I admit to not being too familiar with veganism, but I can't imagine any Vegan objecting to breastfeeding one's own child. It's not exploitation or cruelty to any animal. The news stories do not explain exactly why she was not breastfeeding.

From another site:

Ugh, this is why we have to make sure that only people with IQs above freezing can have children.

I just hate it when people have to force their views on other people, espeically their own children. Let their kids decide whether or not to be vegans by themselves and NEVER put their lives in danger because of some moral view. If you want to be a vegan, fine, I really don't care but NEVER put someone's life at risk because you are morally against something. Life comes first, morals come second.

There also could be foul play in there too. Whatever it was, I feel bad for the other two children.

That was a different case, the one where the parents got involuntary manslaughter.

bluecuracao - thanks. The truth is that I don't usually have a point. I'm just trying to stir up trouble.

My grandmother was a vegetarian (but not vegan) from about 1930. My mother is also a vegetarian, and my sister is sometimes. I have several friends that are vegetarian - all women. I know very few men who are vegetarian (except for my grandfather, but he really didn't have a choice as he wasn't allowed to leave the house) - but I don't know why there is this dietary gender bias.

I'm almost a complete carnivore, but only because I have a bad reaction to most vegetables (they make me go "yuk" and make a face for which no smiley has ever been invented).

They make me do the same, but I'm still a vegetarian....

Now you're skewing the statistics.

I think the gender bias is because a lot of guys see "caring about animals" as unmanly. It seems to me, not being a guy, that there's a lot of pressure on men to act in "masculine" ways. Like how they have the Nutrisystem for women ads that are all "look, you can eat chocolate cake and look cute in a bikini!" and the Nutrisystem for men ads that are like "look, you can eat lots of MEAT and still play football and have sex!"

As for the milk thing, yes, cows need to be milked, but they don't need to be raised in modern industrial dairy farms that do not allow them to have room to graze or to eat their normal diets. There is a big difference between that and drinking breast milk, IMO.

Hime - that's why I was so disappointed to find out that the meat tree was a hoax. If we could get meat from trees, would vegetarians object to eating it?

I think that, to completely get away from factory farms (for all products, not just meat and dairy), the population of the world would have to be reduced by about 50%.

This thread is really making me hungry (it's nearly 10 am in Colorado).

These people are idiots.

I was raised a vegetarian (what is the difference between that and a vegan?) and never had any animal byproducts whatsoever until I was out on my own at 18. No milk, eggs, cheese, beef, pork, chicken or fish crossed my lips and I was perfectly healthy. My mother still does not eat anything from animals and is actually more than a bit overweight.

There are soy formulas on the market, all natural baby foods, and plenty of things to give an infant/toddler that do not involve animal products. For people that don't eat meat, there are vegetable cheeses, soy 'meats' and milks, beans, nut products and tofu, as well as the normal pasta, fruits, and veggies. There is absolutely NO reason for anyone to ever go hungry, particularly an infant.

Ignorant s.o.b's.

It's important to note that the jury did not think these people were ignorant idiots who just didn't realize what they were doing.

The jury believed the couple did this on purpose, and maliciously starved their child to death, and that's a whole different kettle of tofu.

I'm with the jury. Let's see how long Mom and Dad survive on apple juice alone.

Wonder what their diet will be for the rest of their lives?

By his interpretation of the definition he found. Which is misleading/poorly worded/open to incorrect interpretation.

Vegetarians will not eat or use products that involve the death of or pain/cruelty infliced on the animal. Milk, Eggs and cheese are OK if they are harvested within these guidelines. Vegans will not eat/use anything from an animal, believing that animals should not suffer to provide food for humans, and that all farming methods induce suffering of some form because the animal is not living 'naturally". Humans are not considered animals in this respect. It is not against vegan or vegitarian principles to recieve organ donations, blood donations or drink (human) breast milk. Reason being, the humans involved are able to consent and no suffering is involved.

Fruitarians believe that plants are also able to suffer, so one should only eat that which is "willingly given" for consumption i.e. fruit. Fruit is designed to be eaten to ensure propagation, so it is OK. So is breastmilk, which is designed to be drunk by the baby to ensure growth. The giver is not damaged by either.