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Rob Ford's Toronto

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I don't like all this picking on the mayor's weight. If Smitherman had won and we were picking on his sexuality we'd have nfitz et al calling us all bigots, or whatever his favourite word of the day would've been.

Where nfitz now, calling out those who pick on the mayor's size as a point of ridicule? It's not easy to defend those we don't like or even despise.
 
Admiral Beez said:
I don't like all this picking on the mayor's weight. If Smitherman had won and we were picking on his sexuality we'd have nfitz et al calling us all bigots, or whatever his favourite word of the day would've been.

Where nfitz now, calling out those who pick on the mayor's size as a point of ridicule? It's not easy to defend those we don't like or even despise.
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You don't understand. Obesity is simply a lifestyle choice that is abhorrent to God and nature. We must all in our way help Rob to control these lustful acts he commits every night as he furtively sneaks out to the refrigerator. If God put us on this Earth to go forth and multiply, would He have created the 300-lb man? I should think not. The thing speaks for itself.
 
Admiral Beez said:
I don't like all this picking on the mayor's weight. If Smitherman had won and we were picking on his sexuality we'd have nfitz et al calling us all bigots, or whatever his favourite word of the day would've been.

Where nfitz now, calling out those who pick on the mayor's size as a point of ridicule? It's not easy to defend those we don't like or even despise.
Click to expand...


no, this is akin to if we were picking on Smitherman because of his weight, similar to when some ppl were picking on Miller for his weight earlier during his terms.
 
Admiral Beez said:
I don't like all this picking on the mayor's weight. If Smitherman had won and we were picking on his sexuality we'd have nfitz et al calling us all bigots, or whatever his favourite word of the day would've been.
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While I recognize that you are trying to make a point, there is a significant difference between weight and sexual orientation - to the extent that they cannot be compared.
 
Extremes in body shape are noticed. If he looked anorexic, he'd get comments. If he looked like a buff professional weightlifter, he'd get another range of them. It's unrealistic to think that people would not comment on whatever shape he came in if it deviated much from the norm, since he's a public figure.

Body image is tied up with notions of health. That's important in a public figure, too.
Fat, although it has sometimes been viewed as desirable in history (in men as a sign of establishment and success), has more common historical ties to accusations (in men) of sloth, excess, indolence and parasitism.

Obviously, what a person is like 'inside' is not in a direct relation to how they are 'outside'. But the two are not divorced, either. And we all have to navigate a myriad of social ideas about what our social appearance 'means' - and deal with it. Moreso if one is in a place like public office.
 
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gristle said:
While I recognize that you are trying to make a point, there is a significant difference between weight and sexual orientation - to the extent that they cannot be compared.
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Indeed. Even if you assume genetic influence over homosexuality to be minimal and genetic influence over obesity to be significant.

I have a hard time coming up with a program people could adopt to rid of their homosexuality! Homosexuality isn't as inherently unhealthy as being overweight, either.
 
It's not just weight, it's how one "wears it", too--that's why Letterman-style Chris Christie jokes come through a more benign than fat-Ford jokes...
 
Let's get back to the point of this thread - what the Fords are doing to Toronto, especially what they've done (and are trying to do) to the TTC.
 
I hope Santa Claus is not reading this fat stuff. It wasn't me Santa.
 
Adm Beez:

Certainly, targeting an individual solely on the basis of body weight is deplorable - but neither should we forget the fact that the brothers chose to turn their weight into a media issue right before budget week. People really intending to lose weight don't turn their body into a circus.

AoD
 
PinkLucy said:
A perfect example of how Ford does (and does not) listen to "taxpayers". He brushes aside one poll and says he doesn't pay attention to polls, and then immediately cites another as proof of a point he is trying to make. So typical. He only hears what he wants to hear. http://www.thestar.com/news/cityhal...-don-t-trust-him-to-handle-subways-lrt-debate
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Two more from the G&M:

Art Eggleton calls out Ford http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...S/Atom&utm_source=Toronto&utm_content=2351784

And McGuinty thinks he's a bit of a whack job http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...S/Atom&utm_source=Toronto&utm_content=2351971
 
Admiral Beez said:
I don't like all this picking on the mayor's weight. If Smitherman had won and we were picking on his sexuality we'd have nfitz et al calling us all bigots, or whatever his favourite word of the day would've been.

Where nfitz now, calling out those who pick on the mayor's size as a point of ridicule? It's not easy to defend those we don't like or even despise.
Click to expand...

What an idiotic thing to say!! Comparing someone's weight to sexuality?
 
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