I'm Speechless....almost!

Before I start, I'd better preface with I'm totally not out to kill, harm, or maim the messenger in any way. When my husband tells me things sometimes, I get really riled up just because of the nature of the story he's telling, but it's not directed at him. He then proceeds to run for the nearest exit screaming for mercy. lol That being said. . . Absolutely unbelievable! I don't even know where to start! Wait, maybe I could start by saying one thing that does surprise me is that this is in Mississippi and not California. Seems like CA is typically the state leading the way in doing whatever is humanly possible to take away individual freedoms. Oreos? GASP! They're the devil incarnate! Ban 'em! Smoking in your own home? Eeeeek! Perish the thought! Give me a break people! How ridiculous that there are people out there who think the government should now be deciding if a person is skinny enough to eat somewhere. How absolutely absurd! Do these idiots not realize how pathetic this legislation really is? According to several sites I've checked out, obesity is based on BMI a little more heavily (no pun intended) than on actual weight. So what are restaurants going to have to do? Have someone standing there at the chow line with a body fat caliper to test everyone before they grab a plate? The Miriam-Webster definition of obesity is 'having excess body fat'. Check your dictionary boys, then find me one person who *doesn't* have excess body fat on them! So here are my questions. What about places that fit the establishment criteria and have delivery services? If someone calls in to place an order, how do we know it isn't an obese person they'll be delivering to? Could they get fined for deliveries to overweight people? Would the restaurant be forced refuse to complete the delivery to the person because they're fat, then have to absorb the cost of the wasted food they couldn't deliver? Would the don't-serve-a-fat-person police go undercover and have 'steak'-out (sorry! Couldn't help myself!) to try to nail restaurants delivering to obese people? Yes ladies and gentlemen, Big Brother is very much alive and well and coming soon to a neighborhood near you. *rolling eyes* (And again, I totally didn't mean to go off the deep end here. I just get so frustrated when I hear about the direction things are going as more and more freedoms are being stripped away from us--or the attempt to do so is being made.)

Wow! What's up with people nowadays? I don't really like the idea because those people have the right to eat too! I think maybe the restaurants think it's not a good image to have the obese sitting in their restaurants. But the thing is: don't we all talk about freedom and human rights? Wouldn't it be a bit over the edge when they have a policy like that? I know discrimination exists everywhere but it's really a bit over the top (I hate discrimination! I don't even make jokes about people who are physically different than others!).

Talk about a law that is discriminatory and unenforceable. It is sure to ruin business if they try it. I seriously doubt that it will pass, and I am sure that there will be an incredible backlash.

I think the USA is getting dictatorial and more like communistic every day. I think they are inadvertantly sliding more and more CONTROL in on the American public without our knowing. People need to DO something and stop being lazy and thinking none of this will ever affect us- it is affecting everything - and quickly. My opinion - they're NUTS!

Well if this in indeed true i couldnt imagine being denied service because someone think im too fat. I really dont think this is at all fair to refuse service to anyone maybe but based on the fact of weighted maybe not.

i seem to have heard of it before though i can't be too sure. probably from the newspapers here. it's really surprising as i feel that some obese people are obese not my choice. sometimes they can't help it i feel as it might be in the genes and all. i wonder if it is really true. not sure if it's here or another article by a hubber. i can't be too sure.

I had not seen this, wondering if it is real since it doesn't appear that any of the main stream news companies have picked it up. I think this would be illegal. I don't think anyone should be banned from eating regardless of who much they weigh. IMO restaurants should disclose who much fat. calories, etc are in their food.

Hello Drannhh, I read this article this afternoon, and sadly I could believe it. Many, myself included, have been warning that the mob-rule mentality that originated with the smoking bans, leading to the trans-fat bans, then to the soda bans, would soon branch out into full fledged, larger scaled discriminatory actions. This is a perfect example of the "slippery slope" in action. What's worse is that in defense of this, a team of lawyers and actuarials will provide argument and expert testimony that this action is only designed to promote a healthier lifestyle. And, that if it "saves one life, then it's worth it". If people see this as unjust because it robs the individual of choice, then we need to re-examine all of the other examples of discriminatory, anti-freedom and anti-personal responsibilty legislative acts that has been surreptitiously populating our municipal and state codes.

