This story bothers me on an unexpectedly deep level. I am not educated on the adoption process in Italy, but in the US there is a 6-month "Home Study" that one must pass in order to become eligible to adopt a minor. This is an all-consuming, highly detailed background check where every aspect of the potential parent(s) are scrutinized. Interviews are conducted with family members of the to-be-parents. Work history, financial records, criminal record, emotional well-being, medical history, age, religion, marital status,lifestyle choices, house size, bedroom setup, cleanliness, diet... All of these things and more are scrutinized and analyzed in extreme detail before the agency who conducts the home study determines how many children of what ages, gender, special needs, etc. can be adopted by the applicant.
This is a draining, expensive process. I assume a similar process was followed in Italy, and that this couple did not meet the requirements. For whatever reason, the fact that they are Vegetarian is grabbing the bulk of media attention. I assume that the reporter is being truthful when they state that it is the primary reasoning for the denial.
This is not the place for me to defend my Vegetarian diet choice, nor is it a place to speak on someone's right to eat and feed their child whatever they want. It is also not the time to discuss my friends from Southern India who follow the Jain faith and essentially Vegan in their cultural/religious diet choice.
Something to consider, though: I have been in a number of Vegan kitchens where the cooks were baffled when it comes to health standards for working with raw meat. It is possible, though unlikely, that if someone with such a kitchen and cooking habits were to try feeding meat to their children it would actually pose a significant health risk.
Again, I an incredibly bothered by this story and wish I could see every side.
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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq
"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy
Last edited by genuinegirly; 03-18-2011 at 07:59 PM..
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