puma, The man who was charged for the extra seat on the airplane had his wife call the airline first to be sure that seating wouldn't be a problem. He flew to his destination and when he returned, he was told that he needed to buy an additional ticket. (Boy, that must have been some carby vacation. :lol: ) Anyway, this man was not suing the airlines. He was on the show voicing his (I thought) valid complaint. And this man agreed with the normal sized person who was on the show complaining about the obese passenger seated next to him on the airline taking up his space, which I also consider a valid complaint. The fact of the matter is that the seats aren't even comfortable for a normal person. And why are 2 normal sized people required to share one armrest!

Regardless, my next question is, "Should obesity be considered a handicap?"

As for suing the fast food companies, I'm a little upset that my precious tax dollars are being used to entertain frivolous lawsuits.

asugar :wave:

Asugar,
I think you are right about this instance--if the airline changed their policy in midstream, that is, of course, wrong. I wasn't really speaking to that specific instance, though; rather, I do believe that there needs to be some sort of policy to deal with this issue, since it seems to be coming up more and more frequently. As you say, airline seating is pretty uncomfortable for anyone, so I think a good solution may be for all of us to start patronizing airlines, like jetblue and midwest express, that have bigger seats as there standard to begin with. Maybe this way, all the other airlines will follow suit.
As to whether or not obesity should be considered a handicap...that is a tough question, and I am not sure who would make that determination, and what all of the ramifications would be. I imagine airlines would then have to give extra space without charging extra for it, and just raise everyone's airfare.
I think the point is often moot, however, because most obese people end up with handicaps of some sort eventually...though many of the diseases that obese people tend to get are not normally considered "handicaps" when it is a non-obese person that has them. For instance, one of the common effects of obesity is diabetes type II. I have diabetes type I, but because I am thin and young, people don't know I have a chronic illness from looking at me. I am confronted with situations on a regular basis that are uncomfortable and/or life-threatening. I often feel very bad, both physically and mentally, as a result. Is the main criterion for establishing a handicap that it is easily perceived by those around you?
I realize that it is probably exhausting living with alot of extra weight, but alot of us live with conditions that are also exhausting and frustrating. It may be extremely difficult for some people to lose weight and I do believe that certain people have obesity in their genes; but, for people like me, it is not just difficult, it is impossible to rid myself of my condition (until there is a cure for diabetes). Sometimes we all just have to live with how things are and make the best of them, I guess.

I think the lawsuit is a joke. Just a way to make a fast buck. I identified with the heavy woman who was told that she'd be more comfortable in an end seat. It seems to be OK for fat people to be insulted, shunned and vilified because of their size. Why is it OK to do that? It is still a great prejudice in our society. There are so many factors that cause our fatness.

My heart breaks for these young kids who have problems with obesity. It's hard enough being an adult and having to deal with this. It must be even harder for a kid. Ultimately we have to take responsibility for ourselves and our kids if we have them. Thank God for LC'ing. I just wish we could get the word out that there is a viable solution to our weight problems. Although I've only been doing LC for 2 months, I know now that the reason for my years of weight problems were chemical and not because of being weak willed.

I know this is going to sound extremely selfish, but it is the way I feel, so.....

I don't want McD's to get sued because I'm afraid that they are going to do it on the basis of fat, not fat/sugar mix, and they'll just make them come out with all high carby items. Just when I was truly, for the first time in my life, ENJOYING my food at fast food places, not just eating it really quickly and guiltily, like someone was going to catch me any moment!! :D

I'm in the responsibility camp. The FDA, USDA, and whoever else it is who will "make" them disclose will make it go along with their special interests anyway, so you're screwed either way. I don't eat at fast food all of the time, I limit my children's consumption of the food also, but I have also actually stood by the door and read the big chart on the wall in these places (while everyone was staring at me like I'm nuts!) My decisions about my own and my children's food have changed drastically in the last 6 months. I limit the carby snack foods and replace them with cool alternatives (my kids love any kind of cheeze and meat!) and I have also had to go against nutritional teaching from several areas and show them, mostly by my example, that my research has proven correct.

What's going to happen when they ban all of the high fat stuff, keep the carbs, and everyone STILL is obese? What is this guy going to look like in the next year? Can he prove, by cutting out fast food and eating the "recommended" nutritional diet, that he is much better of weight and healthwise??

I seriously doubt it. When I was learning my basics in law (High School!) I was under the impression that they had to prove the defendant's guilt. I can personally prove that McDonald's helped me lose weight.

Anyway, I like McD's and it will be a fearful day for the world when someone takes my double cheeseburgers (sans bun) away from me because some guy said I'd gain weight and have a heart attack!!

:wave: Amber

P.S. How's that for a rabid reply? :D

As one famous person said:

"They'll have to pry it from my cold, dead, hands!!"


:lol:

O.K. , I'll shut up now!

Amber

Exactly Ember,

That's why I am so against any sort of lawsuit. If companies are afraid to be sued for the food they serve, who knows what is going to happen. Certainly they will remove the "offensive" items and replace them with something else. Let's remember that lowcarbing is still very controversial, so it's unlikely to be anything we would want to eat.

Let's say someone would win their suit. Where would it stop ? Next stores be removing products from their shelves next. Maybe whipping cream would be considered "dangerous" and removed.

It's not up to the law (God forbid) to determine what we should eat. It wouldn't be enough to be politically correct now you would need to be "nutritionally correct". The rules of that game being determined not by scientific evidence but by political agenda's and so called conventional wisdom.