The word is 'cite', and my sarcasm wasn't aimed at you specifically. What you need to understand is that sometimes people really do need educating-this isn't some road to authoritarian ruin but sound, health advice. I guess you also have the freedom not to strap your kid into a seat belt in your car. Then again you also have the freedom to watch him sailing through the windshield at 60mph if you have an accident. What, as a responsible parent, would you choose-your 'freedom' or common sense?
Unfortunately some parents-and an increasing number it seems-really are that stupid. America's obscenely high (17%) child obesity figures are testament to this. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html Over 1/3 of adults are clinically obese. There are some very stupid and uneducated people about...
Parents for the most part do what is right for their children. Even without certain laws parents would do what is right as it sits with the health of their children. It amazes me how liberals try to push this as conservatives don't care about kids, but when it comes down to it liberals are the ones who are pr-abortion. A fetus at 7 weeks has a heartbeat. at 7 weeks tests can be done to find out what sex the child is. If you want to talk about holy high ground here, being a lib, your not standing on it, or anywhere near it.
Every social conservative who wants a return to "family values" is effectively asking the government to shape people's preferences and habits. When given the freedom to divorce a lot of couples divorce; when given the freedom to use birth control and abortion, a lot of men and women do so. Now, when people are given the freedom to not exercise while eating too much they do so and we end up with a lot of obese adults and kids. I know consistency is the bugaboo of small minds, but it is NOT Marxist to suggest that teaching good habits and preferences to kids is a bad thing. Consmike's problem seems to be that it would be the government trying to do so, but since the parents are failing so abjectly what is so bad about that? Now, if Michelle wanted the Internationale played at home room instead of the Star Spangled Banner ...
Even if some parents are failing, they have been doing so since the begging of our nations founding. The government CANNOT make everyone thin, they cannot keep people from dying, they CANNOT make this a Utopian society. Its one thing to give people information about what is healthy and what is not, but its up the the individual, the family, and the community to decide what is best for them, not the federal government. The problem with our society today, is the breakdown of the family. With no family, you have no good, honest working society.
Parents evidently don't. Growing obesity figures-along with all of the long-term, allied serious health issues-are evidence. Those 1/3 of obese adults were children once themselves...
Obesity figure are over usually adjusted for desired results just like HIV figures where in the medical field may be one out of a hundred or more people you see have it. It like the saying "Black men are an endangered species" or "Black men don't live to be 21". Created a generation of hopeless black guys that didn't plan for a future. Now you get the image conscious young kids focussed on weight rather than happiness and living a good life.
No. Educate, educate, educate. If their parents (obviously) aren't capable of responsibly caring for the health of their children, then all you can do is attempt to show them the error of their ways and the potential risks of diabetes, premature mortality and infertility.
Right on Mike. It's like taking from the rich and expecting that will eliminate the poor. Or dividing wealth and expecting it to multiply. People who have healthcare insurance die everyday.
Perhaps Michelle is just giving advice, but Obama has over-stepped his bounds to control the American People in too many other ways. They have earned my skepicism when they (and yes, that extends to Mrs Obama) use words like "change their behavior". If conservatives are being too petty and sensitive, let's just say its probably because Obama has put us through too much trauma. On a side note, obesity among children goes deeper than just being uneducated on nutrition.
Thank you for the sobering post. The rationale I am reading from the right is entirely inconsistent and completely unassociated with politics. It seems they are arguing not for the betterment of the US but to be merely not agree with a Democrat, as if anyone would give 2 cents whether they did or didn't. Hence I often refer to this political ilk as childish malcontents.
no not all of them.... but what exactly are you afraid will come from educating them on proper nutrition? if 10% eat healthier as they get older....where is exactly is the downside?
lol so you oppose education because it doesnt stop at education (what4ever that means)? do you feel the same way about making kids say the pledge? whats next? making them kill a commie to prove they love america?
I never said I oppose education. What I oppose is the way that she and Pres Obama think. This "government" knows better mentality. Comments like.... should be looked at deeper. I know thats hard for libs, but with the beliefs of the Obama's, who their friends and mentors were, makes many believe in their anterior motives.
so you want to indoctrinate children via education, just not on nutrition because THAT might lead to some unforseen drawback that you cant come up with? lol yes bill ayers and rev wright have a secret plan to make white children weak and malnourished from too much salad....then the black panthers can steal all our guns with no resistance!!!!!
I wonder if you do think for yourself. Ever read 1984? Brave New World? Ever studied the philosophy of the Roman Catholic Church? It is the thin edge of the wedge. First we indoctrinate them in eating "right", then subtly work in other "concepts". It is not a very long distance between that indoctrination and turning in one's parents in to the authorities for "unpatriotic thinking." At the very least, Michelle Obama shows incredible stupidity and insensitivity...but then that isn't really shocking or, for that matter, a even a news story. This is the woman who, after all, treated her children to an exotic African vacation as "senior aids" while an entire segment of the children don't get to chose whether they eat, let alone eat healthy.
Even IF she did want to take complete control over our kids, starting with influencing them to eat healthier, that still wouldn't make her a Marxist.
