Okay, y’all, I’ve seen this out on the fat-o-sphere lately, and am a little late in picking it up, but this article is one of the funniest, most contrived things I’ve ever seen. Basically, the whole thing is talking about how all of the fattest states in the nation are going to McCain, and all of the slimest states are going to Obama.
Of the 10 fattest states, nine show strong support for the Republican nominee, John McCain, with only Michigan – once considered a battleground state, but recently abandoned by McCain’s campaign – as the exception.
Of the 10 least obese and overweight states, eight support the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, although Colorado, where Obama is ahead by four points, is still considered a toss-up. The exceptions are the conservative mountain states of Utah and Montana.
But THEN, believe it or not, the author goes off about traditional voting patterns relating to traditional eating habits and poverty.
There are many confounding factors here imposed on traditional voting patterns – a link between poverty and obesity, that the conservative states of the South traditionally enjoy fried foods, and the influence of the healthier cuisines of Asia and the Mediterranean on the east and west coasts.
Overall, this whole article feels like a ton of crap. There is, I agree, a relationship between poverty and obesity for a lot of people, but not everyone. And I don’t appreciate being considered as part of a mindless mass. Overall, as a fat woman, I’d rather vote for Obama because he’s for all of my issues. Which, believe it or not, world, are NOT related to my FAT.
Sometimes I think people get too caught up on weight. Yes, it is an emotional, pretty much hard to deal with, thing. BUT, I don’t vote with my fat. I vote with my values and beliefs. Are there really Fat Beliefs?
I hope all of you out there, fat or thin, will take a moment to consider the actual issues. I really really hope you’re not voting with your fat. And even if you, I think you’ll find a nice toasty companion in Obama. He’s less fat-hating than McCain.
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October 21, 2008 at 8:10 am
memetrics
To say McCain is fat-hating is a little harsh. Corner Obama, and he’ll say we’re too fat. He has already said we eat too much food and we need to get by with less.
While, yeah, everybody should vote with their issues–I’m voting Palin/McNugget, because they are marginally better, to me–the whole goal of saying fat people are going for McCain is that being overweight is “bad” to the the MSM. And being conservative or being Republican is “bad”. And being inarticulate or appearing stupid is “bad”. And being from the south is “bad”. So, east and west coast media types just wrap it all up and say that Fat people, unhealthy people, stupid people, southern hicks, and ax murderers are all Republcans and McCain supporters, while thin, attractive, smart, beautiful, statuesque Northerners, Canadians and World Europeans who eat organic foods and don’t ever eat anything fried . . . those pure, pretty, smart folks are all for Obama, dontchaknow. Because liberals are just naturally skinny and beauitful. Don’t you want to be skinny and beautiful, too? Then you had better be a liberal. Because being conservative makes you fat. And being fat is ugly. Because it means you’re greedy. Your consuming more than you need to.
Fat people–according to some liberals–are apparently responsible for global warming. We consume far too much. Seriously.
To suggest that Republicans are somehow more anti-fat than the Dems is selective perception. Both parties have health platforms that target obesity as a health problem
Bah. Don’t blame me. I’m voting for Bill the Cat.
October 21, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Twistie
I’m voting with my brain rather than my waistline. Of course, as you point out, even by the waistline standard, Obama is still closer to my view of the issue than McCain.
At least Obama wants me to have access to health care, even if he hopes I’ll use it to whittle my waist away. McCain doesn’t seem to think there’s an access issue with health care in this nation, let alone that it could eventually have a negative effect on society as a whole if people can’t get the care they need.
There are dozens of reasons why I’m voting for Obama. My weight isn’t particularly one of them.
October 21, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Bree
Not only does McCain seem to think there’s an access issue with health care, he is also considerably anti-woman when it comes to health care, in regards to birth control. I do not want a person with this mindset leading the country—we’ve already had eight years of it. Enough is enough.
Obama’s stance on fatness is icky, but I can put that aside because his values are more in tune with mine, so that’s why he’ll get my vote.
Also, there really wasn’t any need to bring up the supposed eating habits of Southern fatties. It has nothing to do with how they vote.
