Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Fighting the Good Fight

 “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
Nathan Hale

 “Those in authority not only organize things to suit themselves, they interpret things to suit themselves.”
By Richard Holloway from his book “Doubts and Loves: What is Left of Christianity.”


As someone who readily admits my observations of the world and the human condition are more than slightly skewed to the unusual, I always get enjoyment when a person far more erudite like the honorable Richard Holloway comes to a similar conclusion. The one amendment to his quote I have to add would be that everyone, not just those in authority, interprets things to suit themselves but ignore all facts and commonsense that runs counter to their views no matter the price they might have to pay in the end. Now you might be wondering what has brought another episode of my strange ruminations? I am so glad you asked.

Since becoming First Lady Michelle Obama has taken up the cause of fighting obesity in America by championing exercise and healthy eating habits. Since no good deed ever goes unpunished in the land of the overweight and the home of the mentally deficient her sensible stance has been the subject of harsh criticism if not outlandish conspiracy theories by those on the right-wing of American politics. It really is a testament of American stupidity when the merest mention of sensible exercise and occasionally choosing a salad instead of a greasy half-pound burger becomes a socialistic conspiracy that threatens the very foundations of the Republic.  Now understand I am no food saint, my culinary habits tend to be on the bad side along with my exercise routine being spotty no matter how hard I try to establish a regular schedule. However, I recognize that I am the captain of my own fate and do not fear some government boogieman forcing me to eat tofu.

This brings up the trigger to my newest brain droppings. It began last Saturday afternoon after my wife, daughter, and I left the movie theater. We had just seen the latest “Men In Black” movie and decided to grab an early dinner at one of those ubiquitous national restaurant chains that look identical inside and quite frankly serve nearly the same menu. If nothing else such restaurants prove the point “that a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”

After my family and I were seated, it became apparent that the people at the table in front of my point of view were full-fledged Tea Party supporters. Ignoring the energetic discussion going on at the table the bright yellow t-shirt with the coiled rattlesnake and the words “Don’t Trend on me” worn by the patriarch of that group made it self-evident.  No matter what teabaggers might say about them being oppressed by the liberal masses, it is still a semi-free country and they had every right to express their view to each other even though a number of their beliefs had me an evil emissary of socialism.

Now the one item I have yet to mention is that the Tea Party patriarch sitting at the table in front of me was pushing close to three-hundred pounds but could have stood no higher than five feet-five inches. His entrée was one of the huge half-pound burgers I mentioned earlier and along with a heaping pile of French fries there was enough greasy aroma in the air to send your average vegan into a suicidal fit.  Of course the topic eventually turned to something called by them “food freedom” with the aforementioned liberal elites and media attempting to take away the right to choose from good Americans.

This went on for several minutes with the group talking about the stupid stuff liberals and nanny state intellectuals would force everyone to eat. It became a laugh riot for them until patriarch dude started choking. The sound of his distress caught my attention and when I looked up patriarch’s face had turned as red as a stop sign. The choking cleared after a minute or two but patriarch then started complaining about his chest hurting. Panic soon appeared in his eyes with his wife helping him out and to their car while the others in that group paid the bill and followed soon after.

 Now if there were a moral to this story I would offer it here, except that as I wrote earlier I am no health and food saint myself. As much as I hate to write this, I did find some dark humor in patriarch’s situation. I have no idea of the ultimate resolution concerning his chest pains and hope he is okay. But I cannot help but feel that he truly believed there is some horrific Obama inspired conspiracy to make everyone eat healthy he may have given his life that day so Americans could continue to be grossly overweight and enjoy artery clogging foods. In twenty-first century right-wing America that is true patriotism.

15 comments:

lime said...

i hope the guy is ok too but gees. the tea-partyist talk would have totally put me off my own appetite.

even after 4 years i still find the level of vitriol and outright hatred of the POTUS and his family rather shocking when i run across it. it's really disproportionate to merely disagreeing with what ever policies he may have.

Life As I Know It Now said...

I don't sit around in public and rabidly put down the conservative twits that I see around me. Yes, it's a free country and he is free to be a jerk and to a heart attack from eating junk all his life. I just hope that he doesn't expect us liberal taxpayers to foot the bill when his insurance, if he has any, kicks him to the curb for being so unhealthy. He better live what he preaches then I think :)

Unknown said...

This is survival of the fittest. evolution in progress. The half pound burger and the fries will kill off the idiots. I can hope, though it took cancer to change my lifestyle and I still indulge in the occasional burger. But for tonight salad with fresh strawberries.

