Throughout our lives, we have been taught that we have freedom to do what we want, but we still have to pay the consequences. These freedoms have been given us by our United States Constitution, and suddenly our rights to drink and eat what we want have been challenged by our schools and government. Obesity in the United States has become an epidemic which has also plagued the physically fit and made them pay the price of their choice.
I have always been taught to defend my religion and freedoms by my parents. In recent years, I feel like the government has been challenging the people in our country to stand up for what they believe in. For example, the act to omit the "Under God" from the pledge of allegiance, and now taking away the options of beverages and snacks in the vending machines and lunch room.
The government is pushing our rights to the limit and not for "We the People", but for themselves and their wallets. The many acts and bills that are being passed have been proven to not do what they say. They also take money from tax payers that should be going to helping the economy but is actually helping the politicians get bigger houses and more cars. The government has compensated executives of health care companies such as Humana, Aetna , and UnitedHealth Group with a combined cost of 27.13 million. The compensation for politicians is also very high. (Michael Moore, "Sicko") If the government is using their money for themselves and acts that do nothing, then why should we trust them to do everything. We need to get more involved in our government and take charge of the decisions being made for our country.
Furthermore, this restriction of our rights takes away our ability to choose what we want. I have talked to several people about the situations being pushed upon us. First of all, the obesity in America has caused the school systems to require 3 Physical Education classes throughout the 4 year period in High School, which I have no problem with. I believe that this required class becomes a nuisance when the physically fit and active must also take 3 classes. The Schools are using this precaution as well as the one with the vending machines to lessen the plague of obesity by offering only some sort of diet beverages. The active people should be able to have the choice of a regular, non-diet beverage. These precautions are punishing physically fit and healthy people for the choices of others.
It isn't right for the school board to take away our options and our choice by changing what is in the vending machines. The vending machines give us choice and choice is one of our freedoms that we can always hang onto. What I want to do with my money shouldn't be tested and restricted by the government that has been known to trick and test the pubic. It is time for us to stand up for what we believe in.
~Baja Blast~
5 comments:
I agree with you that the regular sodas and the snacks that we (the students who are buying the snacks/sodas in the first place) want shouldnt be taken out of the vending machines/cafeteria but there are a couple of things that seem a little off to me about your post. For one, taking "Under God" out of the Pledge of Allegiance and replacing snacks/drinks in the vending machines are not even closely related. The Pledge of Allegiance argument is based on the First Amendment where it says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion". Its all about peoples religious beliefs and how our country is supposed to have a separation between Church and State.(I do think the argument is stupid though because the Pledge of Allegiance is not a law in the first place and when it was originally made into the official pledge of the US those two words werent even in it. They were added in June of 1954. But that is not the main point.) By taking the sodas out of the machines the administration is trying to do what they think is best for the student body.(Again not saying i agree especially after i read the blog posted above this one.) Secondly, anything that Michael Moore thinks or says in the movie "Sicko" is used to try to get you to think that the health care system in the United States is not working and should be changed as fast as possible. He doesnt even acknowledge the facts about the arguments against Universal Health care.(Havent seen the whole thing so im not completely sure about this part.) All he does in that movie is present his opinion in a way that makes it look like the heath care system in the US is horrible and screws everybody who uses it. Am I saying that hes wrong? No. I dont know enough about the issue and how each system works to say whether he is wrong or right but i do know that he has a biased opinion and the movie "Sicko" has an agenda to it. Fourth, how in the world is it right when obese people have to take PE but the "fit, healthy" people do? How do you think they got fit and healthy in the first place? Probably by working out and attempting to become physically fit. Why is it such a big hassle then when they have to keep working out to stay fit? Its not like one day you finish working out and then your magically fit. No. Its a continually process. The fit people should love PE because it gives them a chance to stay fit and healthy and not fall out of the shape they worked so hard to get into. Lastly, who gets to say whos obese and who isnt. Thats like saying that because of your lifestyle or the way you look or the condition your body is in that you have to take a special class so you can be the way we want you to be. What if youre forcing to do that obese person to do something they dont want to do? Arent you taking away their rights? Singling out obese people to take gym class and not the fit and healthy people is like segregation all over again. Just because youre already healthy shouldnt give you a get out of gym class free card. Obesity is a huge problem in America right now, I definitely agree with you on that but by bringing back junk food and actual real live sodas isnt going to help obese people or physically fit people to become healthy or stay healthy. The administration is doing what it feels is right by putting these things in our machines and cafe and I have to agree with them on this. I dont like it and I probably wont buy a single soda from a vending machine this year but i do have to agree with them in their choice. Its the prices that i dont like but thats a whole different story and ive probably lost half the people who have spent the time to read this comment by now anyway. So thats all folks.
I also agree,well i mean i guess the school systems are trying to look out for us. But when they try to sell a bottle that is half to size with half the fat and sell it for the same price?! That's insane!
It makes me so mad that the school systems think we are this dumb..but we buy it anyway, oh well. I also think that if kids want to be fat or dont even have enough self will to exercise and eat healthy then that's their choice. Its kind of pathetic, but some people are just lazy.
i agree. we shouldn't all be punished for what other people do. we should have our own choices to eat and drink what we choose.
i kinda disagree on some of this. yeah the gov has no right to take "Under God"out of the pledge of allegience. but i think they do have the right to make the U.S. a healthier place. obesity is an epidemicand yes it is not the fault of the physically fit but does it really hurt to have to drink a diet soda for the sake of people to not have health problems(not that diet is much better, it should just be water or gatorade) They are just trying to help people not be obese. and have you thought that maybe its you who are making the governement richer and get bigger cars and houses. all that money you put into the machine goes to the vending company and then it goes to government throught taxes. and maybe we would not need these special programs(that give government more money) for overweight people if we had started off healthy.
i totally agree that we should have more choices at school and i don't think it is right that "phsically fit" are suffering for the soring obesity rates. And frankly if a fat person wants to get a hold of a twinkie they are going to. So why try and stop them while they are in school? And did you ever think that maybe.. just maybe.. all the physically fit people aren't the ones eating and drinking soda all day. And maybe..just maybe.. they are trying to do the thing they are supposed to be doing at school.. getting an education. Not sitting there eating. Hmm... interesting..
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