by Elizabeth Eagleton

Created on: July 05, 2008

According to the Mississippi Legislature, House Bill 282 indicates, "An act to prohibit certain food establishments from serving food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the state department of health" (House Bill 282, 2008, p. 1). The absurdity of the subject begs the question, how will the state department of health define obese? Will there be a man standing outside a restaurant with a tape measure checking gross waist size, thigh thickness, and muscular arm tone? Will there be body fat monitor scales? This is the new vogue for the in crowd and for those who are thin and trim.

Where is the state of Mississippi going with this ideology? This subject alone will defy the odds in any theoretical circle. It may change the face of America as we see it. It is as if we are being told that we have no freedoms when it pertains to our inner and personal self. We are the captain of our own bodies. There is no House Bill that can make Americans suddenly become thin or achieve a healthy body weight...Period!

We are individuals and have certain freedoms that will prevent he or she to be not controlled by any form of government. We have the right to be obese and it is our God given right. The sadness in this controversy is some persons cannot help being overweight due to a defective thyroid, diabetes, cancer, and other medical ailments.

Will we become two societies? Half the nation are the thin people and the other half obese? Could there be a civil war over this? Certainly, if this bill can be passed...anything is possible. Just to banter the situation...why chose obesity? Shouldn't we be more worried about the AIDS virus or people who drink and drive. Should we stop serving alcohol in restaurants because people drink too much and drive? Where is the common sense and intellect of this subject?

The subject of obesity is not just some person eating all they can every day of their lives. There are other factors that occur. Some people eat when they are worried, others cannot eat when they are worried. Those who are alone and have minimal human contact use food as a comfort. Psychologically, food plays a major role in our daily lives. Think about it...we must have breakfast, lunch, dinner, plus snacks. Some people are vegans, others eat meat. We are all different shapes and sizes, some persons are big boned while others are very thin and frail. Genetics plays a major role in our body type. Some centuries ago, women who were obese where the most beautiful women in the world. The bottom line on this subject...government cannot impose a food sanction on an individual and cannot take his or her freedoms to chose to eat at a particular restaurant. This subject is utter preposterous.

Reference
House Bill 282 (2008) Mississippi Legislature. Retrieved July 4, 2008 from http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2008/html /HB/0200-0299/HB0282IN.htm

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