New Mississippi law to ban fat people from restaraunts

By Bob Toovey | 1 February 2008 | Filed under News

If the Mississippi legislature have their way, 'fat' people will be barred from restaurants and other food establishments. A bill has been proposed which would stop restaurants from allowing overweight persons to dine, those who are allowed will have to accept the recording of their BMI.

HOUSE BILL NO. 282

An act to prohibit certain food establishments from serving food to any person who is obese, based on criteria prescribed by the state department of health; to direct the department to prepare written materials that describe and explain the criteria for determining whether a person is obese and to provide those materials to the food establishments; to direct the department to monitor the food establishments for compliance with the provisions of this act; and for related purposes. Be it enacted by the legislature of the state of Mississippi:

From Sandy Szwarc's blog (Junkfood Science)...

Should this pass, scales will appear at the door of restaurants, people with BMIs of 30 or higher won’t be allowed to be served. And to comply with government regulations, restaurants will have to keep records of patrons' BMIs.

You do get the feeling that the level of panic is rising somewhat.

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Comments

Faith | 2 February 2008
This is awesome! Screw all those fat people who want to be served high fat food, but then want to gripe about it in the next breath. Maybe, instead of focusing on their weight and who won't serve them, they need to focus on their weight and who wants them to be healthier. Fat people are so gross!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob Toovey | 4 February 2008
The comment by Faith was going to be deleted. However, it does rather stand out as a shinning example of the total lack of understanding of the real world. I could comment on this wip-lash stereo-typical view of large people but I think I shall leave that to those who have to live with these views day in and day out.

May the debate begin....

Bill | 5 February 2008
Bob;

Thanks for leaving the vitriolic comment. The comment indeed illustrates the lack of understanding that is so stereo-typical of our American spciety. I'm delighted to know that one's worth as a human being does not depend upon one's weight.

Indeed one should seek to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but it doesn't matter whether one is obese or anorexic. God loves all people and He loves us for the real person that is inside.

Thanks,

Bill

Hollywood Princess | 5 February 2008
This is awful! I dont say this because I'm overweight(because im not) but I say this because its just silly. Whos to say whats overweight and why stop there why dont we ban drunks from bars,ban diabetics from having sweets and ban teen sex lol this is beyond silly.If anything the restaurants should change their portion sizes or be fined lol. This is AMERICA people are free to be!

Amanda | 5 February 2008
This is complete an total bs.. this is against ppls rights of freedom.. be like someone telling you that if your hair is red your can't go into this bar or if you are under 5'6" you can't go into home depot please ppl why don't you goverment officails spend tax payers money on something worth while like the school systems.. or elderly instead of the "Hollywood" apperence ... this isn't high school ppl grow up an realize that u can't makes someone lose weight or change theirselves unless they want to!

Lily | 5 February 2008
i think that whoever wants to be be a law really need to think about how this will effect many people. Over 75%of americans today are over weight. Basically food companies will be losing profit and probley have to be shut down so ya all you people who like this law r gay!!!

Roy Moss | 7 February 2008
I have a simple comment for your stupid simple minded brains. First of all let me say YOU CAN KISS MY OVERWEIGHT ASS, YOU HAVE STOMPED ALL OVER MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. I QUITE SIMPLY WILL SUE THE HELL OUT OF YOU OVER THIS. I HOPE YOU HAVE VERY DEEP POCKETS. WHAT ABOUT PREGNANT WOMEN YOU IDIOTS ? GET READY, I AM DEFINITELY COMING AFTER YOUR ASSES, "LEGALLY".

Needa | 7 February 2008
HTTP://) Whosoever thought of this idea obviously doesn't have any health problems. Maybe they should pass a law to prohibit people who wear glasses, dentures, or any other prosthetic devices, or have any disabilities, to be rejected from the restaurants. Maybe they could have optometrists, dentists, and other people to check measurements and requirements before entering any of the chosen fine dining establishments of Mississippi. It would only be fair. Not only this, maybe those who are rejected should be sent to one of the finest spa's to correct all of these problems. This would surely solve any obese problems...Maybe send them to the beach for a TAN. If you body is not tan, you shouldn't be able to enter into these fine establishments.Thanks, Hitler

john | 7 February 2008
The proposed legislation is not only stupid, it evidences a total lack of understanding over the cause of obesity. It's not necessarily food quantity/quality intake so much as metabolism. Or genetics. I am 5'11", 375 pounds. I pump a LOT of iron, love weight lifting, I eat healthy, pop my vitamins yet I retain fat very easily and lose it very slowly. Genetics. My daughter has Angelman Syndrome, her 15th chromasome is missing the maternal derived half. This means her hypothalumus doesn't work, ie: she cannot regulate her body weight. Period. Is the state of Mississippi going to refuse to allow her to eat out in her wheelchair? I will sue the butt off them in a American with Disabilities Lawsuit in ten seconds flat. Along with the first fast food/restaurant that denied her.
The problem of obesity is NOT people pigging out (contrary to mass opinion--same opinion that said the world was flat...), rather a complex issue of genetics and metabolism. I wish it were just "pigging" out. Be easy to solve then!

Stephanie | 7 February 2008
I used to be overweight. I find now people look at me differently. I find this law to be completely discriminatory. I love food and whether or not I am thick or thin I would want to eat at a resteraunt and not be critisized and have to get on a scale to be able to eat in the establishment. Unfortunatley, people these days, only care about what people look like and not who they actually are. People like this obviously didnt get the proper care from their care givers when they were younger.

Bob Toovey | 8 February 2008
Thanks to everyone who left comments. What I personally think it comes down to is allowing people to make their own informed decisions. We must have the freedom to choose as long as those choices are there. They must not be taken away - ever.

sof | 3 February 2009
I am a culinary student, and I believe that this bill is ridiculous! Who has the right to tell anyone what they can and can not eat? Is it not a choice? Is that not a freedom we have as a citizen of the united states? If this bill even makes it to the house or senate for approval, i will have officially lost faith in the American government.
Each person has the ability to choose what they eat, how they eat, where they eat etc. If the government puts a ban on certain people it is technically segregation. It is inducing a prejudice. not to mention it is becoming a dictatorship.

now i love food, but i can control myself, i work out, i eat healthy, it is MY choice, not the government's. as i have said before i am a culinary student, at school we are taught correct portion sizes and nutrition is a required course.

its not the restaurants responsibility to say what a person can eat, and it is not the governments, it is the individuals responsibility.


as marie antionette said.. let them eat cake