I've always hated the term "politically correct." It implies derogatory language – whether it be racist, sexist or just plain dumb – would be correct if it weren't for those silly old politicians.
But I can also see where sensitivity goes too far. In fact, I saw a case just like that this morning while waiting in line at my neighborhood Starbucks.
Seems the fat kids over in Liverpool, England, want to make me stop calling them "obese." I guess it hurts their feelings.
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"Now Liverpool City Council will formally consider their proposal to drop the word from all local authority schemes aimed at improving children's health," the Daily Mail reports.
The kids (and some overly protective parents) decry the stigma attached to calling certain kids obese. But as another parent pointed out in the same story, isn't that the whole point? There's nothing wrong with slapping on that stigma to shame people into better behavior.
We do with tobacco. We transformed smokers into pariahs almost overnight, but you don't hear them whining because we kicked them out of bars. And look how badly we portray those poor meth heads in those grainy public service announcements. You haven't seen any Tea Party-caliber protests from those toothless wonders, have you?
So I say bring on the obese (or the morbidly obese). Let's paint thunder thighs on the sides of vending machines. And forget those new throwback soda cans. How about cans with clogged artery cartoons?
Shame's a pretty powerful tool when it comes to influencing human behavior. And I'd take that over another federal law any day of the week.
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