"Now I can't be a man no more, now I got to deal with THIS shit."

[blackiestark]

I get so tired of the media's most popular, intelligent, and supposedly open-minded personalities -- news personalities -- going on and on about how fat Rush Limbaugh and Michael Moore are. It's not that they aren't, it's just that I have trouble seeing how that has anything to do with their politics or their ideals. I'm just not getting it.

Keith

Comments

[_jeremiad]

Huh. I did not know this.

Thank you for this post.

[t_rex]

Here is a post, with a link to an article, that you and Rob may both find interesting.

http://homasse.livejournal.com/1087339.html?view=5965163#t5965163

[_jeremiad]

Thank you kindly.

[blackiestark]

It's possible having a thin President has something to do with this issue gaining new awareness... but I remember too well how Rhodes Scholar Bill Clinton was marginalized as a fat, stupid, inbred hillbilly, because he was from Arkansas and ate at McDonald's. (Don't even get me started on the class and region prejudice that goes on in this country.)

[t_rex]

It's layers upon layers. I realize that.

Pat and I were just talking about Clinton, and his daily runs to offset the effects of the cheeseburgers. (I'm pretty sure Clinton himself was the one who said that.)

[blackiestark]

Now Clinton, definitely, a man of appetites. But by my yardstick, an effective president.

I will say that Bam, as a thin man who can work a suit, looks damn good in dark shades coming out of a limo. Bill Maher used to wish aloud that America could have one of those cool, European rock-star Presidents. Which we pretty much have now. (*singing* "One thing I'll say for him, Obama is COOL.")

[t_rex]

Yes, Obama is hot. And cool.

Anyway, I think the writer of the article I linked was confusing two separate, but overlapping things. One is the vilification of fat people. The other is viewing one's diet as a moral choice. I have trouble seeing how one can directly link the two. The biggest haters aren't necessarily eating organic, or vegan, or even low fat (or carb) themselves.

The part that made me think of you was the opinion that making fun of fat people is some kind of new phenomenon. It's not. There are *more* fat people now, and the internet allows for easy ways to share in the mocking. That's all that's changed. And the linking of fat with unrelated characteristics has always been around, too. I think that maybe *now* we are finally ready to start talking about illogical and damaging it is. And, in the case of examples like the ones you list, it gets us sidetracked from the characteristics that matter.

[t_rex]

And by "think of you", I mean "think of your more recent posts".

[blackiestark]

You said that because I'm fat, didn't you? I know you're all out to get me.

I'm kidding. I didn't want to go too far over the "pompous asshole on the interwebs" cliff.

[t_rex]

:-P

[blackiestark]

*kiss* :)

[blackiestark]

The biggest haters aren't necessarily eating organic, or vegan, or even low fat (or carb) themselves.

That's true. Then again, organizations especially like to throw individuals on the bus to advance their agenda:

http://mommylife.net/archives/2007/07/peta_blasts_mic.html

(This blogger's also a good example of the "Moore is fat, therefore he has no right complaining about the American health care system and its failure to cover all citizens" argument.)

[t_rex]

There are so many things wrong (and a few things right) with that thread that I have to stop reading now and go to bed, or I will be up all night.

[blackiestark]

You're quite welcome.