Once again, an attempt to do something helpful has gotten people in an uproar.  It seems that in this world we live in, this happens more often than not.  

Today there was an interesting article in the Orlando Sentinel (click HERE to see the article) about a new exhibit at Epcot at Walt Disney World.  The exhibit was about Childhood Obesity and  was full of colorful and entertaining exhibits encouraging children to exercise and make smart food choices.

Unfortunately, this was all perceived as an attack on fat children, and the exhibit is now closed for "retooling."

So let me get this straight…we have a well-documented EPIDEMIC of childhood obesity, but if we even point this out, or make someone aware that maybe they need to lose a few pounds, eat right, or exercise, we are attacking them for being fat?  I am dizzy from all the eye rolling.

 

Surely, no one thinks it's okay to purposefully hurt someone's feelings or denigrate them.  However, is it now NOT okay to make suggestions to someone to improve their health and lifestyle?  Is ANY recommendation now seen as an affront?  Apparently the "National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance" thinks so.  I'm okay with acceptance, or tolerance.  But when kids are getting sick and dying because our culture coddles them, or no longer asks them to move, or eat anything beyond McDonald's…then something is out of whack.

It's time we looked this epidemic in the eye and made some hard choices.  It's not fun to hear that one is out of shape or in danger of getting a serious illness because of the extra pounds that they carry.  But if we can't even have a conversation about it, something's amiss.  And if a cartoon character named "Callie Stenics" is the bad guy for asking someone to maybe exercise just a smidgen, then I think our culture is in a world of trouble.