Mississippi Lawmakers to Kill Bill
Mississippi's Health and Human Services Chairman Steve Holland said he'll kill Bill 282, which would make it illegal in that state to sell food to anyone with a BMI over 30 - and, of course, would require restaurants and "food establishments" to force patrons to weigh themselves at the door.
"It's dead on arrival at my desk," Holland, D-Plantersville, said in a news release. "While I appreciate the efforts of my fellow House members to help curb the obesity problem in Mississippi, this is totally the wrong approach."
Interestingly, Representative Mayhall, Jr. - the man who sponsored this bill - said he won't vote for it either:
He said he and his colleagues filed it to bring attention to the state's obesity problem, but he never expected to hear from so many people. Media from New York, Australia, London and Ireland have called him since The Clarion-Ledger reported on the bill Sunday, he said.
"You take food away from fat people ... my gosh," Mayhall said.
Uh... no. That's not why people are complaining, Representative. People are complaining because this is one of the least logical bills in modern American history.
In a separate news release, the Coalition of Fat Rights Activists president Paul McAleer said the bill would "have substantial and negative side effects on Mississippi's economy and health." "Anyone who supports human rights and freedoms should be opposing this bill - and any subsequent bill," he added.
Wow, nice quote! Oh, wait.
Kate Harding in Richard Roeper's Column | Mass Theft of Fatosphere Content
Posted by paul on February 5, 2008
Woohooo, COFRA publicity! It's so clear that this was a "set an extreme standard" tactic that GiniLiz referred to before...it's kind of giving me the creeps about what this is foreshadowing.
Hurrah for common sense, but I think I'm even more excited that COFRA got some press in the media!
Well, I do think that fat people, like people of any size, thin or fat or in between, have a right to get in a huff if someone takes food away from them.
Everyone needs food to live, and it's discriminatory and harebrained to purport that someone doesn't need food because he/she is fat enough.
This assumption would be a very slippery slope and I salute Mr. Holland for planning to put a stop to this insanity.
I was actually fascinated with the "water cooler" discussion on my local news just now, regarding this bill. During the noons at 11, they talk about the news stories and their opinions of them, so it's an open round table.
They actually just said that one, it was a terrible decision and that no restaurant would EVER agree to it, and then they busted out this one:
"People don't choose to be morbidly obese..."
"Right, a lot of times it's glandular."
(paraphrasing, of course).
I was very surprised. While on the one hand, the fact is it doesn't matter why somebody is obese, they should be able to choose it if they want to.
But for members of the media, no matter how local, to recognize that it's not a matter of just will power, and even imply that you shouldn't condemn people for it, I think was pretty interesting.
Why does the phrase "glandular problem" sound like turn of the century quack medicine?
I'm fat, and yet as far as I can tell, my fat gland has no problems.
I realize that there are some real medical problems that affect people due to troublesome organs. It's just that being fat isn't a disease state any more than being 6'6" is a disease state.
Well indeed, my gosh Mr. Mayhall. Ya didn't think you'd hear from so many people? Gee wiz, didn't ya think for one second that if you threatened to take food away from anyone that they might put up a bit of protest, and rally the support of everyone they know who likes to eat? I don't give a rat's ass if this guy intended to vote for his own bill or not--he obviously thinks it's a good idea.
I'm relieved to hear phrases from Holland like, "It's dead on arrival at my desk." Hurrah! At last, some lucid thinking!
And COFRA got some face time! Awesome!
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"A diet counselor once told me that all overweight people are angry with their mothers and channel their frustrations into overeating. So I guess that means all thin people are happy, calm, and have resolved their Oedipal entanglements."
Okay - that quote ticks me off.
"Take food away from fat people"...geez. As if that's what this was about. It's not about the food; it's about the discrimination and the mindset behind the bill. It was not only a bully tactic, but a clear violation of pretty much all privacy laws and HIPPA statutes. My weight is my business my doctor's business - no one else's. I should not have to be publicly weighed and ashamed.
Would Rep. Mayhall sew a red "A" on the clothes of adulterers?
As I said in another post, clearly Rep. Mayhall and anyone who supported this bill believe the stereotypical notion that all fat people do is sit on their butts and eat.
Not true. And as someone pointed out, we shouldn't have to justify that behavior even if we do sit around doing nothing.
No one else has to justify their behavior. We don't have to prove we're "good" fat people. We're people. And we have a right to buy food, go to restaurants, and have a life.
"Would Rep. Mayhall sew a red "A" on the clothes of adulterers?"
I have no doubt that he would. He wants to shame people and depreive them of food, why wouldn't he? He's an asshat.
What kills me about this bill (aside from the amazing arrogance, the cruelty, the institutionalized discrimination and the general stupidity of it) is that Mayhall's reasoning seems to be that he thinks either (1) if fat people can't eat in a restaurant, we'll just skip that meal, rather than going home and eating food there, and/or (2) there is something about food from a restaurant, specifically, that contributes to people getting fat.
Well, on the first point, maybe someone should point out to him that at least in restaurants our portions are controlled, and we get served a nice, balanced meal, with salad and vegetable side dishes. Plus we get exercise by having to walk from our cars to the restaurant table. Isn't that better than consigning us to our homes where we can sit on our lazy fat asses and stuff our faces with chips and cake and cookies and ice cream and so on. So barring us from restaurants may actually do more to make us fatter, making his bill counterproductive.
