Dear Cheryl,
I’m supposed to be hitting the books right now. I’m in the review stage of my studying, making sure I know what I need to know for the upcoming CSCS exam. I cannot wait to get certified. It’s been the big reason why I have taken a break from this blog…from writing, really.
But then I saw this today:
Now, as many of my readers are well aware, I am a health nut – I encourage regular exercise and a diet that is well balanced, high on the fruits & veggies, low on the refined sugar and chemicals, but this I found to be completely offensive on so many levels. Let’s forget about the fact that you should have proofread your note before printing off copies, there are so many things wrong with what you are doing:
1. You have no idea whether or not there are any underlying issues with a child who is overweight. There could be medical issues, medication issues among others. The child could be going through puberty, which, though a completely natural process, can wreak havoc on the body while it is happening.
2. The fact that you are giving some kids candy, but denying treats to the “fat one” is, well, mind boggling.
3. Even if a child is obese simply due to eating Doritos and Twinkies every day, singling out a child from his or her group of friends is completely inappropriate. Which brings me to…
4. You are, no matter how good your intentions are, a bully, plain and simple. Through your actions you are essentially pointing your finger at every overweight child and saying, “Hey YOU! Fat kid! Yeah, that’s right, I called you fat, you Fatty McFatster!” You try to dress it up with “my hope is that you will step up as a parent and…blah, blah, blah,” but scratch under the surface and you are doing nothing other than making a child feel bad about who he or she is.
For you to selectively decide which kids meet your concept of fit (and therefore deserving of candy) as opposed to those that are fat (therefore undeserving of candy) is both sanctimonious and mean.
But let’s talk about the Village concept, shall we Cheryl? My town has recently lost two troubled souls to suicide. What do you think is going to happen to the kids that get singled out? Who thereafter get teased by their friends incessantly? I’m gonna tell you something – kids who are overweight, KNOW that they are overweight. They don’t need you to draw public scrutiny of their shape to be made aware of that. Your actions could potentially result in a precious child taking his or her own life because you decided to bully and tease – that’s one of the possible results of bullying you self-righteous bitch.
You want to help make your village better and healthier? How about you just turn off your porch light on Halloween and not hand out ANY candy? How about you hand out healthful snacks that every kid will throw away to everyone? How about you help start an after school program that encourages movement and healthful eating? How about you volunteer at a teen crisis center? or a homeless shelter? or a town beautification program?
Better yet, how about you just get the fuck out of our collective Village?
We don’t need bullies. We don’t need mean people. We don’t need you.
Don’t be surprised to wake up on November 1st with a lifetime supply of toilet paper in your yard…that, and maybe a year’s worth of eggs.
Good luck with your notes.
Sincerely,
Luau
Run Luau Run 