October 21, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Chrissy
Memetrics, I wanted to say that I didn’t say McCain was fat-hating and that Obama wasn’t. I just said that Obama was less fat-hating than McCain.
And as another response, I’d like to make it clear that I think EVERYTHING in that article was bullocks. Complete and utter crap, and I agree with none of it. I just posted the quotes I did here to show everyone how absurd it was!
October 21, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Kay
You’re living in a dream world. Obama’s out to FINE (direct quote) fat people and socialize medicine so that fat people have no way to access health care without compromising their civil rights, their health or their safety. McCain’s tax credit will be totally under the control of the INDIVIDUAL, which means “health” care providers will not be able to injure, nag, misrepresent, mistreat, maim or murder fat people as readily or easily.
Start here: http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/10/coming-soon-to-your-employer-wellness.html
No fat person in this country should be voting for Obama. At least, not the one’s who aren’t suicidal.
October 21, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Kay
And, about wondering whether or not their are “fat beliefs”. This kind of naive question could only come from someone who’s too young or too thin to ever have had their life threatened (i.e. been pressured into accepting “weight loss surgery”, or lost a job due to fatness, or been denied access to education due to fatness.
You bet your non-fat ass their are fat beliefs, and I sure as hell absolutely am “voting with my waistline.” Staying alive is one of my top priorities.
And, why on earth are you on a Libertarian fat rights board?
October 21, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Chrissy
Umm, first of all, Kay, I think we can agree to disagree, as far as health care is concerned. I disagree with how you characterize McCain and Obama’s health care systems, but I think that’s a difference that has to do with personal political beliefs, and I refuse to argue over it.
Secondly, that question about “fat beliefs” was meant to be rhetorical. It was musing on the idea of whether my beliefs were at all based on the size of my waistline, or not. I personally think that my weight has not defined my belief system in a general sense. Maybe in particular areas, but not in any overarching way.
And finally, I’d appreciate it if you kept your scathing assumptions to yourself and did not disrespect me or anyone else on this blog. I am, indeed, fat. Maybe I don’t fit your bill of what that means when it translates into politics, but I am fat, and I have indeed felt the prejudice, the hate; I’ve lost opportunities, felt pressures to lose weight in healthy and unhealthy ways, etc. You saying that I have not experienced these things, without any other reference point than this one post, outrages me and honestly makes me angry. I urge you to read my other posts before you challenge my right to be in this community and participate in voicing my beliefs. It is close-minded and disrespectful of you to believe that all fat people think the same, and believe the same things.
Now, I’m curious about what you characterize as your fat beliefs? This is something, as I mentioned before, that I am thinking a lot about, and I don’t know if I’ve really figured it out. Please elaborate, if you’ll do it in a way that is respectful.
October 22, 2008 at 9:26 am
Are there really Fat Beliefs? « All My Jiggly Bits
[...] 22, 2008 in Blog, Body Image | Tags: fat, fat acceptance, politics | by Chrissy In my post yesterday where I was talking about the election, I asked a rhetorical question that now is really [...]
October 22, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Rachel
I vote based on a variety of issues, but from a purely health care point of view, I’m terrified of McCain’s health care plan. I’m fat and I have a history of eating disorders. Both are classified as preexisting conditions. Deregulating the health care insurance industry and allowing companies to retreat to states that require the least amount of consumer protection is dangerous. The health care insurance industry will become much like the credit field, who give credit only to those people they deem to represent the least credit risk. With health care, coverage becomes credit and companies will be able to cherrypick only healthier customers to give coverage to.
About 47 million people today lack health insurance coverage. Obama’s plan is estimated to cover about 34 million of these people, while McCain’s will only cover some 5 million. Furthermore, under McCain, some 22 million people who already have health insurance might lose it, resulting in even higher rates of uninsured people. Uninsured people drive up health care costs for all people, insured and not. We will never get a handle on rising health care costs as long as so many people lack health care coverage.
Contrary to what has been said, Obama does not plan on fining people, fat or otherwise. If this is a “quote,” I’d like to see the citation for it. He will fine large companies that do not offer sufficient health coverage to their employees despite being able to do so. I’ve written more in depth on McCain’s health care plan and how it will discriminate against fat people here.