Speaking Truth to Power... about drink sizes?

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

And here's Sarah Palin at CPAC, demonstrating the childish reactionism that we've come to expect.

Bonus facts:
1) The NYC drink ban didn't include Big Gulps
2) It was struck down by a judge anyway
3) The lovely people of facebook have christened Sarah Palin as "Bible Spice"

Comments

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

The nanny state wouldn't have to exist if people didn't make such bad choices

"It's for your own good" is a terrible reason to act, as is "if you only made the decisions I wanted you to make..." People are fully capable of handling the results of their actions on their own, and to pretend that everyone needs to be impacted by a policy because a select few might be adversely impacted by their own choices is pretty dumb. It's the same logic behind marijuana prohibition, and that's gone swimmingly.

[torylltales.livejournal.com]

Just as a side note, I find it so surreal how some people can say that "it's for your own good" is not an acceptable argument, and "people are perfectly capable of handling the results of their actions on their own" , and then accept the ten commandments and the word of God without question. One assumes you do not have personal responsibility and must be guided toward making the 'right' choices... while the other assumes you do not have any personal responsibility and must be guided toward making the 'right' choices.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Disclaimer: I'm an atheist.

The difference is that you have the choice not to follow God and the Ten Commandments, and run the risk of bad things happening to you. Same as drinking a big gulp every day.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

I find it surreal how so many people who think the nanny state is the worst thing ever also seem to be misanthropists who think everyone else on earth is a stupid sheeple. Either people are stupid sheeple, or they can make their own decisions, you don't get both arguments.

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

I'm not arguing that it's done "for your own good", it's done for the social good, like drink driving laws. We don't have drink driving laws to stop people killing themselves, we have them to stop them harming others. But given you didn't read my post first time round I won't bother explaining it again.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

My ability to drink a 32 oz soda doesn't harm anyone else at all.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

So there are no social costs to morbid obesity or adult onset diabetes?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

None that can be conclusively traced to the size of a soft drink, no. Especially with issues of weight, the science is a lot more complicated than simple caloric intake, and if you're to the point of morbid obesity you're in a whole different class.

Even the comparison to cigarettes is nonsensical in this regard. I don't need to smell your soft drink, second hand Pepsi isn't harmful, and the simple act of ingesting a cola of any kind or size is not a virtual guarantee of health problems.

So no. The "societal cost" argument holds zero water in this instance. Besides, even if it did, isn't this simply one of the "costs" of living in a "society?" Doesn't the so-called "social contract" implore you to accept the choices that other members of society make even if it adversely impacts you?

[trog.livejournal.com]

The night is black, without a moon.
The air is thick and still.
The vigilantes gather on
The lonely torchlit hill.

Features distorted in the flickering light,
Faces are twisted and grotesque.
Silent and stern in the sweltering night,
The mob moves like demons possesed.
Quiet in conscience, calm in their right,
Confident their ways are best.

The righteous rise
With burning eyes
Of hatred and ill-will.
Madmen fed on fear and lies
To beat and burn and kill.

They say there are strangers who threaten us,
Are immigrants and infidels.
They say there is strangeness too dangerous
In our theatres and bookstore shelves,
That those who know what's best for us
Must rise and save us from ourselves.

Quick to judge,
Quick to anger,
Slow to understand
Ignorance and prejudice
And fear walk hand in hand.