June 1, 2005 (Hickory Daily Record)
Wow, who is Sigrid Hice, and just what are her qualifications as a "guest columnist"? Certainly not her ability to think logically and to recognize value in those of us who are not perfect physical specimens!Yet, there she is in Tuesday's paper, like a bolt from the blue, solving all of mankind's problems!
I don't expect the opportunity here to address all of her defective thinking, but I'd like to belly up to at least one of her social commentaries. Speaking as a fat person of some 56 years experience--I came into the world pushing 11 pounds--I'd like to think that that characteristic of mine might be, uh, outweighed by other redeeming characteristics. Though you might disagree, Ms. Hice, I think God was wise to put me here, if only for my entertainment value.
It would take an idiot to argue that obese people are always healthy. Likewise, to denigrate a, uh, large segment of society for throwing its weight around is equally thin. And who, Ms. Hice, decides what's a
nice, healthy weight? Would that be "the government"? Oh boy, now we've really got something to chew on.
If homosexuals can claim that their genetics preordain their sexual orientation, then I think I can likewise argue, with confidence, that genetics helps to predispose someone's size. Still, I have purposely
stayed out of the gay foster parents debate, because I can see merit in several viewpoints. Ideally, I believe one mother who is female and one father who is male, who are married to each other in the traditional
way, who also love their children, make the best homes. But certainly, loving homes are provided for children in other circumstances.
So, Ms. Hice, how do you explain my skinny grandmother who lived on a farm and ate mostly vegetables dying an early death of a stroke at 70--while my fat grandmother who weighed about 250, who worked for decades under the strain of local mills, while smoking cigarettes and eating loads of sweets most of her life, lived to her mid-80s?
Obesity is its own incentive, Ms. Hice--there's not a fat person anywhere who wants to be. The media, with advertising which tells us what is beautiful, has made sure of that. Or, are you asking us to accept
exceptions in some areas of life, but not in others? Have a little compassion.
Regarding diseases, Ms. Hice, you forget about the diseases of laziness and bigotry which afflict slender people, too. And please, tell me when sickness and disability are NOT "premature." You write of an "already overloaded SOCIAL health care system." Who created such a system--and allows it to continue to advertise for patients? "The government"?
Here's some more news for you: the same government that provides food stamps, etc. to people too lazy to work has passed laws demanding all those accommodations for obese people that you don't like. So, is "the government" making us fat, by feeding the poorest of us all those calories and making society treat us as "handicapped"? Do you have something against the economically disadvantaged, Ms. Hice?
In addition to "personal behavioral changes" which you suggest, I've got another solution. Let's elect leaders at the local, state and federal levels who will put "government" on a diet! Let's elect people who will say, "Enough already! Throwing tax money at our problems doesn't work!" What's getting fat is our tax bills, the fees government charges for everything it does and the economies of countries like China,which eat up a lot of American jobs! (Depression makes you want to eat, too, Ms. Hice.)
Let's put government on starvation rations, so it will have something better to do than telling us we're fat,telling us who gets what health care and from whom,and telling us we need special this and special that
to accommodate those of us who are fat. Let's find people to lead us who will tell "government" that IT is obese!
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