Obesity Discrimination

Recommended Videos

Vegosiux

New member
May 18, 2011
4,381
0
0
RafaelNegrus said:
Now I'm not sure on this point, because I live in America and government healthcare is considered socialism here, but I think they would just call them "rising healthcare costs" and not mention why they're rising.
My point is that increased costs in one department don't usually result in a tax increase, but in rebalancing the budget. And frankly, there's always areas you can make some cuts in and redirect the resources where they're more necessary; not to say anything about a more efficient management in the first place.

Okay, tobacco sales tax may go up, but I don't see how that's a tax increase for a non-smoker. Sales tax on unhealthy foodstuffs may go up, but again, I don't see how that's an increase for someone who never threw their money on cheap unhealthy food in the first place. Basically what the sales tax thing tries to do is actually make people pay up more for potential consequences of their chosen lifestyle while not pushing the burden onto others.
 

RafaelNegrus

New member
Mar 27, 2012
140
0
0
Farseer Lolotea said:
RafaelNegrus said:
If I started acting like I'm swimming while on on solid ground I would be insane. But it is totally appropriate when I'm in the water. Circumstances matter.
Unless you're using weight and/or body-mass index as a proxy for particular habits and/or health issues, that analogy makes no sense.

Then again, that's exactly what the weight-loss industry does anyway.
Say I am morbidly obese. 6 foot tall, 600 pounds. I don't care what measurement you use, or why that is, something needs to be done and extreme situations call for potentially extreme solutions. Yes, there might be a fuzzy line where BMI is obviously not representative of what's going on, but that doesn't mean going on a weight-loss diet is crazy.
 

RafaelNegrus

New member
Mar 27, 2012
140
0
0
Vegosiux said:
RafaelNegrus said:
Now I'm not sure on this point, because I live in America and government healthcare is considered socialism here, but I think they would just call them "rising healthcare costs" and not mention why they're rising.
My point is that increased costs in one department don't usually result in a tax increase, but in rebalancing the budget. And frankly, there's always areas you can make some cuts in and redirect the resources where they're more necessary; not to say anything about a more efficient management in the first place.

Okay, tobacco sales tax may go up, but I don't see how that's a tax increase for a non-smoker. Sales tax on unhealthy foodstuffs may go up, but again, I don't see how that's an increase for someone who never threw their money on cheap unhealthy food in the first place. Basically what the sales tax thing tries to do is actually make people pay up more for potential consequences of their chosen lifestyle while not pushing the burden onto others.
But my point is that if they were to institute a tax increase for such a thing they wouldn't tell you it was because of obesity related cost increases. Of course the budget can be rebalanced, but that still means obesity is costing you something, be it more spending in one area that you care about or possibly a tax increase.
 

Farseer Lolotea

New member
Mar 11, 2010
605
0
0
RafaelNegrus said:
Say I am morbidly obese. 6 foot tall, 600 pounds. I don't care what measurement you use, or why that is, something needs to be done and extreme situations call for potentially extreme solutions. Yes, there might be a fuzzy line where BMI is obviously not representative of what's going on, but that doesn't mean going on a weight-loss diet is crazy.
If someone's that fat? Much as the media likes to sensationalize it into a matter of too many donuts, something has probably (note: probably) gone awry with their body chemistry.

So, no; you don't crash-diet. You look for the underlying condition and treat it. (In before "but fat is the underlying condition!")
 

RafaelNegrus

New member
Mar 27, 2012
140
0
0
IndomitableSam said:
I'm getting really fucking tired of this "everyone chooses to be fat, they're a bum" type thing. Seriously? Some people are born bigger. Metabolism is different in everyone. Yes, most overweight people could do some things better, but, honestly - how many skinny people are as unhealthy as obese people? How many skinny people have heart issues, high cholesterol, etc? Why do they? Some eat terribly and don't gain weight... some just have it due to genetics. Skinny people sit and play video games or watch tv all day - but do we criticize them, tell them to go outside and get some exercise? What about the people who have all these chips and Red Bull for gaming sessions? How healthy are they? Could they run a mile any better than someone who is overweight?

Some people are big because they don't live properly... some just are. Stop the judging.

