Attacking the poor, fat is easy and ignorant

BERNICE LARSEN; Puyallup

Published: 01/05/09 12:05 am

0 comments

Re: “Obama must offer example, solutions for obesity plague” (Morton Kondracke column, 1-1).

The columnist’s solution is to make being fat socially unacceptable – a simple, ignorant solution to a multifaceted problem. Unmanageable stress leads to drugs, alcoholism and obesity. It is noted that the poor are more likely to be fat than other monetary classes. Gee, I wonder why? Maybe being poor is a massive stress producer. I’ve got news for Kondracke: the poor and the fat are already discriminated in job hiring and social acceptance and it hasn’t seemed to solve the problem.

I’m poor. Fruits and veggies are expensive, and I get damn few of them. Carbohydrates are much cheaper and a major player in diabetes. And how about all that sugar, chemicals and hormones in our foods put there for increase of profits? God forbid that we should think capitalism might have a negative side.

Cook, you say? With two part-time jobs that do not cover basic living expenses (another one of the sources of stress), a house to keep clean, a heart patient to care for and the use of buses for transportation, the time and energy doesn’t exist for scratch cooking.

I’ve got news for the well-off: the social safety net you think exists because you’ve not had to use it is in tatters.

Kondracke’s ignorance and prejudice is showing. How about becoming part of the solution in a healthy manner instead of part of the problem?

Similar stories:

Tri-Citians work to tackle childhood obesity

Tri-Citians work to tackle childhood obesity

KENNEWICK -- As sixth-graders meandered into Ron Schuh's health class at Park Middle School this week, their attention immediately was drawn to a rack of exercise bars.

The students clustered around the rack -- some of them hefting the color-tipped bars to feel their weight -- before being hustled to their seats by Schuh so he could start the class.

The bars, which are free weights in bar form, were part of his "Walk the Talk Wednesday" -- a weekly lesson plan that incorporates some aspect of exercise and fitness into whatever students are learning at the time.
Why does Occupy Wall Street protest occupied Wall Street?

Why does Occupy Wall Street protest occupied Wall Street?

In our confusing world with so many irresolvable problems and seemingly constant conflict, we desperately need more simplistic answers to complex questions. For that, you’ve come to the right place.
Guest columnist, Dec. 21

Guest columnist, Dec. 21

Christmas season is tough time for youth in poverty

We are now well into the holiday season. It’s a joyous time for many, but a sad and stressful one for more than we can know. This often plays out in the classroom through escalating misbehavior as the winter holidays approach. For some of these students, the thought of being home for the holidays brings dread rather than excitement. School is the one safe, consistent and caring place they know. For others, home may be safe, but the joy of giving and receiving gifts may be just a dream due to a lack of financial resources. Children can have a hard time understanding why their friends get so much when they get very little. People can be quick to judge, and blame poverty on the parents, believing that they just need to work harder or be more ambitious. Such thinking is unacceptable. They are after all, children, and children deserve to have a real childhood, regardless of their parents’ shortcomings. We have heard a lot about the working poor in recent
Prepared by 20 is focus of group

Prepared by 20 is focus of group

A group of community leaders, educators and service organizations are joining forces to help the next generation of Tri-Citians become contributing adults by the age of 20.

More than 100 people who work with youth -- or want to help youth -- met Thursday for the Prepared By 20 Systems Summit to find ways to collaborate to help kids grow into successful adults.

"This truly is a community-wide planning effort that has made a huge impact to our community," said John Inman, general manager for McCurley Dealerships. " ... It's not a new program, it's a collaboration of many agencies that are already existing."
Poor economy furthers Social Security woes

Poor economy furthers Social Security woes

WASHINGTON – Laid-off workers and aging baby boomers are flooding Social Security’s disability program with benefit claims, pushing the financially strapped system toward the brink of insolvency.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here

We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.

SPORTS