Showing posts with label omni privilege. Show all posts
Showing posts with label omni privilege. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Today's Guardian: Why I Must Not Teach My Children What I Think Is Ethical Behaviour But Omnis Can

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/apr/20/veganism-safe-children  - "Is veganism safe for children?"

I really don't have time to read the comments, but here's one that always sticks in my craw: "Why do you force your beliefs on to your children?".

For the same reason I will teach them to be kind to others, not to hit, to tell the truth and to share. Because ALL parents teach their kids the things they think are right. The assumption in the question is that the default - meat-eating etc - is a morally neutral default and that my wacky, crazy beliefs are intrinsically damaging. 

I wonder if we might term this 'omni privilege'. 

I find it interesting that when vegan parents write about their own experiences here, the response is "And here are the vegan zealots coming out of the woodwork". The question is about veganism and kids; these people have experience with it and choose to write about it, but suddenly they're proselytising weirdos. Each of them has said their kids are healthy but apparently their direct evidence is suspect because they don't take their kids to the local fried chicken shop.