If you want to get on someone for being fat - in this day and age - go and fix your face with surgery - it's just as easy as losing weight. Crooked nose, big chin, droopy eyes... just plain horse-faced ugly? Surgery. Takes less time, too. Or your boobs. Do they fit with society's ideal? Too small and you're not sexy. Too big and you're a slut. Are your feet funny looking? Are they too big for most shoe styles? If you can't wear nice heels then you're not as sexy as someone who does. Why is your hair grey? Society says grey hair is bad. Unless you're a man. Then it can only be partly grey. And don't even think about balding, unless you look good with a shaved head or want to be labelled sad or pathetic. How about scars? Society says you're ugly if you have scars - go fix them. And if you're a guy who's really skinny, you're not attractive at all - society says you're a creep if you're skinny and have long hair.

What does society say if you're a certain age and single? If you're an unmarried woman, something's wrong with you. An unmarried man, and you're focusing on your career. Career woman? She should be having kids. Mother? She should be working. Doing both? She's making everyone else look bad. Gets divorced? Someone cheated or they failed in some other way.

Everything can be changed now, so why is picking on fat people ok? From what I'm told, it is much easier to afford unhealthy food in the US than healthy. In the north here in Canada, you can get a bag of chips for a couple dollars, but a gallon of milk costs 10. A loaf of bread 6 or 7 dollars. A bag of apples? $20. Not easy to eat well.

Also - have you ever asked someone how they feel after they lose weight? People treat them better and that is the most hurtful thing in the world.

Seriously, if people keep saying it's ok to badmouth fat people, think about your lifestyle first. And the way you look. Because some people may be fat, but they're much better looking than you, and a much better person.

Why do we have to conform? I have no heart disease in my family - shouldn't I be badmouthing someone who does because they're not eating a proper diet and taking the right supplements and exercising the right way and as much as they should to make sure they don't cost people money due to their health issues?
Yes, society has it's ideals and we have to decide which of those ideals we accept and which we don't, and even when we apply those that we accept. We have to choose which of these to apply to others and which we care about when others apply them to us. I know for me personally, I don't dress incredibly fashionably, but I don't care. I simply don't want to put out the effort to worry about that all the time. But does this have consequences? Yes it does. I very often get made fun of because of my stupid shirt of the day, but I choose to laugh along, because I think my shirts are funny.

I think that unhealthy behaviors should be discouraged. I have a couple of friends who are trying to lose weight and I cheer them on, and we celebrate their successes, and that's great for them! Might they get treated better because of what they struggled through? Yes, and I think that they should. I know I want to be treated better because of my accomplishments.

If people don't want to get into this for some reason, then that is their choice, bu they are also choosing to take the consequences of that action. So should you be able to call someone who has a family history of heart disease out for bad eating choices? Yes, by all means go ahead. Hopefully that will motivate them to eat better and live a longer, happier life. What's wrong with that?
 

Vegosiux

New member
May 18, 2011
4,381
0
0
RafaelNegrus said:
So should you be able to call someone who has a family history of heart disease out for bad eating choices? Yes, by all means go ahead. Hopefully that will motivate them to eat better and live a longer, happier life. What's wrong with that?
What's wrong with that is that usually it's not "calling out" but "chewing out" that happens - and believe me, that doesn't do much for the motivation.
 

RafaelNegrus

New member
Mar 27, 2012
140
0
0
Farseer Lolotea said:
RafaelNegrus said:
Say I am morbidly obese. 6 foot tall, 600 pounds. I don't care what measurement you use, or why that is, something needs to be done and extreme situations call for potentially extreme solutions. Yes, there might be a fuzzy line where BMI is obviously not representative of what's going on, but that doesn't mean going on a weight-loss diet is crazy.
If someone's that fat? Much as the media likes to sensationalize it into a matter of too many donuts, something has probably (note: probably) gone awry with their body chemistry.

So, no; you don't crash-diet. You look for the underlying condition and treat it.
But you do diet. You see a doctor, do some insane exercising, eat way less and way better food, all of which are things that people of a normal weight would not do. See what I'm getting at? We tone down the example some, and that makes total sense for the person to do. For me (read: ridiculously skinny but not underweight) doing something even as mild as weight watchers would be stupid, and could probably be described as something akin to body-dimorphism. That doesn't mean it's not an okay thing in some circumstances.

