Ya wanna be sterile?
Published on March 29, 2005 By philomedy In Current Events
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Alright, so here's the thing: Obesity isn't good. I think that's a fairly straightforward statement that nearly everyone would agree with. Bad for the heart, bad for the body, bad for a person in general. High blood pressure, clogged arteries, trouble breathing, etc. Fine. But:

In California, there is a program in place where obese men can have state-funded vasectomies to ensure that their inferior genetic material will not live on in the next generation. Again I say fine, albeit less enthusiastically, because I really don't like the thought of legislation picking and choosing genetic defects to eliminate; Albinos are also the victims of a genetic defect, as are dwarfs, as are people with sickle cell anemia, Tay-sachs, etc. While I am aware that there is no sterility measure necessary for sickle cell and tay-sachs since those diseases usually kill the victims early in life, and that albinism and dwarfism do not pose the potential health risks of obesity, it is also true that obese people have the ability to live normal lives, not to mention lose weight and have healthy children. There is no doubt that if one is genetically inclined towards obesity, it is up to that person to know about it and handle the situation in a way that they see fit, but I equate this with the child of an alcoholic being more likely to become addicted. It is not something that has to be eliminated, just controlled, and not by a government, but by an individual.

As I mentioned earlier, though, I am still okay with the state offering free vasectomies to obese men. As the article I link to mentions, the procedure is voluntary. The men enter into it of their own free will. However, I find something truly disturbing about the last sentence in the fifth paragraph:

"If we are to make this procedure mandatory, we must clearly draw the lines where physician judgment is concerned."

If??? Why is this even being considered? If we decide to forceably sterilize obese people? As long as the physician attests that it is for the benefit of future generations? According to recent polls, more than half of the NFL is obese. Using the same criteria, Shaquille O'neal was identified as obese.

There is, I believe, an alarming misconception that people who tip the scales cannot be active, or athletic, or happy. I'm not trying to refute the overwhelming medical evidence, because I agree that obesity poses a health risk. However, when we start talking about the possibility of forcible sterilization to control a defective gene, which, by the way, can be controlled, be it with an exercise plan, surgery, etc., we are taking the concept of "protecting society from itself" way, way, WAY too far.

Personal responsibility is still alive somewhere, probably cold, hungry, and injured. Hopefully, we can find it before it's too late.

Comments (Page 2)
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on Mar 31, 2005

one doesn't have to be fat to see how awful it is to treat the obese as some sort of subhuman group of defects. I mean, so what if they're unhealthy

Not all "fat" people are unhealthy.  Not all "skinny" people are healthy.  Just like not all smokers die of lung cancer.  There are a lot of factors involved.  Considering that we have a growing percentage of overweight people, as a society, we need to address it as a problem and work for a solution.  I just don't think sterilization is the answer, and neither is risky stomach surgery. 

I wish I could find it again, but there was a study by one of the big medical colleges on financial standing and weight problems.  It found that the most obese people were the poorer people.  It also evaluated the cost of healthy food versus non-healthy food.  It showed that the grocery bill of a list of fresh food, proper amounts of fresh fruits and veggies, and healthy protein costs about 50 - 75% more than a list that contained pre-packaged foods that were either frozen or preserved.  So, they tried to prove that it costs more to eat healthy.  Then add "organic" foods to the mix, and it gets even more expensive.

I shop at Whole Foods, which carries a lot of Organic foods and foods that pass their "healthy" test.  I buy as many Organic products as I can, and over 75% of my cart is filled with fresh fruits and veggies.  My grocery bill if literally double what it was when I used to buy "quick" type meals and the minimum amount of conventionally grown fruits and veggies. 

on Mar 31, 2005

I wish I could find it again, but there was a study by one of the big medical colleges on financial standing and weight problems. It found that the most obese people were the poorer people. It also evaluated the cost of healthy food versus non-healthy food. It showed that the grocery bill of a list of fresh food, proper amounts of fresh fruits and veggies, and healthy protein costs about 50 - 75% more than a list that contained pre-packaged foods that were either frozen or preserved. So, they tried to prove that it costs more to eat healthy. Then add "organic" foods to the mix, and it gets even more expensive.

In our long range plans to market farm on our small parcel of land, we're hoping to grow organic quality foods without the organic label (which is, by the way, a marketing tool like anything else). The problem is, if we spend the money for organic certification, we'll be expected to sell at "competitive" prices (read: vastly inflated). So, our goal is to produce naturally grown foods at prices competitive with mass marketed produce (the way we intend to make a profit is by growing things like tomatoes in the middle of winter, when they fetch the highest price, etc).

Personally, I love healthy foods. Give me a good veggie sandwich on whole grain bread, and I'll choose it over a steak almost any day of the week. But fresh produce doesn't keep as long, necessitating more trips to the grocery store and a higher net cost for even those who CAN afford all organics.

Back to topic, though...I am obese, and am winning the battle against it, but NOT ONE of my five children is obese. We've taught them healthy eating habits from the beginning, and they are very active. My own personal problems stem from the fact that you can't just WISH away 34 years of damage.

on Mar 31, 2005
I'm not fat, I'm too short for my weight.
on Apr 25, 2005
I read your article on Obese men and sterilization,you are kidding I am sure-but years ago 60 min had a program on sterilizing men who had commited reapeat sex crimes,the law found it was against their rights to sterilize them if they did not keep taking their provera. They have done many studies on men who have raped and killed repeatedly and that their testosterone levels were so high they couldn't even be measured.I wonder why this has never come up again?I would be more worried over these disgusting products of society do not reproduce.Don't forget the fat guy can lose wt.,The sex offenders of our world are the people that should be castrated,sterilized,and wear a code on their ankles so they will never be alone and have another opportunity to hurt our loved ones of this world.
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