Further proof of the decline of responsibility in America

www.cnn.com...

Obesity which costs the U.S. healthcare system over 100 BILLION dollars a year and leads to 300 000 deaths a year has recently been considered a disease.

And predictibly those who can not control thier weight are crying foul.

They say its my right to be fat if I want to but refuse to execpt the responsibillity thatr position comes with.

The feel its thier right to weigh 500 lbs (and I agree) but then say an airline has no right to charge them for two seats because they cant fit in just one

If a man or woman chooses to be fat that is thier right however they must also be willing to accept responsibilty for the consequences of that choice.

It is unfortunatley the new "American way" whine about your rights ignore your responsibilities.

Solutions?

put them with the cargo on planes?

feed them to the homeless?

implant chips in their brains that simulate the feeling of being burned alive when they eat too many cheeseburgers?

ummm heir I hope your not serious in these suggestion.

I think they indeed have the right to be fat if the want. But you also have to remember many of them do not want to be fat. Just look on how much Americans spend each year on diets and workout equipment as proof.

I do agree with the airlines on this one though. If you cannot fit in one chair you should have to pay for two.

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Subjectively based ridicule and rejection should be against the rules. Objective differences in girth and weight are the responsibility of the obese person.

You shouldn't be able to discriminate against or make fun of obese people.
You should be able to charge for objective use of two seats and for carrying more than some reasonable per/person weight limit.
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Not to mention the public safety issues of overloading planes
www.caa.co.za...

read the first blurb

people are just spoiled rotten by living in america. we have it so good we have nothing better to do than b@#$ about stupid stuff. what is responsibility though? responsibility can be over rated sometimes.

People who get fat do so on thier own fault. Thus, they should NOT be free from ridicule and discrimination. A tiny percentage of people are fat for medical reasons. Most people simply are lazy pigs who stuff thier faces with garbage and sit in front of a TV, and drive a block down to the local store instead of walking.

So, not only do I feel fat people should not be exempt from discrimination, they should also suffer any financial consequences of thier obesity.

Look how they went after smokers, yet 1/3 of Americans smoke, as compared to 2/3 who are overweight. After what the govornment has done to penalize smokers, it is only fair that fat people suffer the same burdens. Just as smokers got addicted on thier own voilition, fat people got that way in the same manner.

Ya know, I am honestly getting sick of the crap!! Why is it that obesity is costing society so much....because society CHOSE to accept the responsibility of paying for people's healthcare.
So, society will adjust itself to cater to the overweight people of the world. Start taxing those foods they BELIEVE to be unhealthy...of course next year...they may find them healthy... Put the Mc Donalds, and Ice Cream Makers out of business, ect.
well, guess what, they are ignoring another segment of the population, the underwieghts. The last time I went to a doctor, he yelled at me...
I don't even weigh enough to meet the standards for giving blood, although I am close to six feet tall! What they will tax my food just so someone else will find it easier to lose weight? Thus ignoring my medical needs.
Such is life in socialist america!!!
I have a right to get fat!!! or at least put on a little weight.

Well with the political leaders of the U.S. being what they are I see this as no suprise.

Oh come on now! Obesity as a disease? A DISEASE?? Put the cookie down and push away from the table! Take your fat a$$ outside and get some exercise! Use the stairs instead of the elevator! More lazy people looking to blame their problems on someone else. When are people going to learn about personal responsibility? Never I assume.


[edit on 4-8-2004 by Dr. Know]

ATS seems to have a stereotype syndrome....people love to group things into piles here...and hey, when you're talking about obese people, it's easy to stack a pile a mile high...

I agree with a lot of the statements here - I've known a lot of obese people who fit that bill perfectly, but those people are the ones who choose to be obese...and I realize that you are targeting those who are obese by choice, but I figured I would just mention this, seeing as no one else has yet...

Skadi - I think you have some faulty logic....if 1/3 of America riducled, taxed and discriminated against the remaining 2/3....well, things would start to resemble the civil rights war of the 60s. I don't think getting rid of the influences is useful tho either....the sad fact is that we are going to be overpopulated very soon, and perhaps this is nature's way of eliminating the slack - change or die - don't sue nabesco b/c their oreos are fattening - and equally important, don't piss off 2/3 of our population by making asses out of them or their likely to be a stampeed. Use common sense and tackle this on a national level with more health education, motivation techniques and cardiovascualr exercise.