P.S. thanks for inadvertently helping me learn how to italicize :)
 

RafaelNegrus

New member
Mar 27, 2012
140
0
0
Vegosiux said:
RafaelNegrus said:
So should you be able to call someone who has a family history of heart disease out for bad eating choices? Yes, by all means go ahead. Hopefully that will motivate them to eat better and live a longer, happier life. What's wrong with that?
What's wrong with that is that usually it's not "calling out" but "chewing out" that happens - and believe me, that doesn't do much for the motivation.
Anything can be done badly. Even attitudes of "anyone can do anything that makes them happy and they shouldn't be judged for that" (which so many of these threads become a discussion of). Because that attitude easily can and does become one of not accepting the consequences of one's actions, and neglecting the notion that the things we do says something about the people we are.

Should people be motivated to do things that are good for them? Yes, but that can be done badly, as you said.
 

Vegosiux

New member
May 18, 2011
4,381
0
0
RafaelNegrus said:
Vegosiux said:
RafaelNegrus said:
So should you be able to call someone who has a family history of heart disease out for bad eating choices? Yes, by all means go ahead. Hopefully that will motivate them to eat better and live a longer, happier life. What's wrong with that?
What's wrong with that is that usually it's not "calling out" but "chewing out" that happens - and believe me, that doesn't do much for the motivation.
Anything can be done badly. Even attitudes of "anyone can do anything that makes them happy and they shouldn't be judged for that" (which so many of these threads become a discussion of). Because that attitude easily can and does become one of not accepting the consequences of one's actions, and neglecting the notion that the things we do says something about the people we are.

Should people be motivated to do things that are good for them? Yes, but that can be done badly, as you said.
If you have a serious intentions to help, that's all cool. Because that means you'll actually want to help and be helpful. But most people (loaded expression, I know), helping isn't their motivation. They want to feel better about themselves by being a dick to someone else. It's "Don't you think you should watch your weight and exercise a bit more?" vs. "Fucking fatass, stop eating so much and spending my tax money."

So yeah, it's cool that you stick by your friends and cheer them on as they are on their weight loss quest - that's just fine and dandy in my books. What's not okay in my books is the "It's okay to be a dick to fat people because they're fat" attitude.
 

ExileNZ

New member
Dec 15, 2007
915
0
0
hulksmashley said:
It's not nice to discriminate against anyone for any reason.

Obesity is just another stupid reason people judge one another. Like people who judge smokers, or christians, or atheists, or immigrants, or women, or gays. This list goes on and on and on.
This.

It doesn't matter what the reason, the more similar people are the harder they'll look for differences to single each other out.

So yes, fat people are discriminated against. But they're not alone in that.
 

Farseer Lolotea

New member
Mar 11, 2010
605
0
0
RafaelNegrus said:
But you do diet. You see a doctor, do some insane exercising, eat way less and way better food, all of which are things that people of a normal weight would not do. See what I'm getting at?
Yes, if what you're "getting at" is that you're going to continue to operate off of the presumption that there's invariably a behavioral basis to weight.

We tone down the example some, and that makes total sense for the person to do. For me (read: ridiculously skinny but not underweight) doing something even as mild as weight watchers would be stupid, and could probably be described as something akin to body-dimorphism. That doesn't mean it's not an okay thing in some circumstances.
Yes, if there is a behavioral basis.

But if there isn't? Treating weight loss as automatically necessary, much less the automatic solution, is a product of bias.

ExileNZ said:
It doesn't matter what the reason, the more similar people are the harder they'll look for differences to single each other out.

So yes, fat people are discriminated against. But they're not alone in that.
Indeed, although I'd argue that mainstream society finds it more socially acceptable than most other prejudices.
 

