From the Department Of Utter Idiocy

[babylonsister]

http://www.grist.org/article/2011-01-20-wondering-why-pedestrian-fatalities-are-up-whlame-michelle-obama

Wondering why pedestrian fatalities are up? Why not blame Michelle Obama

by Sarah Goodyear

20 Jan 2011 9:59 AM


When pedestrians get killed by drivers, who is to blame?

Well, if you read the Washington Examiner, you might be surprised to learn that a slight nationwide increase in pedestrian fatalities could be the fault of Michelle Obama and her "Let's Move" campaign. Because, you know, isn't everything?

This absurd implication would almost be worth ignoring completely, except that it has been gleefully picked up and run with by influential conservative blog The Daily Caller.

Another interesting thing about the story, as reported on the D.C. news blog TBD, is the reaction of the person whose quote is used to back up the absurdity. Barbara Harsha, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, said in an interview with TBD that she didn't mean any such thing:

In fact, Harsha tells us, she didn't tell the Examiner that at all. "It's ridiculous," she says. According to Harsha, the First Lady's fitness campaign never even came up in her discussion with {reporter Scott} McCabe. "Absolutely not," she says, adding that she actually supports the "Let's Move" campaign.

But as McCabe points out to us, the Obama nugget came from the GHSA's pitch to him for the story, which he passed along: "Why the increase? We don't really know but speculate that it could be a couple factors. One is the possible increase in distracted pedestrians and distracted drivers. We've been focusing on the drivers, but perhaps we need to focus some attention on distracted walkers! Additionally, Mrs. Obama and others have been bringing attention to 'get moving' programs, so perhaps pedestrian exposure has increased."

Harsha says her theorizing to the Examiner never went beyond the predictable and mundane: More people seem to be walking and running, particularly while listening to music or fiddling with their smartphones, and not paying attention to traffic signals. "What we were trying to say is if people do walk more, there's more risk," says Harsha. "We're concerned with the increase in pedestrian fatalities, and we need to monitor it. Maybe some education needs to be done for people who are into physical fitness."

There are a lot of things to hate about this story: The reflexive demonization of the First Lady. The manufacturing of a trend out of very thin statistical fabric. The blaming of victims who can't defend themselves.

But what might be most depressing about the whole ridiculous thing is that in this country, merely wanting to walk from one place to another can qualify you as being "into physical fitness."

[FSogol]

1. The Washington Examiner is a free RW Propaganda paper.

It is probably more biased than the defunct Wash. Times. If it gets delivered to your home (the bastards throw 4 copies in my yard once or twice a week) you can call and have them discontinue delivery. I called and told them to stop throwing their liter in my yard.

[DCKit]

2. Michelle Obama is the daughter of Satan and married to the Anti-Christ

See how easy that was?

I could write their headlines all day, every day.

[bemildred]

3. I guess there is more to this thinking business than just slapping a couple ideas together.

:rofl: