This is being widely distributed because of the time factor involved to this opportunity to make a positive difference in our community. Thanks for your understanding.  Remember that Weight Discrimination is perpetrated through the media and is racist, sexist, classist and ageist.  So those interested in media, race, gender, class, health sciences and geriatric studies, as well as other disciplines may be interested in the following.

President-Elect Obama has a section of his Change.gov website which is called the Citizen's Briefing Book, which states: "Share Your Ideas on any issue facing the new administration, then rate or comment on other ideas. The best rated ideas will be gathered into a Citizen's Briefing Book to be delivered to President Obama after he is sworn in."

(This website was brought to my attention by Allen Steadham, Director of the International Size Acceptance Association.  Thanks Allen!)

So I submitted the following idea, which has been well-received so far, as it's been voted UP 90 points since about 8:30pm Central Time last night:

http://citizensbriefingbook.change.gov/ideas/viewIdea.apexp?id=08780000000545A

Encourage Fitness and Health But Discourage Weight Discrimination

While it is true that everyone should be active and make healthy food choices, for too long, size (i.e. - weight-based) discrimination has hid behind the auspices of being, ironically, in support of health. These two issues should both be addressed in a manner which respects people as a whole and leads to long-term solutions.

Since people of all sizes benefit from daily activity and making healthy food choices, people who are heavier (specifically those deemed obese or having a Body Mass Index  - BMI - of more than 30) should not be singled out for weight loss efforts which clearly have not been effective, since the "obesity crisis" has not been solved.

However, if the majority of the population were taught healthy food choices from the earliest levels of education and physical education was given proper significance in America's schools, we could create healthier future generations. We could also be much closer to solving the health issues created by inactivity and poor food choices.

Moreover, size- or weight-based discrimination must become illegal in all 50 states and all U.S. territories. Only when we remove the stigma of discrimination will people of all sizes become encouraged and empowered to reach their full potential as citizens of this great country. Simply put, if we want to solve the obesity crisis, we cannot continue to allow those we wish to help, those whose health we wish to improve and those whose burdens we do not wish to extend to the taxpayers of this land, to be treated with anything less than the dignity and respect meant for all citizens.

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If you have a few minutes today or when you receive this email, please sign up (for free) and vote for this idea to draw attention to both size acceptance and the need to end size discrimination. Even if you, like many people, are understandably cynical about politics, go ahead and do this anyway. At the very least, if we generate enough interest about this topic for the Incoming Administration that they have to pay attention to it, then that will be a significant victory in itself! 

If all you have to lose is a few minutes of time, then why not give it a try, okay? Thanks.

Sincerely,

Allen Steadham

--
Allen Steadham, Director
International Size Acceptance Association
E-mail - [log in to unmask]
WWW - http://www.size-acceptance.org

Know Justice, Know Peace,

Rev. Dr. E-K. Daufin, Professor of Communication

ASU FSA Co-VP for Faculty, AEJMC MAC Officer

Alabama State University, 915 S. Jackson St.

Montgomery, AL 36101-0271 PH:334-229-6885

Thanks in advance for your research & creative activity referrals: http://home.earthlink.net/~ekdaufin

With all my  heart I want work that I love; for abundant pay; in a beautiful, functional, comfortable environment; with/for kind, competent, happy, supportive people who love, enjoy and appreciate me and I they. Ashe.

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