RafaelNegrus

New member
Mar 27, 2012
140
0
0
Vegosiux said:
RafaelNegrus said:
Vegosiux said:
RafaelNegrus said:
So should you be able to call someone who has a family history of heart disease out for bad eating choices? Yes, by all means go ahead. Hopefully that will motivate them to eat better and live a longer, happier life. What's wrong with that?
What's wrong with that is that usually it's not "calling out" but "chewing out" that happens - and believe me, that doesn't do much for the motivation.
Anything can be done badly. Even attitudes of "anyone can do anything that makes them happy and they shouldn't be judged for that" (which so many of these threads become a discussion of). Because that attitude easily can and does become one of not accepting the consequences of one's actions, and neglecting the notion that the things we do says something about the people we are.

Should people be motivated to do things that are good for them? Yes, but that can be done badly, as you said.
If you have a serious intentions to help, that's all cool. Because that means you'll actually want to help and be helpful. But most people (loaded expression, I know), helping isn't their motivation. They want to feel better about themselves by being a dick to someone else. It's "Don't you think you should watch your weight and exercise a bit more?" vs. "Fucking fatass, stop eating so much and spending my tax money."

So yeah, it's cool that you stick by your friends and cheer them on as they are on their weight loss quest - that's just fine and dandy in my books. What's not okay in my books is the "It's okay to be a dick to fat people because they're fat" attitude.
Yeah, I get that, but if the issue is that of discrimination that actually involves a very wide number of thoughts and feelings and actions not all of which are bad and not all of which can be controlled. Probably the most significant way I discriminate against obese people is that I do not find obese women to be attractive (straight guy here). There's an acceptable range for me, but there's definitely something beyond that. IS that a bad thing? Eh, I might miss out on some nice girls because of that, but I'm not going to try and date every girl regardless of my personal tastes just in case I might miss out on something unexpected. Still don't have to be mean about it, but it's there.
 

RafaelNegrus

New member
Mar 27, 2012
140
0
0
Farseer Lolotea said:
RafaelNegrus said:
But you do diet. You see a doctor, do some insane exercising, eat way less and way better food, all of which are things that people of a normal weight would not do. See what I'm getting at?
Yes, if what you're "getting at" is that you're going to continue to operate off of the presumption that there's invariably a behavioral basis to weight.

We tone down the example some, and that makes total sense for the person to do. For me (read: ridiculously skinny but not underweight) doing something even as mild as weight watchers would be stupid, and could probably be described as something akin to body-dimorphism. That doesn't mean it's not an okay thing in some circumstances.
Yes, if there is a behavioral basis.

But if there isn't? Treating weight loss as automatically necessary, much less the automatic solution, is a product of bias.

ExileNZ said:
It doesn't matter what the reason, the more similar people are the harder they'll look for differences to single each other out.

So yes, fat people are discriminated against. But they're not alone in that.
Indeed, although I'd argue that mainstream society finds it more socially acceptable than most other prejudices.
Why does it have to be a behavioral basis? My original example was me being in water versus me being on land. How is that a behavioral difference? I am well aware that genetics can have an affect on obesity, and that some are more prone to it than others, but if it becomes a problem than a different behavioral response is appropriate that it is for a person i a different situation.

Some people need to work harder to maintain a healthy weight, which isn't fair and kind of sucks but such is life.We all have our own challenges to get through, and our own situations that have different appropriate responses to them.
 

KafkaOffTheBeach

New member
Nov 17, 2010
222
0
0
Go forth and discriminate against fat people for the good of the land.

America, the UK, Australia, NZ...all spend a massive amount of money on institutionalised discrimination against smokers, why not do it for obese people?
Why not advertise healthy living while enforcing areas where fat people cannot go to eat, like public places?
Why not force fast food restaurants to display stickers showing the negative, long-term side effects of their products in gory detail?
Why not run anti-fatty food advertising campaigns that passive-aggressively condemn fat people for being fat, without actually overtly saying it? Or just flat out say "Your obesity is killing your children", or "Because you are fat, you will not be able to play with your friends."?

I mean, I don't smoke, and I think that smoking is pretty filthy, but at least smokers can put a cigarette out if asked. At least someone who is addicted to cigarettes wont try to justify it to fucking everyone by saying "Yellowed and possibly cancerous IS BEAUTIFUL! HATERS!".

