's Motd Saturday February 23, 2008

[Guest guest]

DISCRIMINATION IS ALIVE AND WELL

Saturday, 23 February 2008

When I was a kid growing up in New Orleans, I was so sad to see how African-Americans were discriminated against. When I rode the bus, they could not sit up front. They had to sit in the back of the bus behind a sign that read "Colored Only." And when I went to the City Park, African-Americans and Whites had to drink from separate water fountains.Now some of you younguns reading this may say to yourselves, Well, I just can't believe things used to be that way. Well, believe me...they were!I'm sorry to say that discrimination lives. And it comes in all shapes, sizes and colors in 21st century America. Yes, some people still discriminate against African-Americans while others may discriminate against Hispanics, Asians, Muslims or anyone else they perceive as "different" from them.And I'm sure you all know of another group of people that's often discriminated against. And not because of their race or nationality, either. You know who I'm talking about. That's right, overweight people. They're discriminated against, no matter what color or race they are!For as long as I can remember, overweight and obese people have been victims of discrimination. They were always treated differently and I saw it a lot when I was a kid. I saw people always mumbling and gossiping about some "fat" person in their families or about that "fat" person who lived in their neighborhood.Some people just can't stand obese people. They think of them as fat, disgusting, sloppy, lazy, useless or all of the above. How sad it is for some people to think of other people that way! But wait until you get a load of this.Recently in the news, I read about a state legislator in Mississippi who has decided to turn up the flame on the pot of stew that is discrimination against overweight people. Many of you are going to find this unbelievable but, believe me...it's true!This legislator, voted in by many people and, I'm sure, including both thin and overweight people, is pushing for a new state law in Mississippi that would ban obese people from eating out in restaurants! Hey, I told you it was unbelievable!The logic behind his wacky bill? Well, he pointed out that 30% of the adults in the state of Mississippi were considered obese. He says he sponsored this bill because of the increased costs of healthcare for these people brought on by their weight. And he says that the state had to pick up a large portions of those increased healthcare costs, thus his reasons for sponsoring the bill.So are you ready for this piece of legislation he would like to see passed? With it, people who are obese cannot eat in any of the restaurants in the state of Mississippi. Oh yes, you're reading it right...if you're fat, you can't eat out in the state and that's that! Okay, so if it were passed, I wonder how this legislator intends to see the new law enforced?

Well, let's see, I guess they could put a scale out in front of the restaurant and people will have to weigh in before they're allowed in to see the menu. Or maybe they'll just put one of the restaurant's booths outside and if you can fit into it, without your stomach hanging over the table, well, I guess you can then enter and place your order!Now you can imagine little-old Miss Sadie , whose been eating in the coffee shop around the corner from her house for 30 years, being told she can't come back to eat there until she loses 60 pounds? And let me ask you another question. Wouldn't you agree it's safe to say that many of the people who eat out a lot at restaurants are already suffering from weight problems? (In fact, I just did a message a couple of days ago on this very subject.) I mean, look around a restaurant the next time you're out. How many overweight people do you see eating out there, huh?Hey, if overweight people stopped eating at restaurants, there would probably be no restaurants! Most of them would be closed down in a month, or less! I'd also curious how this legislator got voted into office. I mean, considering he holds such a disturbing point of view. I will have to pray for him and hope that he can succeed in getting bills passed that really make sense. That is, instead of wasting Mississippi's time on silly laws like this one. And, I have to also wonder...can you imagine all of the fat people who must work with him? I wonder how they feel about him and his proposed law? Let's just say he would not be voted in as "Mr. Popularity!"Maybe you're guilty of going out to restaurants too much and eating too much when you do. But remember, you and all the others who overeat when they dine out do so on your own accord. Hey, the restaurants don't tie you down and force feed you. So it's not the restaurant's fault that you overeat. It's yours.Let's hope this silly bill dies a, well...starving death!Love,