On the second point, if restaurant food makes people fat, and Mr. Mayhall wants to prevent obesity rates from growing, then shouldn't he be wanting to ban EVERYONE from restaurants? I mean, if restaurants are that dangerous, than anyone eating in them is at risk of gaining weight!
I'm sure that if I wanted to spend the time, I could pick out several more such absurdities, but I think those two make the point pretty well.
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"Ignorance and prejudice and fear go hand in hand" - from "Witch Hunt" by Rush
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Aside from the obvious fact that this bill was insane from the get-go (on all levels), I still don't see how these fatcats don't get that there is a good likelihood that they themselves would end up not being able to eat in restaurants. John Read is no thin thin thinny McThin. And frankly, neither does Mr. Mayhall look like he is. We know from the BMI project that it's often very surprising who is overweight/obese and who isn't (given that the arbitrary measurement and labeling is not helpful in any sense.)
And it angers me, really angers me, that it is a hate proposal designed for the express purpose of eventually getting less extreme hate legislation pushed through. That Holland would *say* that he "appreciates (their) effort to curb 'the obesity problem.'" Instead of sound condemnation for this outrage, they are encouraged to give something else a try. Like maybe targeting their hate laws at children so we can further line Banzhaf's pockets. In other words, this is just the beginning folks - only next time it will sound a little better on the surface and they think we'll be asleep at the switch. Or they will be. This is part of the problem - the government catches on more slowly than the population - even when we've managed to change societal views to a meaningful degree, it will be too late on the legal front, where discrimination will be so entrenched that it's impossible to get rid of. Sigh.
Zero isn't a size, it's a warning sign. - Carson Kressley
I still don't see how these fatcats don't get that there is a good likelihood that they themselves would end up not being able to eat in restaurants.
Yes, but wasn't their initial goal to raise awareness of so-called obesity-related costs in MEDICARE? So, the fact that he is fat is okay, but it is not okay for poor people to be fat. Those lazy government mooches.
I didn't write to Mayhall when this first came out because I was waiting to see where it was going. But I wrote to him today.
That is a fantastic letter, Dreama. I wonder if you'll get a sensible reply?
And I too give kudos to Holland, but in my case with no particular objection to his "appreciate their efforts" remark.
"I appreciate your effort" can, of course, mean just about anything in that line of work -- "Thanks, but no thanks," or "You've obviously worked hard, but you haven't got a clue," or even "Drop dead, asshat." He's just speaking the language of politicians. The point is, Holland did the right thing by killing this bizarre bit of attention-sluttery.
Just as an experiment: Rep. Mayhall should resubmit this bill and instead of denying restaurant service to people with BMI over 30, have it deny service to people with BMI under 30...just to see if thin people like the idea of "having their food taken away" any more than fat people do.
People not serving me fries would be an annoyance, to be sure. But it's nothing compared to not being able to have any kind of social or professional life or being allowed to travel anywhere, even on business, because some sizist asshat thinks I'm too "unhealthy" to merit it.
Terrific letter, Dreama. And I agree with Meowzer, they should try that and see what happens.
Dreama, this line in particular really hit me. It was all wonderfully, beautifully worded. But this is one of the big things that really convinced me I should add my voice to the FA movement; this isn't about fat, this is about fat people, in other words, citizens with civil rights. What makes us so different from every other group that it's okay to draft legislation that would turn ignorant hate into law?
That's not to say that there aren't still groups out there that get discriminated against, some in law (like states that don't recognize same-sex marriage, etc etc). But I'm best utilized fighting against discrimination levied on me and others who have gone through the same torture (physical abuse as a child and teenager because I was fat, verbal abuse my whole life, misunderstanding and cold, quiet hate that turns you from a human into something invisible...which is almost worse).
But we can speak out against the hate, discrimination, and violence against ourselves, our neighbors, our friends, and our children, before it's too late, right? Before some state really does go overboard in this "Epidemic" and start legalizing BMI-based discrimination? This was just the first victory of many, right?
For reference, my response to the bill was published at Google News.
That was a great letter, Paul. I do wish you had expanded a little about how editing the bill to apply to minors is not only stupid, but dangerous, because children need well rounded diets to develop into healthy adults, and how imprinting the diet mindset into young brains is also dangerous. But otherwise, you covered everything! Great response.
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"A diet counselor once told me that all overweight people are angry with their mothers and channel their frustrations into overeating. So I guess that means all thin people are happy, calm, and have resolved their Oedipal entanglements."
Thanks, Sarahbear.
Wow. Even Harvard (or at least a student there, anyway) agrees with us!
.... That article damn near made me feel better than a cigarette when I'm only a week out from the last one I had. Someone gets the concept! And wrote about it! And it was written -well-! Can I get a "hell yeah"?
I meant to post this earlier, but here's what I sent:
I say we all get together and do a road trip - pack those restaurants to the walls (literally) and then order.....WATER! Take up all their table space and do a "Fat-In". If we were to hit those restaurants on a Friday and Saturday night, can you imagine the financial impact it would have, not to mention the political impact?
Then we could scurry our tuckusses over the state line for Nawleans, where they KNOW how to treat a customer!
"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent" - Eleanor Roosevelt