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Sadly, what LEL speaks of is too often the truth. Kids are 90% a product of their home. Ask any teacher and they will agree. Ask any parent who deals with their kid's friends and they will agree.

An intelligent response. Thank you.

Evidence may also show, anecdotally a least, that those born into poverty will remain there. They will get bad habits from their parent(s) and remain in poverty.

Conservative political philosophy is based upon opportunity, not upon dead certain outcomes based upon accidents of birth. If we believed everyone's die was cast at birth, we wouldn't have the economy we have here. We'd have social stratification instead of the mobility between social and economic classes that we see here. no more rags to riches stories.

We'd also have a much stronger moral imperative to care for these less fortunate who will never do any better. (Or, conversely an incentive to eliminate the useless eaters.) We can not have a laissez faire market-based system if we don't believe in freedom of opportunity. We must have a welfare state.

Yes, a certain percentage of people born into a bad situation will not escape. I am more inclined to encourage the success stories than to moan about poor fate.

Anecdotally, we also know of religous parents with athiesitc children. Liberal parents with conservative kids. Drunks who raise up sober children. The acorn can fall far from the tree. Our lives are not pre-written.

SD

No one is disagreeing with you. We're just saying that, unfortunately, the odds aren't in their favor. LEL is very intelligent and I respect her opinion and thoughts. She may not express them the say way others would but her point is the same and understood.

The acorn can fall far from the tree. Our lives are not pre-written.

Or it can fall close and roll away. Or get transplanted. Or pruned into a bonzai.

I agree with what you're saying. My issue is I'm just tired of a narrow standard and just about everyone who isn't a size 2 being called fat. And it isn't about me (yes, I'm round) but its about how we've skewed so far away from normal that kids start dieting at 12 who don't need too!

Or Dr's who put everyone one a weight reduction diet when they have conditions where a bit of weight will keep them from dying (yes, that is possible too).

And I'm tired of the ugly language. It's like you can have found a cure for cancer, composed a symphony, developed cold fusion....but if you're overweight....you're the subject of contempt.

Look, I deal with obesity all the time, and much of it can't be changed (situational, medications etc). So I focus on finding the best possible situation for the folks. Self respect goes a long way in battling health issues. And I hate bullies.