I mean.....clearly both obesity and cigarettes are a problem, but we do need to get some perspective when it comes to fat people and 'obesity discrimination'. You'd think that it'd take more than pointing out the obvious to pierce that many layers....
 

Farseer Lolotea

New member
Mar 11, 2010
605
0
0
RafaelNegrus said:
Why does it have to be a behavioral basis?

My original example was me being in water versus me being on land. How is that a behavioral difference? I am well aware that genetics can have an affect on obesity, and that some are more prone to it than others, but if it becomes a problem than a different behavioral response is appropriate that it is for a person i a different situation.

Some people need to work harder to maintain a healthy weight, which isn't fair and kind of sucks but such is life.
Here's the trouble: You're presuming on there being a behavioral basis. You're still operating from the presumption that there's a standardized "healthy weight," and that anyone outside of a very narrow range must be "doing it wrong" somehow.

If you eat right, exercise, and are still fat (and yes, it happens more often than you might think, and a hell of a lot more often than the weight-loss industry would like you to think)? Dieting down to some aesthetic standard isn't going to automatically make you healthier. In fact, it can be bad for you.
 

Chairman Miaow

CBA to change avatar
Nov 18, 2009
2,093
0
0
tobi the good boy said:
Chairman Miaow said:
Honestly, people should discriminate against fat people. I used to be really fat, and I did something about it,and I should keep going, so I don't die when I'm 40. If there wasn't any stigma, I probably wouldn't have bothered.

I would rather be picked on than dead, or immobile.
See that doesn't really work, I used to frequent my local gym (Exams stopping me right now I'll be back in once they're over) and often I would see large people come in and try to get their act together but they would have to deal with so many snide remarks from meat heads and (for the lack of a better term) Bitches that they end up leaving because the environment was so hostile. Heck I used to think they just left because they gave up putting in the work but I've seen fully grown men in tears because of the shit they have to put up with.
They wouldn't have gone in the first place if people weren't telling them that being overweight was bad. When I tried to get in shape, I had nothing but help, advice and kindness from everyone, even people who used to pick on me for my weight.
 

RagTagBand

New member
Jul 7, 2011
497
0
0
Hey Fat people are people too, Hell usually they're the equivalent of multiple people squished together into a disgusting sphere of flesh and shit.

I have a serious answer to OP's question but time is only permitting me to make a sarcastic one.
 

tobi the good boy

New member
Dec 16, 2007
1,229
0
0
Chairman Miaow said:
tobi the good boy said:
Chairman Miaow said:
Honestly, people should discriminate against fat people. I used to be really fat, and I did something about it,and I should keep going, so I don't die when I'm 40. If there wasn't any stigma, I probably wouldn't have bothered.

I would rather be picked on than dead, or immobile.
See that doesn't really work, I used to frequent my local gym (Exams stopping me right now I'll be back in once they're over) and often I would see large people come in and try to get their act together but they would have to deal with so many snide remarks from meat heads and (for the lack of a better term) Bitches that they end up leaving because the environment was so hostile. Heck I used to think they just left because they gave up putting in the work but I've seen fully grown men in tears because of the shit they have to put up with.
They wouldn't have gone in the first place if people weren't telling them that being overweight was bad. When I tried to get in shape, I had nothing but help, advice and kindness from everyone, even people who used to pick on me for my weight.
Well that's quite lucky for you to have such a supportive environment but I'm not talking about people simply informing you of being large. I'm talking about flat out verbal assault and If you're implying that something like that is perfectly reasonable there is something very wrong with your concept of the human beings emotional state.
 

Abedeus

New member
Sep 14, 2008
7,412
0
0
RafaelNegrus said:
Abedeus said:
rutger5000 said:
Abedeus said:
rutger5000 said:
I treat fat people in the same way I would consider chain smokers. They are a threat for public health, and they can be flat out disgusting, and simple steps can be take to become less fat. (Save the world, become a vegetarian and watch you fat drop down.) And if it becomes a serious problem it's more then okay to discrinate against obese people. Look I get genetics and all, but I won't buy it that you won't lose weight if you just avoid animal fat and all that progressed stuff they dare to call food in America. Same as I get addiction, but I won't buy it that nicotine stickers and perhaps some thearapy won't get you of smoking.
To all that find this offensive. We as the world are going to face food shortage in the next few decades, until genetically enhanched crops finally make their entrance. We simpely wouldn't be able to support fat people's live habbits, nor would it be ethical with a significant proportion of the world starving to dead.
How is someone fat or obese a THREAT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH? Holy fuck I don't get some of you people. You're scared they'll what, collapse the sidewalk? Cause an earthquake? Leak fat and make people around them fat?

