Should NJ Have A Ballot Referendum On Not Allowing Obese People To Serve As Governor?

[stopbush]

I say put it to a vote, turnabout being fair play and all.

[russspeakeasy]

1. You can expect some disparaging remarks from some

"super sensitive" DU'ers on the subject of obesity; or at least I did.

[southernyankeebelle]

5. I don't know what his weight issue has to do with him being able to do his job. He seems not

to have a problem doing his job. Unless you want to say he is a blowheart which we all can agree with. Being obese is a side issue.

[Happyhippychick]

7. That's the op point. Sort of like how being gay doesn't affect someone's ability to be a spouse.

[HopeHoops]

8. Apparently being black is a problem for the job of president.

And being a woman is a problem for being on the House panel about a woman's rights. Being poor is also a problem if you want to receive Welfare, and being old is a problem if you want Medicare. But being a huge CORPORATION is just fine and dandy under all circumstances, as long as you make the check out to "Mr. White Male Republican".

[southernyankeebelle]

9. I can see that point I guess. But a person can lose weight. If a person is gay that person is gay.

That person can't change who they are and shouldn't have to either. But I can see the point.

[Bluerthanblue]

16. not so sure-

When a person is as overweight as Christie is, it isn't a simple matter of 'eating less' it's a matter of drasticly altering his lifestyle.

He could undergo gastric bypass- or do other life-altering things to change who he is. It's not a question of simply not eating so much. Saying that is like telling someone who is gay, to practice celibicy, or to medically alter who they are in order to be acceptable. And that's not only unfair it's wrong imo.

Prejudice against people based on their physical appearance is an acceptable bigotry. It's just as wrong as any other bigotry- and saying "a person can lose weight" and excusing that as acceptable is wrong.
It's wrong for people to feel the need to have fat suctioned out of places on their bodies to achieve a shape that society has decided to be the "ideal" to have silicone bags placed in their bodies to give them larger breasts- to have 'botox' injected into their lips to make them 'fuller'.

We have a long way to go before we a truly a tolerant society. Christies bigoted and unfair stand on marriage equality doesn't give us license to be bigots in return- not if we are really the kind of people we say we are.

[southernyankeebelle]

17. Well I can agree with alot of what you say. I have been obese all my life. I had that surgery to

lose the weight. It did pretty good until I hit the age of 50 and it went down hill after that. I have gain alot of weight back. I am sure am addicted to food. Funny that is the first time I find myself writing it down and telling any one. But I am no longer able to lose weight. There was a time I lost 100 lbs. and gained it back plus some more. People who are that obese are not really in the some position as a person who is 20 or 30 pounds overweight. I am 64 and to be honest I finally learned to stop what people think of me. When I was in the work force I always worked twice as hard so no one could ever say I was lazy. I sure wasn't lazy. I got lots of monetary awards. I know I got passed over for jobs to because the skinner pretty girl got it over me. I was alright with that because I like my job. Until one day I realized that a woman who I thought was my friend betrayed my friendship. I never let her know. I just stopped going over her house to babysit her girls so she and her husband could go out. She noticed my backing away. I back away til I no longer spoke to her. She would keep inviting me and I always had an excuse. I have to say in some ways I feel for the governor and his weight issue. But he is like so many republicans. He has no heart or compassion for others. So I don't have it for him. I have learned in life to live and let live. People only have one life so let them live it the way they want to. Straight, gay, tall, short, skinny or fat, its your life live it.

[Bluerthanblue]

19. ....

I'm so sorry you've gone through all this. It isn't right. We allow so much value to be placed on the silliest things. Some of the most wonderful people I've known have come in 'packages' that society sees as "less than" the ideal. It's amazing to me that we continue to allow this to go on. I understand your saying that if Christie doesn't have compassion for others that you don't feel able to extend it to him.... but if we allow others to make us adopt their way of treating others, then don't we in some ways ..become them...? or let them 'control' us?

I have to really struggle with this myself. When someone does something hurtful it's only human nature to want to hurt back... but in the end, it only keeps the downward spiral going. I may not be able to control the way others act, but I think it's important for me to think about the way I choose to act. To hold true to what I believe is right.

I don't 'like' Gov. Christie- he's rude, intolerant, brash and selfish imo. It's fine to criticize that aspect of him. But his size, sex, race, appearance, ethnicity or any other physical attribute shouldn't be used to marginalize him. At least not in the world I hope to be part of helping evolve.

thanks for sharing your experience. It shouldn't be that way.

[southernyankeebelle]

21. Blue your last paragraph kind of says it all. Of course you are right. I dunno but I will try to

do better. I share my experience because someone who is big like him I can understand his problems. It just you would think someone who is like that could relate to others. I have a feeling he wanted to vote yes but he also wants to be VP. You can't have it both ways.

[Happyhippychick]

2. Actually he has more options regarding his obesity than a person does regarding their

Sexuality. But maybe the insult alone would get him to see the point.

Come to think of it, isn't this the a-hole who told a woman protestor "someone's going down tonight but it ain't me"?

[rfranklin]

4. Yes, except that the rightwingers believe that being gay is a choice...

just as many people believe that the obese are that way because of circumstances beyond their personal control.

[Happyhippychick]

6. I forgot the 'pubes thought that. I have difficulty keeping up with their mind numbing

Stupidity.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

3. TAFT HUCKABEE GINGRICH CLEVELAND

[ann---]

10. Isn't it the

GOP'ers who say that poor obese people are that way because they have no self- control? Well - what about their guy Fatty Arbuckle?

[n2doc]

11. How about not allowing them to marry?

Maybe more of a direct comparison. Not that I am advocating for such a position.

[LiberalEsto]

12. Obesity is irrelevant

They shouldn't allow reactionary rightwingers to serve as governor.

[FarCenter]

13. How about "The State Police guard shall limit the Governor's food to 1500 calories per day."

Which is what he should do anyway. Like Odessyeus and the Sirens, he should give his protective unit an irrevocable command to limit his caloric intake. I would think that the large armed men who guard him would be up to the job.

[Bluerthanblue]

14. this is not only stupid- it's self destructive.

acting the way those who are intolerant and hatefilled act and then excusing it by saying "well they do it, so it's ok for "us" to do it" is just childish and stupid.

Until we grow up, and get beyond this kind of foolishness we are contributing to this fucked up society and are part of the problem rather than the solution.

[stopbush]

18. Exactly. Guess you missed the sarcasm.

[Bluerthanblue]

20. I'm afraid I did-

I'm pretty 'sarcasm' challenged.

I'm never sure when people are saying something outrageous to make a point, or if they really mean it. And, too often it seems, when I'm sure it's 'sarcasm' other people voice support for the position which seems incredible to me- so.. I like people to say what they mean. I know that many people don't share this hang-up.

glad to know that you didn't mean it literally.

[lunatica]

15. No

Obese people are just like anyone else. Only some of them are assholes.