need. Giving your children a balanced diet is caring for them rather than abuse.
I would treat the advertisement with the contempt it deserves.

Answer 9

I would feed them meat deliberately if it's something PETA is against. The so called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has already shown to have INHUMANELY and illegally killed animals that is was supposed to be rehoming - seems to me that this is one organisation that should be banned.

These people are terrorists who give legitimate animal rights campaigners like the NSPCC, ASPA etc a much harder job to do. Anyone who targets children has to be sick, and they only target children because they are the only demographic group gullible and impressionable enough to believe them.

Answer 10

This is mis-informed propoganda perpetrated by a bunch of bean munching hippy beatnicks who's brains have been screwed over by too much hash and acid.

If you raise your children as vegetarians or worse still, vegans, then you are commiting child abuse.

Humans evolved as omnivores. Our bodies are designed to ingest food in plant form and meat form.
We need the balance of nutrients that can only be derived from a both diet of meat and veg.

To deny your children vital nourishment at a vital stage in their development is both irresponsible, abusive, and you could almost argue that it's assault.

Besides, kids love meat.