Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
Article on "Fat Faye"
snoppyjanoppy:
--- Quote from: Anyways on 07 Jul 2008, 17:11 ---Nah, I think there's still some flesh around the hooves we haven't beaten off yet.
--- End quote ---
:-D that's if Deniselle hasn't eaten it yet.
Mars:
--- Quote from: evernew on 07 Jul 2008, 03:49 ---I'm sorry to go back on the smoking thing yet again.
Since February this year, it is no longer allowed to smoke inside restaurants, bars, clubs, concert venues etc. in the federal state where I go to school.
There have been numerous outcries (our favorite tabloid newspaper had stories about proprietors committing suicide because 80% of their core clientele could no longer visit as usual) and many places that have the layout and financial resources for it have refurbished to have a smoking area (which, also by law, needs to be properly sealed off with a door that cannot be propped open etc.).
A lot of the smokers in that area have been protesting. So have the proprietors. The Supreme Court realized that a lot of these people have a point (you cannot really forbid everything that is potentially bad for a person if you still want your citizens to have freedom of choice etc. - it's a long debate).
A few days ago, the same legislation was introduced in the place where I live. This federal state has about 10 times as many inhabitants. Thus, the outcry was thunderous.
What I'm getting at here is that there are smokers pushing for tolerance. Very similar to fat people.
Their claim to have freedom of choice over their lifestyle is similar as well.
The consequences for themselves are obvious (both choices are unhealthy period; of course there's that one uncle who chainsmoked for 70 years and lived but _in general_ being overweight or being a smoker is not good for you).
--- End quote ---
The issue with smoking bans isn't necessarily about acceptance, but rather about freedom of choice. I don't agree with smoking bans because I believe that proprietors should have the option to make that decision for themselves.
Imagine the outcry if a restaurant or bar owner decided that fat people should be cordoned off and segregated.
But really, the smoking thing was only ever intended to be a rough analogy. It's not a 1 to 1 thing, people! It's getting rather silly.
--- Quote from: evernew on 07 Jul 2008, 03:49 ---The point that has to enter into this discussion is the social consequences. Smokers are expensive patients. Fat people are expensive patients. Both have elevated risks for serious diseases etc. A smoker may directly damage other people through passive smoke. This is where the parallel stops.
But fattiness is still a hazard.
The people who know it isn't healthy and still choose to be fat - in fact, defending to be fat - should IMHO not receive medical treatment unless they pay 100% of it themselves. Same for smokers, by the way.
--- End quote ---
The issue with this is where to draw the line. There are a lot of illnesses that are self-inflicted in some way or another. Should melanoma patients have to pay because they didn't wear sunscreen? Should STD patients have to pay because they trusted their partner? Osteoporosis patients because they didn't get enough calcium in their diet?
Refusing people health care based on personal choices is a very dangerous road to go down.
jeph:
Yeah you got to give people basic health care regardless of what bad decisions they may have made in the past.
Fat Acceptance people really bother me because many of them are advocating an unhealthy lifestyle. It's the same as anorexia-advocates, just on the opposite end of the spectrum. It's like, yes, you should not be discriminated against because of your weight, and yes, not all fat people are that way because they eat too many Big Macs. But the fact remains that being overweight is unhealthy and people should not be unhealthy if they can help it! I say this as a dude who could probably stand to lose about 50 or 60 pounds and is going to the gym to try and do that.
Thlayli:
--- Quote from: Mars on 07 Jul 2008, 21:20 ---
The issue with smoking bans isn't necessarily about acceptance, but rather about freedom of choice. I don't agree with smoking bans because I believe that proprietors should have the option to make that decision for themselves.
Imagine the outcry if a restaurant or bar owner decided that fat people should be cordoned off and segregated.
--- End quote ---
I can't get cancer from secondhand obesity. Smoking is a matter of public safety.
jeph:
Yeah smoking is actively bad for those around you. I am all in favor of not smoking in public.
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