(no subject)

[serene]

Some coward posted an anonymous comment on my LJ and then removed it before I could respond to it, so I thought I'd post it here so that anyone who has inclination to could mock and deride this person. Hey, seems fair, yes?

(My journal, my rules: if you agree with this cowardly fuckwit, keep it to yourself.)

Hi,

I was just skimming and skimming through the MD board and I found your
post-- you said you weren't posting there anymore and I figured i would
respond to what you said...

Now, goodness it has been a while-- but still here is what I think.

Lots of times people make excuses for their size.

The truth as an expert sees it should not offend-- unless of course the
expert is wrong.

Being fat will lead you to dying earlier and a host of health problems.

I am completely anti-fat.

I don't respect people who do not take responsibility for their health
and I wouldn't hire them.

I guess that makes me a bigot... like most of American society.

Comments

[deakat]

I am completely anti-asshat.

[custardfairy.livejournal.com]

WIN!

[willendorf5761.livejournal.com]

I agree with the part where s/he says s/he's a bigot -- does that count?

[hel]

Oy. I wish I hadn't read that, the stupid really bummed me out.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Ooh, sorry. I shall insert a cut tag.

[hel]

No worries. I'd likely have clicked the cut and read it anyway even if it'd been cut when I got here. :)

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

You know what really bugs me a lot? The idea that if something makes you live slightly less long, it's morally irresponsible -- that the greatest goal you can have in all of life is to make sure you live as long as humanly possible.

Let's leave aside whether there's any connection with weight and longevity entirely. Why is that how we measure goodness and morality these days?

What about people who do extreme sports? Work in dangerous occupations^*? Enlist in the military?

Should we refuse to respect them? Should employers refuse to hire them? If a co-worker decides to try tackling Everest, should they be out of a job?

^* eeyorerin's contribution, via IM.

[fightingtiger.livejournal.com]

Nice!

[ailbhe]

What about women who are married and men who are not? They both live shorter lives, on average, than their unmarried / married counterparts.

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

A compelling argument for same-sex marriage!

[inferno0069.livejournal.com]

:-D

[snippy]

I'm getting divorced right now! I want to live longer!

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Well, if you don't, you're being irresponsible and wasting my tax dollars, so get on it, Missy.

[ailbhe]

It would be irresponsible not to, after all.

[bcholmes.livejournal.com]

Well said.

And serenjournal, I grrr in solidarity!

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my being an electrician has a decent chance of shortening my lifespan.

[fightingtiger.livejournal.com]

I won't address the bigot directly, but let me tell you what I think.

I respect people who attach names to their hate speech more than I do anonymous haters. I don't respect people who don't take responsibility for their mental health. That includes bigotry. I think an attack to one is an attack to all. I think the data around correlations between size and health is skewed at best and outright fraudulent at worst. I think anybody who sucked on their mama's tit is an expert at something, but that doesn't mean they're right or worthy of my ear. I think I'd prefer serenejournal's company to a bigot's anyday, and if I had money to give her a job, she'd certainly get it over a cowardly bigot.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Agreed, 100 percent. Those who don't have the guts to attach their names to their positions are not, in my opinion, worth listening to.

As for Mr. or Ms. Anonymous: educate yourself (http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/) before you offer your unsolicited opinion. All is not as you appear to believe.

[mollyf.livejournal.com]

Excellent comments here!

I followed you over to your LJ from the "MD" board too. I cancel out the anonymous cowardly hater. Reading what you have to say on this issue has helped me in many, many ways. Thank you!

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Yay! You made today the day full of win. Thank you!

[mac-arthur-park.livejournal.com]

What they said.

[wordweaverlynn.livejournal.com]

I love you.

[custardfairy.livejournal.com]

If this person is completely anti-fat, s/he may be horrified to know that THERE ARE EVIL FAT CELLS living inside zir body right now, breeding and multiplying and BEING FAT.

Won't someone think of the children?

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Show me someone without fat cells, and I'll show you a person who doesn't exist. Duh.

[ptigris.livejournal.com]

grrr.

[pure-agnostic.livejournal.com]

What a rude comment left by some anonymous coward! Sheesh!

At least the person understands zie is a bigot.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Bigot = yes
coward for post anomyously = hell yes
Asshat to boot = more than likely

[papabearnz.livejournal.com]

What an idiot. It's not the length of life that is important but how you lived.

Everybody dies. We have no control over that. But not everybody actually lives!

Speaking as a fat man - I'd rather be the man I am than many of the more popular alternatives. I like diversity :)

[catrinaz.livejournal.com]

But not everybody actually lives!

WORD. lol sorry, i can't figure out how else to say it. i agree completely.

[takumashii.livejournal.com]

This person seems to be completely anti-fat including the fat that his/her brain requires for function.

[gramina.livejournal.com]

Well said.

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Anonymous haters are the worst. I'm sorry you've had to deal with this today.

[uncacreamy.livejournal.com]

Being fat -can- lead to a host of health problems. The same with being a woman. Or over a certain age. Or under a certain age. Or just -ALIVE-. I insist this person make the healthy choice for itself, and take care of that living problem that will lead to so many health problems.. including heart disease, memory loss, and arthritis.

[sistercoyote.livejournal.com]

Life is an STD.

[firecat]

If we'd all just stayed as inorganic molecules look at how much better off the world would be.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

Everyone has said everything already...but I particularly like the comments pointing out other things that might shorten one's life, and uncacreamy's suggestion for the asshat.

[lizzibabe.livejournal.com]

Said person is suffering deeply. I recommend a rectalcraniologist STAT.

[(Anonymous)]

I'm on the overweight side myself. Not morbidly obese, but I could stand to lose about 30 to 40 pounds. I won't make any excuse for it...I choose to eat ice cream and cookies and to drink pop. I do have some physical and health issues that I didn't have when I weighed 30 to 40 pounds less, so they are probably related to my gain. I don't agree with this person about refusing to hire someone because of their weight and such. Only environmental reasons would cause me to not hire someone...like if my door was to narrow for a person or if my floor couldn't handle the person's weight. These I think would be the only kind of reasons to not hire someone due to their weight.

[(Anonymous)]

I meant to say "too narrow"

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Then I'd say widen your door or fix your floor. Those seem like reasonable accommodations to me, if the person is qualified to do the job.

[(Anonymous)]

I would probably consider that if changing the door or the floor wasn't going to be a huge issue structurally, an issue with the landlords of the building, too much time or cost for my own company, etc. If it meant that there would be issues, I would have to explain to the person as kindly as possible that I needed to look for another applicant. This person might be very well qualified for the job, but that doesn't guarantee that I have all of the ability, money, or resources to change certain situations. It would be one of those unpleasant "sorry this is how life is sometimes" kind of situations.

[inflectionpoint.livejournal.com]

Serene, I am proud of you.

[haleth.livejournal.com]

You are awesome. <3

That is all.