"We simply wouldn't be able to support fat people's living habits" boo hoo I guess, as long as they have money for fast foods and garbage to eat, they won't be short of food. Ethical? Welcome to business. You want to convince McDonalds to sell only to poor African children for $0.1 per burger? Go ahead.

I sense that a fat person insulted you or punched you when you were younger. Can't seem to find a reason to hate someone based on their appearance otherwise.
Fat people are part of the public, no? Being fat is a threat for you health, no? Ergo fat people are a thread for public health. If you don't follow this reasoning, for which I wouldn't blame you. Fat people take up hospital beds, we're lacking hospital beds.

And no I've never been hurt by a fat person in my live, and a good friend of mine is nearing obesity.
About 'not being able to support fat people', first off you can't eat money, second off you can't buy what isn't there, third off I have to admit I was referencing from Europe's prespective hear. America with it's enormous abundancy of land and recourses will be able to support their own civiliances. In Europe we would have needed to import food from nations that are lacking it themselves.
Again I treat fat people exactly like I treat chainsmokers. Do I have a problem with chainsmokers? I myself no. But I get discrimation against them, and I won't run to their aid when public opinion is pushing them to change their livestyle.
That's a fallacy. "If A leads to B, then A must be stopped!". Hey, here's an interesting fact - people who are slightly obese live longer than people who are either normal weight, underweight or very obese. Weird, huh.

Being fat doesn't affect anyone else. That's like saying "Giving an organ for donation is a risk to your health, so it affects the public, since you are public!! STOP DONATING ORGANS!". Or the whole gay marriage thing... just as stupid "IT WILL AFFECT THE CHILDREN AND NORMAL MARRIAGES!". You can't poison people with your fat. You can't second hand fatten them. If I eat a donut, my dog won't get fat, my mom won't get fat, you won't get fat. Unless you also eat donut, obviously.

"Drinking water in massive amounts can kill you. Killing you is a threat for your health, no? Ergo water is a threat to public health."

You can't eat money? Sure you can, you can buy shit with it. What isn't there? Last I checked, McDonalds are still open and doing great. Countries that are poor and famished aren't because it's fat people's fault, it's economics and poor conditions for agriculture. Educate yourself. All of your arguments are hypothetical fallacies for the sake of argument.

Just admit that you treat them like trash because you find them icky. That's why most people hate homosexuals, too. Not what their priest/holy book/pastor says, they just find the idea of people being different a scary idea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity_in_the_United_States

Over 35 percent of American adults are obese. Not overweight, they're obese. How is that not a problem? Make all the rhetorical circles that you want, but according to the CDC, the obesity rate caused an increase in medical spending by 75 billion dollars in 2003 alone.
And I care about America very, very deeply. Oh, wait, no, 3/4 of you also think evolution isn't real. That's a bigger problem in my eyes.

Also, obesity isn't caused by people. It's caused by obese people themselves. Stop treating it like an epidemic just because media does. It's a rising problem, but it doesn't validate discriminating people, and this is what the topic is about.

rutger5000 said:
Abedeus said:
rutger5000 said:
Abedeus said:
rutger5000 said:
I treat fat people in the same way I would consider chain smokers. They are a threat for public health, and they can be flat out disgusting, and simple steps can be take to become less fat. (Save the world, become a vegetarian and watch you fat drop down.) And if it becomes a serious problem it's more then okay to discrinate against obese people. Look I get genetics and all, but I won't buy it that you won't lose weight if you just avoid animal fat and all that progressed stuff they dare to call food in America. Same as I get addiction, but I won't buy it that nicotine stickers and perhaps some thearapy won't get you of smoking.
To all that find this offensive. We as the world are going to face food shortage in the next few decades, until genetically enhanched crops finally make their entrance. We simpely wouldn't be able to support fat people's live habbits, nor would it be ethical with a significant proportion of the world starving to dead.
How is someone fat or obese a THREAT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH? Holy fuck I don't get some of you people. You're scared they'll what, collapse the sidewalk? Cause an earthquake? Leak fat and make people around them fat?

