Brandon Turbeville
August 12, 2016
In an example of just how far governments and politicians will take the war on individual freedom and parental choice, Forza Italia MP, Elvira Savino, has put forward a proposal that would imprison parents who forced their children to eat a vegan diet.
Savino argues that veganism “lack[s], essential elements for a healthy growth” and that parents who implement a diet plan of this type for children under 16 should spend up to two years in prison.
Savino, who is considered center-right, said she put forward the proposal in order to protect children from “radicalized” parents, a need she sees because of the increase of adults in adopting vegetarian and vegan diets.
Savino believes vegan diets lack sufficient qualities of iron, zinc and B12. The law would have parents facing one year in jail and two and half years if the child gets “permanently sick or hurt” as a result of the diet. If the child dies, the parents face six years.
Although it is estimated that only 8% of Italians are vegetarian or vegan, a number of stories circulating in the European press, have reported what is being framed as cases of malnutrition as a result of a vegan diet. The recent attention has given Savino the opportunity to put forward the proposal.
It is unclear whether or not Savino’s proposed law will ever actually pass. Hopefully, even in Europe, there is still enough a sense of individual, parental and human rights from doing so. But what it does highlight is the increasing march toward the control of children and the infiltration and disruption of the family unit by the state and its forces.
In an example of just how far governments and politicians will take the war on individual freedom and parental choice, Forza Italia MP, Elvira Savino, has put forward a proposal that would imprison parents who forced their children to eat a vegan diet.
Savino argues that veganism “lack[s], essential elements for a healthy growth” and that parents who implement a diet plan of this type for children under 16 should spend up to two years in prison.
Savino, who is considered center-right, said she put forward the proposal in order to protect children from “radicalized” parents, a need she sees because of the increase of adults in adopting vegetarian and vegan diets.
Savino believes vegan diets lack sufficient qualities of iron, zinc and B12. The law would have parents facing one year in jail and two and half years if the child gets “permanently sick or hurt” as a result of the diet. If the child dies, the parents face six years.
Although it is estimated that only 8% of Italians are vegetarian or vegan, a number of stories circulating in the European press, have reported what is being framed as cases of malnutrition as a result of a vegan diet. The recent attention has given Savino the opportunity to put forward the proposal.
It is unclear whether or not Savino’s proposed law will ever actually pass. Hopefully, even in Europe, there is still enough a sense of individual, parental and human rights from doing so. But what it does highlight is the increasing march toward the control of children and the infiltration and disruption of the family unit by the state and its forces.
