My ex-husband says I should tell my son the good aspects of the meat industry, not just the bad aspects?

Question

I have an almost 8-year-old son by my ex-husband. He abandoned us 2 weeks before Christmas 6 years ago. He moved over a thousand miles away from us and tool every last cent we had.

In the past few years he has only seen my son 1-2 times per year. He calls once-per-week, but that is only for the last several months. Before then he went months at a time without calling.

My current husband and I are vegans. We cook vegan in our home, but outside of our home my son is allowed to eat anything he wants.

During a visitation with his father, my son started talking about the cruel aspects of the meat industry. This insulted my x. It took him months and months to mention it, but he did a couple of days ago.

He says he doesn't mind us being vegetarians, but he thinks I am not talking enough to my son about the postitive aspects of the meat industry.

I told him he can tell our son the positive aspects if there actually are any.

What should I do besides tell him to tell my son?

Answer 1

LOL, your X-husband is uneducated. As for the Meat Industry,,there is not good side. Not to say there are not excellant farmers/ ranhcers out there, but tha basic Meat Industry does not abide by clean, human, healthy practices. There are MANY countires that do not allow U.S.A meats to be imported to them for this very reason.

If the X wants to share his views with his son, make sure you find out what they are so you can make sure they are back by fact not "common knowledge" stuff.

There has been over 50 years of indoctrination from the BIG  Meat, Egg & Dairy industries. They spend billions on their lobbying. But that does not make it TRUE!

Answer 2

Hm. That's a new one. I am with you - there's no sense in lying to your son. I'm not sure that there ARE many positive aspects of the meat industry.

Obviously, things are working out well for your son as he understands things, asks questions and has the choice to eat what he wishes outside your home. I'm not sure how your ex might think that his view is slanted. He's making a choice.

To me, it would be like a Catholic pro-lifer being asked by her ex to talk to their daughter about the positive aspects of abortion. REALLY? It's a bit of a compromise of ethics...which is something you're not asking HIM to do. It is unfair, really. If he wants your son to know more about that, perhaps he should provide the information.

Besides, he cannot just waltz back into the picture and have everything go his way in terms of rearing your child. Where was he and his concern a few years ago?!

Good luck!

Answer 3

your ex should not have a say in what you do with your kid. i realize that he is the biological dad, but i would try to get full custody.

there are no positive aspects of the meat industry.

e mail your ex this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zz-Ubsn-...

Answer 4

did not know there was anything good about livestock industry.  here's my email it will connect you to my-myspace page - check out my blog, lotz of good - documented facts there.  [e-mail]

it's is nice of you to keep your son on good terms w/his genetic donator, particularly w/how he left you guys.

when our kids were growing up we let them eat what they wanted when away from home.  my oldest son always had an extreme reaction to eating red meat - it would turn him into monster - angry - unreasonable - hostile - this reaction would usually happen the day after consumption.  bye for now  :)

Answer 5

You are the primary educator here.  You have the most influence over your son.  It IS important when you inform him of meat production that you give a well rounded view (otherwise it's propaganda.)  Make sure you tell your son about local farmers using sustainable agriculture-the ones who sell organic meat at Farmer's Markets.  Don't only tell your son about commercial farming methods or he'll be scared of meat entirely.  He needs to know there are safe, humane sources of meat, should he decide he wants to enjoy some.

Answer 6

I suppose there are a few positive aspects to it, in terms of if people are really starving, then it provides them some sustenance. And it obviously provides some employment benefits for some people. However, I would say that the majority of the meat industry does not benefit most people, and there are better ways of eating and working than the meat industry. Over exploitation of meat and factory faming, which is where is vast majority of most people's meat come from, is health, morally and environmentally damaging.

Answer 7

There are no good aspects to the meat industry!

Answer 8

I don't really know of any "positive" aspects.

The only one I can think of is that, some animal by-products are used to make medicines that can save lives.

For example:

insulin (some insulin comes from pigs & cows, although the best kind is humilin, or human insulin)

armour thyroid (armour thyroid comes from pig thyroid, and people who are allergic to synthetic thyroid HAVE to take armour thyroid in order to survive).

But, with that being said, the factory farming methods that are used to obtain meat & animal by-products are disgusting. We could find a better way.

I agree with the poster who mentioned the farmers markets.

One last thing:

Am I the only one who finds it odd that, after abandoning you and your son six years ago, your ex-husband is trying to put demands on you about how you are raising him?? I'm sorry, but he has no right to stick his nose in your business all of the sudden. I don't think so!!

If I were you I would tell him to get lost!!

Answer 9

doesn't soudn like his father cares too much about him and alllll of a sudden wants to be mr.dad and cares so much about his son eating meat?  he has more important things to worry about if he wants to care about his son!

anyway,

i think you should continue what your doing.... you and your husband are raising your son in what sounds to me like a very open and honest and healthy manner. there's no reason to lie or make things up.  if you think of a positive aspect, dont' withhold it... but i dont' think you have to worry about coming up with too many.  hopefully his father won't start making up lies to him and confuse the poor child.  if he does, i would let him know his phone calls and visitation is limited unless he controls himself.

Answer 10

you might want to mention that not all farms are cruel and environmentally unsound. there are many farms that are over 100% self sufficient. they take the waste from the animals and break it down into gas which is used to supply the entire farm with electricity. they are able to produce enough electricity to actually supply the electric company with electricity which gives them energy credits. if all of the large farms did this we wouldn't be paying nearly as much for electricity. maybe someday.

Answer 11

I think you're handling it just fine.  It would be one thing if you were constantly telling your son about the "cruelties" of the meat industry (meat-eaters would say the meat industry is not cruel), but if you simply live your life the way you live your life and answer questions when they come up, no harm no foul.  Your ex can attempt to refute anything you tell your son about the meat industry, and he can tell him anything he can point out that is "positive" about the meat industry (well, one positive thing is it provides jobs), but there's no rule that says you have to support or defend a lifestyle that you don't live or don't believe in.  I'm betting your ex thinks that you're brainwashing your son, but hey, if he were a little more involved in your son's life then maybe he could exercise a little more influence, right?