"We simply wouldn't be able to support fat people's living habits" boo hoo I guess, as long as they have money for fast foods and garbage to eat, they won't be short of food. Ethical? Welcome to business. You want to convince McDonalds to sell only to poor African children for $0.1 per burger? Go ahead.

I sense that a fat person insulted you or punched you when you were younger. Can't seem to find a reason to hate someone based on their appearance otherwise.
Fat people are part of the public, no? Being fat is a threat for you health, no? Ergo fat people are a thread for public health. If you don't follow this reasoning, for which I wouldn't blame you. Fat people take up hospital beds, we're lacking hospital beds.

And no I've never been hurt by a fat person in my live, and a good friend of mine is nearing obesity.
About 'not being able to support fat people', first off you can't eat money, second off you can't buy what isn't there, third off I have to admit I was referencing from Europe's prespective hear. America with it's enormous abundancy of land and recourses will be able to support their own civiliances. In Europe we would have needed to import food from nations that are lacking it themselves.
Again I treat fat people exactly like I treat chainsmokers. Do I have a problem with chainsmokers? I myself no. But I get discrimation against them, and I won't run to their aid when public opinion is pushing them to change their livestyle.
That's a fallacy. "If A leads to B, then A must be stopped!". Hey, here's an interesting fact - people who are slightly obese live longer than people who are either normal weight, underweight or very obese. Weird, huh.

Being fat doesn't affect anyone else. That's like saying "Giving an organ for donation is a risk to your health, so it affects the public, since you are public!! STOP DONATING ORGANS!". Or the whole gay marriage thing... just as stupid "IT WILL AFFECT THE CHILDREN AND NORMAL MARRIAGES!". You can't poison people with your fat. You can't second hand fatten them. If I eat a donut, my dog won't get fat, my mom won't get fat, you won't get fat. Unless you also eat donut, obviously.

"Drinking water in massive amounts can kill you. Killing you is a threat for your health, no? Ergo water is a threat to public health."

You can't eat money? Sure you can, you can buy shit with it. What isn't there? Last I checked, McDonalds are still open and doing great. Countries that are poor and famished aren't because it's fat people's fault, it's economics and poor conditions for agriculture. Educate yourself. All of your arguments are hypothetical fallacies for the sake of argument.

Just admit that you treat them like trash because you find them icky. That's why most people hate homosexuals, too. Not what their priest/holy book/pastor says, they just find the idea of people being different a scary idea.
Come on we're not talking about slightly obesse people here. I find nothimg more painfull to watch then a girl suffering from anorexia, it's infinetly better to be slightly overweight then seriously underweight. But we're not talking about slightly obessed people, we're talking about moriable obese people. The right woman in the video wasn't moriable obese, but the left one seemed to be aproaching it.
I myself don't really fear second hand smoking. I realize it poses a health risk, but then you probably need to spend an hour a day in a small room with a chainsmoker. Not a likely senario.
I admit that I'm a bit creeped out if a see an moriable obese person in bathing clothes at the beach. That's how far my problem with fat people specifically go. I do however believe that it's ones responsiblilty to put a serious effort to stay heatlhy.
Maybe our definition of discrimation is different. I don't mean it's okay to bash them, I do think it's okay to discus things like fat-tax or things like that.
Fat tax? ARE YOU SERIOUS? Let's make a gay-tax, since gay people don't have children! Let's make a bald-tax, because bald people don't get haircuts and halt the hairdressing industry!

Morbidly... not moriable...

And I found out your issue with fat people - not because unhealthy, not because bad. Because you don't like them. And that's fine. Just don't fucking dare thinking about laws to make people you dislike get worse treatment.

You don't fear second hand smoking? You do realize that smoke from cigarettes has 10 times more carcinogens than the one people smoke normally?