“Um, sir… no one force-fed you that fast food…”

Burger King sign in Newport News, VirginiaIt just kind of annoys me when people won’t take responsibility for their own actions. You make choices, and you have to live with the consequences of your choices. From A follows B. That’s why it annoys me about the man in New York suing fast-food chains McDonald’s, Wendy’s, KFC, and Burger King for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Yes, it’s unfortunate that he’s got these health problems (don’t get me wrong), but the claims of becoming “addicted” to fast food, I just don’t buy it. I myself am fat, but it’s my own fault, because I live a sedentary life, and don’t get much exercise. When I’m ready to change it, I just need to open a spot in my schedule to hit up a fitness center on a regular basis (and not just to cheer on friends in activities), and with perseverance over time, I’d lose weight. This is kind of a no-brainer here. I eat regular food, which is generally whatever I can come up with in the kitchen at home, or from the dining hall at JMU. Of JMU’s dining facilities, one I’m fond of is Mrs. Green’s, a dining facility where a salad bar is the main attraction. I try to eat healthy, but if you don’t work off the calories you take in, even if they’re so-called “healthy” foods, you’re still going to gain weight. Fast food is just trying to make an honest living feeding people who need food on the go, because people are willing to pay for it. I try to avoid most of it, because otherwise I’ll be in the bathroom all day. For the guy who is bringing a lawsuit up against McDonald’s, Wendy’s, KFC, and Burger King, he needs to remember – he made choices, and unless I’m terribly mistaken, no one was forcing him to eat the stuff. Make some extra time in your schedule, and it’s not that hard to make something to eat for the next day like my parents do. Still, to the guy who’s suing the fast food joints, and anyone thinking about doing similar, as the expression goes, “You made your bed and now you have to lie in it”.


Date posted: August 11, 2002