During our recent bout with the flu, I spent a great deal of time watching NetFlix. There are some movies available for instant viewing that I would have never seen had it not been for this terrific value in video rentals. Spellbound is one I highly recommend, and Super Size Me is another. It is this second movie that inspired this post, and many more to come, as I strive to put my thoughts on this topic together in a concise, coherent, intelligent manner.
The premise behind Super Size Me is basically an experiment conducted by one man in an attempt to either prove or disapprove the ill-effects of an all-McDonald's fast food diet for a period of one month. Now, the movie in and of itself is very interesting, and does a good job of solidifying the case against eating out as one's sole means of sustenance. But it was during the end credits that my interest was really peeked, when I saw something called "The Cheeseburger Bill". Having done a bit of research on it, I have since discovered that the Cheeseburger Bill was an attempt in Congress to protect the food industries from lawsuits that seek damages against the harmful effects eating their products may have on us, the American public. You know, the little people, the ones expected to pay their taxes and uphold the laws of this nation, the ones who do not get away with tax evasion and could never hope to get pay increases or a benefits package to rival those of our illustrious leaders. And I do not have a problem with the legislation. I actually think the same should have been done with the case against the tobacco industry, 'cause everyone knows, and has always known (read the history of the use of tobacco and the admonishments of the kings of England against the disgusting, dirty habit of smoking in the sixteenth century) that smoking is bad for you. When I see a twelve-year old step off a school bus and light up (because it is only illegal to sell cigarettes to minors, not for them to smoke), I wonder who he is going to blame his ignorance on in the future, when he is hacking up a lung.
Anyway, back to the Cheeseburger - this bill unabashedly protects the industries, not the consumers. Yet, the US Food and Drug Administration "(FDA or USFDA) is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is responsible for regulating and supervising the safety of foods, dietary supplements, drugs, vaccines, biological medical products, blood products, medical devices, radiation-emitting devices, veterinary products, and cosmetics". See some conflicts of interest here? I do. Our government is supposed to protect us from harmful foods, but our government wants a policy that stipulates, should such food harm us, we may not do anything about it.
So, where am I going with this? Well, do you know about the Parental Rights amendment? Go to ParentalRights.org and read up on it and then come back here and I will tell you where I am going with this.
PART II
Read up on ParentalRights.org? What do you think? Do you think it is a fair thing to give the parents in this country - now, I am talking about PARENTS, people who actually PARENT their children, as differentiated from the group that reproduces and then ... nothing - the right to raise their children in the manner they deem most appropriate, if they are responsible, law-abiding citizens who ask for nothing to carry out their responsibilities?
Goodness, there are so many tangents here ... including, let's start taking away rights to biological children from criminals who have never shown any responsibility, yet who are able to dictate that their children flounder in the foster care system all their childhood because they refuse to terminate their "rights". The judicial system, and the social service system has not worked on behalf of those kids, has it? No, it is actually the "right" of the criminal to keep their parental rights. How about teen-agers who reproduce - repeatedly - get all sorts of government support and have no oversight as to how "appropriate" they are in raising said child/children?
In the movie Super Size Me, the role of government and its failure to protect the interests of its citizens over big industries was discussed. This is of no surprise. But, if our government can consider The Cheeseburger Bill, in an attempt to openly protect industries that may harm its people, then how can we entrust them with the care and best interest of our children? Please sign the Parental Rights Amendment petition - life, liberty, and the pursuit of family all depend on it under the current administration. Don't let legislators that consider The Cheeseburger Bill good for the country have control over your family.
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