STRICT VEGETARIAN DIET PROVES UNHEALTHY FOR FAMILY HARMONY

DEAR ABBY: My dad's girlfriend, "Coral," moved in with us last month. Ever since she moved in, things have changed. Coral is a vegetarian. She says sugar is poison, and milk and eggs are bad. The week she moved in, she went through our fridge and pantry and threw out everything that wasn't "organic." She says there won't be any bad foods in the house from now on.
Coral does all the shopping now. All she buys is gross stuff like beans and soy. She says no meat is allowed. I can't stand it! I can't have anything I like anymore. I saved my allowance and bought ice cream. Coral found it and yelled at me and said no TV for a week.

Dad doesn't like it either, but he says it's unfair to disrespect Coral's wishes and beliefs. He says, "Don't worry. We'll go out and eat sometimes, and you can have what you want." Please tell me what to do. -- STARVING IN ALTOONA, PA.

DEAR STARVING: Respect is a two-way street. Coral may have your best interests at heart, but if she's trying to win friends and influence people, she has gotten off to an unfortunate start. How much better it would have been had she gradually started encouraging you to change your eating habits instead of ramming her biases down your throat.

You should not be hungry all the time, and your father should not allow his girlfriend to punish you for acting like a normal child. Please clip this item, show it to your dad and tell him you wrote it. Coral is entitled to her beliefs, but she should not impose them on you the way she has.

I think in that position I'd have said "F**k off" in a clear and understandable voice and gone on with my life.

Well Abby didn't bash veg*ns (except for the title) so it's all good. Really, Coral does seem like a bitch. You can't force your ways on people especially in that kind of situation.

Really, Coral does seem like a bitch.

Exactly what I was going to say. The problem is Coral's personality, not her veg*nism. Dang Coral; she's misrepresenting the veg*n world. :brood:

Really, Coral does seem like a bitch.

Glad I'm not the only one who thought that at least :p

<-----thought so too.

I think she responded with more than reasonable restraint and was careful to not offend any vegetarians in her response. She even implied that a diet change in itself isn't a bad thing as long as it's done gradually.

I think the title is appropriate. From the title I could tell that not all the family wanted to be vegetarian, that the person imposing it was strict about it, and that there were family problems becuse of it. That's *exaclty* what it was about, so I'd say she did a great job with the title.

i always question wether or not real people send in those questions...often times.im sure its just the editors making them up..

bstutzma, you beat me to it. I was going to post something about this. Yes, I was rolling my eyes, too. I was thinking of sending in a letter saying something along the lines of:

Coral's behavior was rude and immature and in no way represents the attitude of the majority of vegetarians. We are respectful of all people's dietary choices, just as we hope they are respectful of ours.

We are respectful of all people's dietary choices
*snort* Speak for yourself. I don't even respect some of my dietary choices.

Anyway, I agree Coral went too far. I can understand limiting junk food and only cooking healthy veg*n meals but she shouldn't hijack their entire diet.

*snort* Speak for yourself. I don't even respect some of my dietary choices.

Anyway, I agree Coral went too far. I can understand limiting junk food and only cooking healthy veg*n meals but she shouldn't hijack their entire diet.


Well, that's what we SAY to omnis. (Must keep up appearances.) What we THINK is a different matter. :lol:

It sounded kinda phony to me, too, but at least it was responded to with a fairly even hand. Coral needs to take a chill pill and think about her tactics. Wish so many people didn't fulfill the vegan stereotype. Damn.

This = hilarity! "Coral" is the perfect pseudonym too.

That's it. Coral as a vegetarian is mean, so there's no way I can be a happy, kind vegetarian. I'm done. :rolleyes:

i always question wether or not real people send in those questions...often times.im sure its just the editors making them up..

I believe them. There's so many screwed up, whiney people that I bet they have no short supply.

And Coral's a brat, but aw well.

Meh, the people at "dear abbey" ALWAYS make up stories. :rollseyes:

Well the story may be possiable, and it may have happened, but I think if it did/is that of course this Carol is just really tweaked out and that she is trying too hard to make other people belive what she dose, her methods aren't really working as the girl who wrote the artical has shown as, as she doesnt like the food and she saved her money in order to get icecream. So no matter what, I dont think that, Carol is going about making it a healthy family all the wrong way! I think her acting the way she has will really only cause family problems for them, not becuase she belives that way, but becuase of her forcefull attitude. I mean, it would be the same if say some guy moved in with you and told you that you could only eat HAM, but say you hate ham or dont even eat meat or whatever reason, it would obviously cause problems 'casue you dont eat that way. It wouldn't matter if he said, "Oh but this is a better way to live" becuase, obviously, you wouldn't like his attitude of "EAT HAM"
Dose that make sense?

It sounds more like someone wants to break up daddy and his new girlfriend and is rallying allies.

It sounds more like someone wants to break up daddy and his new girlfriend and is rallying allies.

HAHA I don't see how asking for advice is rallying allies. Even if that were her intention, I seriously doubt get Abby on her side would break up daddy and Coral.

It sounds more like someone wants to break up daddy and his new girlfriend and is rallying allies.

Sometimes step parents are seriously ****ed up, just because someone is a child doesn't mean that they can't be right about an adult.

The headlines are almost always chosen by the local paper. FYI.

double post :S

She'd be a good point of inspiration for an SNL skit, the rabid, pushy vegetarian, could be pretty funny.

She'd be a good point of inspiration for an SNL skit, the rabid, pushy vegetarian, could be pretty funny.

:stinkeye:

Coral seems crazy, dad sounds like a wuss. (she must be really hot.)