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Are there jobs where your weight should matter? Obviously if you can't squeeze down the aisles, you might not make a great flight attendant, but what if you're in reasonably good health and capable of doing the job?President Obama has nominated Regina Benjamin for Surgeon General, but instead of people being totally psyched about her MacArthur genius award, her impressive charitable works, or her down-to-earth working-class background, everybody is trying to guess her BMI. Some people think a country plagued with obesity should not have an obese person representing our nation's health care.
Still, we don't remember anyone throwing this argument at all those husky surgeon generals who happened to be male. If C. Everett Koop could be in charge of the nation's health-care system while doing an amazing impression of a Civil War surgeon, should we really care about Benjamin's few extra pounds?
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Monday 20 July
By xosweetmamixo04
Only her experience and education should be the only concern not what she looks like. Unfortunately too many judge a person by their apperance. Remember Susan Boyle? Well guess she showed them didn't she?
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Monday 20 July
By Renae
I have seen several surgeon generals in my lifetime. All male, and none of them thin that I recall. Their weight was never in question. It is not a question now because of everyones big health concern, but because she is female.
I do not believe that the quality of a persons mind, personality or initiative is in direct corelation with their waist size.
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Monday 20 July
By victor
iffin she smoked 100 cigarettes a day or iffin she drank a bottle of whiskey a day or iffin she ate a gallon of ice cream everyday should not matter one bit.it's her job performance and not her job appearance that should matter.
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Monday 20 July
By cd
oh please.......since when don't leaders LEAD
Monday 20 July
By Steven
I had to laugh at the person who said all overweight people are in denial about being happy as they are. Sounds like to me that person has their own issues to work out if they have to make a laughable claim like that.
Anyways, this is just another whine fest where people need to find something to whine about. Seeing that her background is almost clean, people needed to find SOMETHING to bash her with for the sake of being crybabies, so they chose her weight.
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Monday 20 July
By john
obesity should be encouraged?
smoking should be encouraged?
no exercise should be encouraged?
on and on.
Monday 20 July
By Bob
I would expect a Dr to know that being overweight can lead to diabetes, heart, joint problems and other health issues, and, keep their weight in normal range. My Dr is not fat, and I would not chose one.
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Monday 20 July
By Aimee
You know, that comment is insensitive. I am a physician who has struggled with weight since I was 10. Did that make my brain unable to perform my job, or keep me from being a doctor. I know the health risks, and I constantly try to loose weight. Sometimes, it is really hard when you are up for more than 24 hours taking care of patients and there is only 3 seconds to grab a bite of whatever is there (I try to take healthy food to work, but it is not always possible to even take anything when called in on an emergency). My patients appreciate me and the work I do. I am working on my weight, but it doesn't make me less of a good doctor because I am overweight. And, it helps me to understand what those struggling with their weight are going through. There are no simple fixes to it, so quit judging people by how they look. You obviously have never had to deal with a weight issue of your own, or you would be more understanding of those of us who have.
Monday 20 July
By Pote207
Obama himself is RACIST so his two biggest picks, Sotomayor and Benjamin, are aso RACIST. Just ask them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 They would NEVER, NEVER lie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Monday 20 July
By chilco99
I am not an Obama fan, but this doc seems solid and I wish her the best of luck.
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Monday 20 July
By susan turing
The only reason this woman has come under the microscope is because she is black. For years everybody has had to put up with health officials that smoke, possibly do drugs in their own spare and private time, are corrupt, big, small, thin, fat, bigotted, indifferent, or just plain sitting on the fence. Its stupid and ludicrous a title to even go there with. Can all GP's and doctors stop smoking is a more pertinent question to ask. They dont smoke in public and what they do is behind closed doors, if Regina chooses to pig out on chocolate 24/7 thats her business and no-one elses. DO YOU GET MY DRIFT???
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Monday 20 July
By jim fay
Yes, it matters. As a child, I can remember thinking that the "Surgeon General" must be some pretty important dude. To have a high medical title along with a high military title, he MUST be important, right? Sending the right message to children is what adulthood is all about. In listening to advice from anyone, consider the source; how could I accept a fat, er, excuse me, obese, person to talk to me about nutrition and be taken seriously? Perhaps I should just be as politically uncorrect as I can be; Fat is fat, and that's that.
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Monday 20 July
By Mary S.
As a child you looked up to the Surgeon General? Why am I having a difficult time believing that?
There are plenty of our national leaders that are overweight; I don't see anyone carping about them. This is only an issue because she's a woman, and there's nothing else to complain about.
Monday 20 July
By Rose
I feel that appearance is essential, but understanding a situation is everything. I work with at risk youth and their families every day. The thing that works best for me is that I can lead by example. I remember when I was in the sam place most of my clients are in but I am now leading them by testimony. I do feel that she should be required to be an example by working on her own weight. I feel that she is the prime candidate if she agrees to lose weight herself and use her own battle as a testimony. People who have gone through can show others the way. We have too many people who are making rules and suggestions from reading books and don't have a reality clue at all.
We are so judgemental, especially those who have not experienced the problems at hand. And no, I am 5'8" and weigh 135. The highest weight I have ever had was 148 and then I was pregnant and when I join an exercise class I get "what are you in here for?" I believe that we are struggling with obesity but I don't sit on the outside and instruct or suggest, I lead by example.
Monday 20 July
By cheryl
you sound like a real disrimination pig to me!!!
fat is fat--maybe so, but it is also a medical issue just like any other issue, ex. being cancer, blindness, bipolar or depression. That dosn't mean that someone is not capable of doing their job duties. Yes, I have weight issues & medical issues, but my weight did not bring on the medical concerns. Also, thin/skinny/underweight people also have problems of their own. I have seen several MD's (trying to find suitable) over the yrs, when told I need to lose weight by a medical professional that was string bean I feel they can't relate to me. I am in dental profession, if I wore dentures does this mean I don't know the importance of dental issues!!
Monday 20 July
By rfh0658
Yeah right, as a child you thought of the Surgeon General, give me a break.
Monday 20 July
By Kelly
Jim Fay is a prick AND stupid. It's INCORRECT, not uncorrect. Dumbass.
Monday 20 July
By tlomac103
I actually hadn't noticed her weight since so many in our society are overweight (myself included). I tend to only notice if someone is extremely thin or extremely heavy. Now that I read this, I do take pause. While it should not take anything away from any of her many accomplishments, I don't think it is wrong for some to raise the issue. Who doesn't notice the dentist with bad breath and less than perfect teeth? The doctor who smokes? And on and on. We're only human. And now they're saying that a few extra pounds will make you live longer! WTH!
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Monday 20 July
By Kevin
We DO have an obesity epidemic in this country. Over 70% of our healthcare costs are behavior related (obesity, smoking, etc). We need a Surgeon General that can help Americans change these unhealthy behaviors if we are ever going to get a handle on healthcare costs. Oh by the way.... maybe President Obama should quit smoking too... as an example to our nation.
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Monday 20 July
By JB
I don't mind her getting the job as long as there is a commitment up front to be the national example of someone who is ready and willing to change her life to shed pounds and get physically fit with food choices and exercise. This way, people can see that it CAN be done, no matter what your age or natural physical tendencies are. It is so much easier for some people, but even when it's not, we need more role models of people who are changing this around even when it's very hard to do. She could be that person. But if she has the attitude that it's ok and she won't commit to changing it, then I'd say no, she shouldn't get the job.
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