A family of four with a combined weight of 83 stone [1162 pounds] say they are "too fat to work" and need more than the £22,000 [$30,861] they currently receive in benefits.Philip Chawner, 53, and his 57-year-old wife Audrey weigh 24st [336 pounds]. Their daughter Emma, 19, weighs 17st [238 pounds], while her older sister Samantha, 21, weighs 18st [252 pounds].The Chawners, haven't worked in 11 years, claim their weight is a hereditary condition and the money they receive is insufficient to live on.Mr Chawner said: "What we get barely covers the bills and puts food on the table. It's not our fault we can't work. We deserve more."The family claim to spend £50 a week on food and consume 3,000 calories each a day. The recommended maximum intake is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men."We have cereal for breakfast, bacon butties for lunch and microwave pies with mashed potato or chips for dinner," Mrs Chawner told Closer magazine.
So what do you do in a situation like this? I frankly don't think they are "too fat to work," as I know people like that who are far larger - attorneys, in fact - that make their appearances in court and handle their cases. They're fat - look, there's no other word for it - but they are not infirm.
Should obesity be protected by the Americans With Disabilities Act in America? I think there are people who have a condition - whether physiological or psychological - where a byproduct is heavy weight. And the condition may qualify for ADA protection. But just being fat?
6 comments:
"Have another HIT!!!!!! ~ Of Sweet California Sunshine!" ~ Quicksilver Messenger Service....1967
HEH!!!!
Can we start shooting now?
I say cut them off, and see how quickly they "will work for food."
A usual, with any good intentioned law like the ADA, it has been exploited, twisted, and perverted well beyond the original scope and intent of the law.
My sympathy meter for their collective plight is barely registering a movement.
I also know people who are larger yet work, some of them in moderately active jobs.
Let's just say I'm less than sympathetic to this family.
Totally agree. I think most fat people would be horrified that these freeloaders are getting away with this BS. Yes, there are some exceptions -- but these people aren't even really CLOSE to being too fat to work.
Get off the damn couch and get out there,people.
I saw this article too yesterday, and it frosted me. People take advantage, and then people who really need help don't get it.
Freeloaders with a "the government owes me" mentality.
Another thing - I recognize that it can be genuinely difficult to eat a cheap, filling, AND nutritious diet. Any two of the three is easy, but getting all three in one shot IS a challenge.
But while it's been a long time since I've grocery shopped in Britain, I can't imagine that cereal (I'm assuming cold, sweetened cereal?), bacon (for the bacon butties, plus whatever else goes on the butties), and microwave pies, are as cheaply and nutritiously as they can eat.
Rule of thumb: processed food (i.e. cold cereal), meat (i.e. bacon), and convenience food (i.e. microwave pies) are rarely the cheapest food you can find. Nor are they usually healthful, especially as a staple food rather than a treat.
I'm thinking a reality show is in order (and I hate reality TV with a passion): a team of nutrition, fitness, and economy experts swoop in and tell them that if the team finds that after 6 or 8 weeks that they're really underfunded, the network will give them $; but if the team finds that they're not, then they get zilch.
Think they'd go for it?
They give them money for being too fat to work--how bizzare! Sheesh, it's a heredity thing? Make them work at a health spa, they could walk the treadmill's until they were no longer too fat to work--would be good for advertising--before too fat, after too fat.
People always want a free ride--and the rest of us have to work--fat or not--and pay their way--when they get to Heaven, they will have to give an account for their sloth!
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