Critics Slam Overweight Surgeon General Pick, Regina Benjamin

[Are_grits_groceries]

Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, Obama's pick for the next surgeon general, was hailed as a MacArthur Grant genius who had championed the poor at a medical clinic she set up in Katrina-ravaged Alabama.

But the full-figured African-American nominee is also under fire for being overweight in a nation where 34 percent of all Americans aged 20 and over are obese.

Critics and supporters across the blogsphere have commented on photos of Benjamin's round cheeks, saying she sends the wrong message as the public face of America's health initiatives.

But others support the 52-year-old founder and CEO of Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic, citing new research that shows you cannot always judge a book by its cover when it comes to obesity.

Even the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance -- whose slogan is "we come in all sizes" -- has jumped to her defense.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=8129947&page=1

She did more than the Bush administration to help after Katrina. They need to STFU. They wouldn't like her if she presented them with a cure for every disease known to man.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Somehow it's always *something* with them.

:rofl:

[madaboutharry]

5. Isn't that the truth.

It is always "something".

I think there is "something" wrong with "some" people.

Well, I support her. She seems to know what being a doctor is suppose to be about.

[Bertha Venation]

2. God forbid that Pres. Obama should ever champion non-smoking.

Because that would be as wrong as if he appointed an obese surgeon gen--

Oh, wait. Never mind.

;)

[redqueen]

3. "you cannot always judge a book by its cover when it comes to obesity"

Good luck getting that through the thick skulls around *here*, let alone dumbfuckistan.

[Missy Vixen]

18. redqueen, you rawk

>Good luck getting that through the thick skulls around *here*, let alone dumbfuckistan<

Absolutely. After all, the fat are lazy, shiftless, stupid, don't know how to put down a fork, and should just STFU.

I sometimes think the best thing that could happen to the smug, supercilious fatphobes here is to suddenly gain fifty pounds or so they're unable to take off. Discovering they have hypothyroidism would work, too.

Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Those like Dr. Benjamin, who probably makes good food choices with an "occasional" treat, and gets out for a brisk walk or other exercise several times a week, are in demonstrably better health than those who throw up, smoke, or exist on Diet Coke and rice cakes to maintain that size 2...

[Bolo Boffin]

4. Have these people no shame? n/t

[spanone]

13. no

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. Yeah, the Michael Chertoff look was so inspirational........

:sarcasm: .....if you were a medical examiner.

[krispos42]

8. Skelator?

Yeah, he was a visual treat, wasn't he?

[TheCowsCameHome]

20. His picture would warm the heart of even the most hardened coroner.

[krispos42]

7. How long before the Reich cracks a joke about too much fried chicken?

Goddamn idiots, all of them.








Her figure is quite acceptable to me. Ah, if only she was 20 years younger...


Her face is very round, and of course in the friggin' article they use a shot ONLY of her face.

[madaboutharry]

9. She looks fine.

People are jerks.

[Ikonoklast]

17. You're kidding me.

Those are supposed to be pictures of a morbidly obese person?

It's not even silly, it's preposterous.


Dog, people are stupid.

[Lilyeye]

19. This is obese? WTF. Those bastards just want to bitch.

[csziggy]

24. The face shape is a bad indicator of body weight

On Style Network there is a show about a woman named Ruby who is down to 350 pounds after losing a lot of weight. She is thinner in her face than Dr. Benjamin, even though I am sure Ruby weighs much more.

Plus, Dr. Benjamin is large on top, which makes a woman in a suit look much larger all over.

Frankly she looks very healthy to me. I wish I looked as good!

[Dappleganger]

29. She looks great--what is their problem?

Not everybody wants to be all skin and bones.

[FarCenter]

10. In another decade, the high price of food will make obesity a non-problem

[DonCoquixote]

11. I know that the "I AM NOT A RACIST" folks will squeal

But it also does not help that "Round Cheeks" are facial features that are NOT Caucasian. Oh yes, people say they admire Beyonce or Halle Berry or Tyra Banks, totally omitting they are thin, tall, wear Blonde, iron-straight hair half the time, and have facial structure that is not round, like most of the world has.

[MADem]

12. That woman is simply "thick." She's not fat. She looks good to me. NT

[krispos42]

14. "Shapely"...

...better than visible ribs by a mile.

Of course this is distracting us from her professional and political history and experiences.

[MzNov]

25. Hardly time to exercise when you spend most of your waking hours

helping those less fortunate, i.e. Katrina victims and other poor Americans. Besides, she's not obese. you Fuckwads (her critics that is).

[Lochloosa]

15. The headline sucks. I did not find anyone in the article that "Slammed" Ms. Benjamin.

[unblock]

16. no one seemed to care when c. everett koop was an overweight surgeon general.

hmmm, maybe fat IS a feminist issue after all....

[Demoiselle]

21. WHAT?!!!! Dr.Benjamin is NOT overweight!

Good grief.
And even if she weighed a whole lot more than she does, her record of service is extraordinary. I was so happy to hear of her nomination and her history.
What is WRONG with ABC news!???

[SidneyCarton]

22. Pathetic.

The woman has her flaws, so do I. Find me a person who doesn't, this is asinine sniping from a group that doesn't know how to do anything but, a sad little group of narcissists who see nothing wrong in their own deranged state, but are more than happy to condemn anyone who deviates even the slightest bit from their own conception of the norm.

:rant:

[me b zola]

23. Still presuming to know better than a woman about her health care

As if the gop knows the first damn thing about Dr Benjamin and her personal health care. This shtick is getting old.


:grr:

[Ilsa]

26. Let's look at a few former SsG:

C. Everett Koop - Doesn't look thin to me.


Richard Carmona - Doesn't look thin to me.


David Satcher - Another beard to cover jowls?


Audrey Manley - looks like she might be slender.


Steven Galson - Looks like he might be fit.

I suspect any and all of these people know what their physical problems are or could develop. I wonder if any of those criticizing the nominee are willing to strip down and be examined for body fat content?

[madrchsod]

27. i`ll file this in the category of --- "i don`t give a fuck how much she weighs"

who the hell cares what this lady weighs or does`t weigh?

it`s a toss up between sotomayer and benjamin for the best candidates obama has picked...by the way is`t sotomayor a bit over weight...:sarcasm:

[Stinky The Clown]

28. I have two words for her critics: Fuck Them.

She's a great pick and hardly seems overweight. Not thin ... but to my eyes, very normal.

[Ganja Ninja]

30. Let me just throw this out.

Rush Limbaugh.

[DainBramaged]

31. YEAH

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