I would have to say that the restaurant industry would soon go broke if they did pass that law with all the hipe today saying that more people in the world today are obese compared to the ones that are not.

I think thats pretty crazy. I mean, everyone has to eat, right? People who are obese shouldn't lose their right to go into a restaurant and enjoy some food. What would be next? Grocery stores refusing to sell groceries to obese people? Besides, who would be the judge of what is obese? The waiter? The manager of the restaurant? Would there be a pound limit? Would every customer have to step on a scale before being seated? I'm sure this law won't be passed!

I think that is crazy. it is just discrimination and you know I am not obese. but I mean there is no way to teach obese people how to loose wight by starving. that is just crazy. They should better quit to put all those things to our food and teach people how to live healthier and how to enjoy exercise and maybe how to enjoy your food too. not just eat as many you can , but enjoy the food slowly and every bite.

What are they going to do weigh everybody when they come through the door?

wow! that's way too mean. and what do they intend to do with those people (obese)... leave and die with hunger. where is their heart? my goodness ... people nowadays are getting cold, and heartless. by doing that they're like sending the obese to alcatraz and rot. there is no worthy people in this world. not even those with a slim figure. nobody is ever worthy. that's just ridiculous. im sorry -- forgive my rantings. i just bloody hate people who are inconsiderate.

this is nuts. I know obesity is a problem all over the united states but my gosh. Can you imagine these pepole standing in line to be seated and being humiliated like this! I think these people need help but there is no need to be cruel about it! a lot of obese pepole have issues that go a lot deeper than food.

That was odd. I think it's an outright violation of human rights. We need to eat no matter how fat we are, we still get hungry because eating is a very important part of our life. They might want to reduce the number of people who are obese but not in that way, I think. Well, I don't really know what they are up to but if it's the law, I can't do anything about it. I believe restaurants are not the only place where people eat.

I think it is a bit over the top when it comes to privacy laws. But then again... they had no problems making smokers out class citizen around the western world... so I guess fat people are next on the list. But judging by the photo on the article... it is not about people who are overweight. It more likely applies to someone who requires two seats to sit down. But I don't see how this will solve the problem of obesity. They will just eat somewhere else... just like smokers smoke somewhere else.

I'm not obese, although I could stand to lose quite a few pounds. I can't honestly believe a legislation such as this would even be offered up to the courts. How can you discriminate against someone's weight. It could possibly be a health issue that causes the obesity and due to no fault of the patron. Honestly, what will they want to prohibit next?

So for every "large"person they turn away, there goes money to the resturant, which means, money to the people that work there including tips, which means probably laying off employees cause the resturant is not bringing in the money to support the staff. So you have unemployed people. if it is a law, the people can't go find another job - as no resturants are hiring, as they dont' need more employees. Seems to me a better way to go if the "country" wants to help over weight people is to give them incentives nad encouragement to go work at a gym or do exercise to loose the weight. If anyone thinks that a "large" person that is turned away at a resturant will think "oh goodness, I guess I have to go loose some weight or I won't be able to eat there agian", is stupid! The people can just as easily go make whatever they want to eat at home - oh, well, then the "laws" can tell grocery stores, the same thing - "If a large person come through your register with (a list of no-no's to buy) the cashier has to tell them they can't have those items and take them off the counter! When does it stop!

I think it would make more sense to pass legislation on charging a tax on junk food that everyone pays and legislate that people must serve a minimum of 5 dishes that are low in fat, salt, sugar, etc. otherwise it seems like discrimination to me.

Talk about discrimination! Geez! I think that is completely idiotic. You know in this country all kinds of diffent races and religions are protected from discrimination and rightly so. However, it's open season on fat ppl and always has been. I'm speaking as a fat chick, so I know what I am talking about. I'm not saying by any means being big is a good thing, please understand that. But it is also my right to be big. If I want to eat a piece of chocolate cake or sit down in this Mississipi resturant and eat til I burst, that's no one's business but my own. This law is discrimination in it's highest form and in not other situation, not color, race or creed would this be tolerated.