Thin flier: Southwest booted me for overweight teen

[DieselDragRacer]

http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2010/07/southwest-overweight-passenger/101222/1

 

[scoreboardII]

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[Bringupthebird]

Why is the assumption that a person is overweight due entirely to their own lack of willpower and therefore deserving of ridicule? Their weight issue may be just as genetic as someone who is tall or otherwise outside the limits considered "normal", but because there are many who do get fat due to overeating, they are immediately lumped together.

Are people so "hungry" for a safe bigotry that they set their sights on the overweight and expect the world to give them nods of approval?

I think that WN did the right thing in this case, dealing with the UM issue first and 2-seat requirement second.

 

[acpilot]

Why is the assumption that a person is overweight due entirely to their own lack of willpower and therefore deserving of ridicule? Their weight issue may be just as genetic as someone who is tall or otherwise outside the limits considered "normal", but because there are many who do get fat due to overeating, they are immediately lumped together.

To those people:

Put down the soda, stick to 1,500 calories a day, and swim for an hour each day. SWIM, don't float, SWIM. It's easy on joints, particularly for obese people.

It works. They WILL lose weight.

 

[ultrarunner]

Why is the assumption that a person is overweight due entirely to their own lack of willpower....

Take a look at teenage obesity rates in the US and you'll know why! One step closer to my signature.......

 

[Whataburger]

This is Michelle Obama's fault!!

Isn't she in charge of slimming-down our youth?

Silly me, I thought it was the parents' responsibility.

 

[Ty Webb]

Why is the assumption that a person is overweight due entirely to their own lack of willpower and therefore deserving of ridicule? Their weight issue may be just as genetic

Genes only contribute so much. If you take in less calories than you burn, you will lose weight, period, especially if you eat "real" food instead of over-processed crap . . . . and quit drinking a beverages with high-fructose corn syrup!

It's not that complicated, but it takes some self-discipline. If you eat fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meat you may not be thin, but you sure won't be waddling through the concourses, sweaty and out of breath, and spilling over the armrests of your seat.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

I fly back and forth between Korea and the US. Sitting in the terminals in Korea, you can count 50 people before you see someone overweight (and it's usually a tubby American tourist). In the States, you go 50 people before you see someone isn't waddling.

I'm definitely going with Nurture over Nature on this one. [/END RANT]

 

[Ad Lib]

The word "Bigot" has an interesting origin. Supposedly, when subjugated people refused to kiss the feet of the King, they would refuse to recognize the king, "by God." They were known as the first Bigots.

 

[Kalifornia]

Too many people wanting to live like Kings and Queens consciously or unconsciously. Picture in your mind an image of the "off with your head" King and Queen of ancient Europe; what do you get? An obese individual. There's a reason it's called Burger King and White Castle. The lack of health intelligence or desire to rapidly change eating habits amazes me.