Pixel Peeper said...

Hahaha - your story reminded me of the time when I still lived in South Carolina and brought a veggie burger to work for my lunch. "What kind of liberal food is that?" Some of my co-workers gave the impression they were afraid their guns would be taken away first, and then their beef, bacon and fries.

Mr. Charleston said...

A lard ass choking to death on a burger qualifies for a Darwin Award. For sure the asshole is collecting disability and has a handicapped sticker from the evil stinking government.

Cloudia said...

Amazing how people are willing to play the fool for interests that do not care about them - yet demonize those who really have a heart to help. Crucifying those who come to help is an old tradition!


Friendly Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral
> < } } (°>

Windsmoke. said...

Some people like your man mountain really don't have a clue what its all about until its to late and end up on the mortuary slab from a heart attack or a stroke which seems very likely with those chest pains your man mountain was suffering from at the time :-).

Randal Graves said...

I see you haven't gotten the memo that non-greasy foods contain an enzyme that transforms its consumer into a candidate from Manchuria.

Commander Zaius said...

Lime: The Tea Party talk is one of the hazards of living where I do. I figure up north in the heavily liberal blue states I have a counterpart having to deal with liberals running off at the mouth.

One of the reasons I do not respect conservatives is because the hatred of Obama and his family began the night he won the election back in 2008.

Life As I Know It: You know the idea of paying the health care for rugged individualists who believe they have a right to eat lard is a very sore point for me. And to think they complain about paying health care for poor people.

Mike: I freely admit I am struggling to change my lifestyle. I swear there does seem to be a conspiracy when it comes to finding something healthy to eat while running the kids around for their activities.

Pixel: Frankly, if some writer ten or twenty years ago created a fictional storyline with people freaking out about the First Lady fighting obesity fearful she was the socialist vanguard for a food police I would have called it idiotic. Go figure, reality is stranger than fiction.

Mr. Charleston: Yeah, I did not think about the Darwin Award angle. Damn, now I could rewrite the whole post. The handicap parking stickers is a funny thing, was riding with my mom-in-law once who has a bad hip and we parked next a car full of teenagers who pulled up next us, whipped out the sticker, and walked away laughing.

Cloudia: Americans are delusional idiots.

Windsmoke: I am unsure how you guys and gals handle national health care in Australia but as you probably know our system is great for those who have money while those who don't can quickly find themselves up shit creek without a paddle.

What is funny is that many poor conservatives in this country rail against socialized medicine until they or a family member is facing a life threatening illness. Only then do they realize they screwed themselves

Randal: LOL!!! In that case I am safe for the time being, or at least until I have my heart attack.

Akelamalu said...

Will it make him eat healthily? I doubt it. You think that's bad read this

Britain's fattest teenager yesterday had to be cut free from her home by workmen after she grew too big to go outside

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/britains-fattest-teenager-rescue-63st-847329

This girl had help a while ago and lost 14st then reverted to the stodge again. The problem is getting worse here apparently. :(

lime said...

oh trust me, i may live in a blue state in theory but there are teapartyists all over.

Ranch Chimp said...

Thanx for the read Bum ... I live in Dallas, and you can imagine what this town is like when it come's to greasy spoon joint's, buffet's, barbeque's, etc, etc ... it's a tough town to live in if you like eating that stuff, and I love it, dont get me wrong, it's just that I dont eat it ... I mean ... I love cocaine too, but dont use that anymore either. No ... all caca (shit) aside dude, I eat a very tight diet these dayz, but mainly because I'm 56 year's old man, so I have to, and have to watch all the calories and other stuff, I'm just too old to eat like I once did basically, I actually get at least a half to hour of straight exercise 7 dayz a week too, I dont have much choice. But cheer's to those who can still put down those 3/4 pounder's and stuff! : )

Good to see that weather ya'll been having havent hampered your play here ....

Later Guy ....

Ranch Chimp said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Robert the Skeptic said...

Makes you wonder whether Tea Party Fatso had health insurance or if he is putting his house up for sale to cover his bypass. Either way, though, he'll blame Obama.

... but you say he was eating French fries... FRENCH Fries!! You should have leveled a treasonous finger at him. (The middle one would do nicely)

Red Nomad OZ said...

But at least you KNOW you're not a food saint - just like I know why I put on weight easily! Those good old Aussie bakery meals come at a price ...