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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 Alice
I have found over the years that anyone who is fat has a very bad personality to cover their guilt about overeating. Obama does not have the intelligence to know how this effects how people can do their job properly. I have also noticed how it is a trend for black men to like fat women to cover their insecurity. A surgeon General should be a role model for healthy people, not fat people.
Reply
Friday 24 July
By watapiti
You are not only a racist but also an idiot. If you want to do something helpful, don't reproduce.
Monday 20 July
By Melinda
Don't you mean affects?
Monday 20 July
By mbweha
Who in the world are you? Who gives you the right to call others fat. Oh my Thanks for being so perfect.
Monday 20 July
By Tracie
Not all fat people have bad attitudes to cover up the insecurities about overeating..not all fat people are fat because they over eat. I exercise 5 days a week for at least an hour a day..I limit my caloric and fat intake and I'm struggling with my weight...I'm not an emotional eater in fact when I'm upset food is the last thing I want.
Yes, there are lots of people who have self esteem issues and it's judgemental people like you that make them that way.
No one can speak for how anyone views themselves or how they feel..only the person themselves can do that. I've been fat most of my life...and I have an awesome attitude. If you don't like the way I look then you don't have to look at me. Yes, I would like to be thinner but if being thin is going to make me a narrow minded, judgemental ass like a lot of people on here then I'll stay fat and happy forever!!!!!!
Monday 20 July
By Sabrina
Alice,
you are an insulting rascist female dog. What do you know about the preferences of black men for heavier women. And why should any man (black or white) who may have a preference for a woman they can hold on to without breaking them in half be seen as insecure. I guess you can never understand a community that does not relate size to one's true worth can you?
All of you hateful people first of all needs to understand that the size of the average woman in this country in not what is protrayed on televion or in the magazines. She is a healthy and confident plus size 14/16. To deny a person a position where they are otherwise qualified introduces very dangerous backwards slippery slope. This re-opens the door to hiring based on race, sex or physical handicap. Somehow I do not think this is a path this country wants to go down again.
Monday 20 July
By CK
What an ignorant and inconsiderate statement that has absolutely no merit. We do not discriminate enough, now we totally discount a person's education, experience, history and compassionate and humanitarian deeds, to spew hatred and intolerance. Wow. It is as if a person cannot get a positive pat on the back, job well done, keep up the great work, with people of your mentality right there to put a negative spin on matters.
Thanks for showing us what it is to be callous and ignorant.
Monday 20 July
By pat
I enjoy taking these polls and viewing other people's opinions. The results of this poll however, are biased. You have two choices with the "no" response making the total percentage for "no's" 53%. Your result listing makes it look as though the "yes" response is greater - Very misleading!!!!
Reply
Monday 20 July
By skip hopson
The yes vote in this poll should have been 100% since we do have an obesity epidemic !
Monday 20 July
By Mary
Anyone in this world who thinks they have a right to judge people who are over weight are just a bunch of ignorant, obnoxious ,arrogant people! She is human and very intelligent, but there must be a perfect size human who wants her position and could not find anything else on her except her weight!! Not like that should matter, but in this world you must be a size 0 and nothing larger then a 2 because God forbid you are a 5 or 6 that makes you some how in their sick world fat, but the only thing fat in this world are the heads of these people who do these kind of things, whether its for personal gain or their arrogance. There seems to be no kindness, caring or respect today. What kind of person are you if you can make fun of others? Well its the people who are so insecure with themselves they need to poke fun at others, Well here's a thought why not find out what is really bothering you instead of attacking others!!!
Reply
Monday 20 July
By Paloma
No one is asking her to be a size 0 or a 2. And a size 14/16 is not healthy! A size 10 is considered normal for us people who are not celebrities.
Monday 20 July
By L. Willis
People in office must lead by example and not just talk the talk. It would be discrimination if they didn't hire her for the job but she should seriously lose some weight. If she will be promoting a healthier lifestyle she too should try to apply those same ideas to herself. Being over-weight has many health risks and everyone should be trying to be healthy. Everyone can not be skinny but in order to avoid health problems everyone should eat and exercise. Dr. Benjamin's professional record is great so she should be confirmed but she is in a great position to really help those over-weight by losing weight herself.
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Monday 20 July
By Steve
Forget about her weight if she is being nominated by the Obama administration the thing we need to look at is her tax records, she MUST be behind somewhere since that seems to be the common thread with this administration. They look to raise as many taxes as possible while hiring people who don't bother paying them!
Reply
Monday 20 July
By rehmgdboy
If you were in an intensive job where it was a go, go ,go situation, it is very possible to err in the tons of paperwork! Many comments criticizing these people are either Republican, Racist,,,,,,,,or,,Both! Which are you?
Monday 20 July
By Beverly Faddis
It is pretty difficult if not impossible for me personally to take seriously the professional who claims to have answers...not to heed her own adivce. A cardiologist weighing approximately 350 once sat in front of me and told me straight-faced that I needed to lose some weight. In an Optifast Weight Loss class at Kaiser Hospital in San Diego, my instructor was overweight; without an example or a role model, the whole thing was a joke! If the new surgeon general is capable of the huge job before her, she is capable of weight loss and ought to make it a top priority for hers and our sake!!!
Reply
Monday 20 July
By C E Hopson
Before she rails about the evils of smoking, she needs to drop about 50 off her fat ass !
Reply
Monday 20 July
By jsloroll
You have a lot of nerve to denigrate a woman you don't know. I bet she could out think you, out run you, out do your bigoted ass in everything you think you could do. Where do you people come from? You are like cockroaches, as soon as someone is elevated to a lofty position in society you try to tear them down with your hatred. I wish I knew who you were I would kick your ass from one end to the next .
Monday 20 July
By john
do you know anyone, who would choose to be obese.
for 99% of our population, IT IS A CHOICE.
do not eat like a PIG!!!
Reply
Monday 20 July
By redconvoy
Not all people overeat. Sometimes it's a pill they take that makes them that way. I work for an agency that deals with that. So until you work in the medical field, don't make innane comments.
Monday 20 July
By Pat
John, you do not know what you are talking about. Medical experts have found a hunger hormone that can be overactive in some people. Get your facts straight. And Sabrina is right about Alice and I am saying this as a white woman.