I read the other day that a judge had struck down New York Mayor Bloomberg's ban on large sugary drinks.
Good. And, by the way, ha. Ha. Ha.
It's nice to know there is a judge somewhere that has some sense. And the whole thing strikes me as funny anyway.
Mayor Bloomberg promised to appeal the ruling, according to an article on the New York Times' website. He defended the ban, saying it would save lives. "Obesity kills. There's no question it kills."
For those who don't know what I'm talking about, let me explain. Last year New York City's Board of Health passed a ban on the sale of sugary drinks in containers larger than 16 ounces. It was supposed to go into effect last Tuesday, but was struck down before it could happen.
The ban was hailed by some as a shot in the war against obesity. Others found it ridiculous and contradictory - milkshakes, for example, were exempt. And there were those who saw it as a civil liberties issue - should the government be telling us what size soda we could drink?
As I scanned articles on the topic to prepare for this column, a statement by one person supporting the ban struck me. Found again on the New York Times website, a 48-year-old diabetic was quoted as saying, "If we don't look out for ourselves ... it's good that somebody is looking out for us."
Say what?
What about personal responsibility? What about people making intelligent choices on their own? Do we really WANT the government to "look out for us?"
Where does this kind of thing end? Today the government decides what size soda we can buy. Tomorrow might they give a maximum number of calories allowed in an entrée? Limit the size of hamburgers? Ban fried foods?
Don't laugh. It could happen. Who thought they'd be trying to limit the size of sugary drinks?
Look, I know what eating and drinking a lot of high-calorie stuff can result in. I see the results on the scale. But I don't blame the government, the fast food industry, or anyone else for being overweight. One person is accountable for that - me.
(For the record, I don't drink sugary sodas, having partaken of diet soda these many years. I freely admit to being a Diet Dr. Pepper addict. Soda isn't my problem.)
I also agree that obesity is not just my problem. Many people are in my situation. In fact, that number is growing. Should we be concerned about that? Sure. But does that mean the government starts playing with a heavy hand in people's lives?
We need to quit thinking of government as some sort of parent, treating us as errant children who don't know what's good for us. It's not the government's job to make sure we eat right. That, dear readers, falls on us.
I hope that Mayor Bloomberg finds something else to obsess about. I understand that he wants to leave the job having made his mark somehow. But this is just silly. And who wants to be remembered for doing something silly as mayor?
Meanwhile, at least for now, New Yorkers can drink their large sugary drinks in peace. But keep an eye on this case. Today, it's your soda - tomorrow, who knows? Could be your favorite snack food. Give government in inch, and they'll take your foot-long.
Let the government mind their own waistline, and I'll mind mine, thank you very much.
Friday, March 15, 2013 - www.newssun.com/col-031713-ware