Step away from the sugar cookie, NOW! Let me see your hands! He's got powder, he's got powder...
The Face of Crime.
Posted on 12/01/2007 4:39:10 AM PST by Leisler
America’s top doc told the Herald yesterday that Santa Claus should slim down, in the latest blow struck in a global politically correct crusade against the jolly fat man.
“It is really important that the people who kids look up to as role models are in good shape, eating well and getting exercise. It is absolutely critical,” acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Adm. Steven K. Galson said in an interview after a presentation on obesity at the Boston Children’s Museum.
Touting NFL players who work with kids to promote healthy lifestyles, Galson added: “Santa is no different.”
Santa’s waistline is the most recent casualty in a war which has already taken away his pipe and his ability to scoop children up and sit them on his knee.
Newspapers abroad have been filled with headlines bemoaning the plight of Australian Santas ordered not to say “ho, ho, ho” for fear of offending women or scaring children, and British Santas sent to boot camp to lose weight.
Some American Santas are taught not to greet people with “Merry Christmas” in case it offends people of different faiths, according to Tim Connaghan, founder of the International University of Santa Claus.
And the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas agrees with the acting surgeon general that Santa is just too fat. The organization has suggested its 800 members lose weight in time for its July convention to “set an example.”
“We think it is a health issue for Santa and for children and that Santa should be setting an example,” said Nicholas Trolli, president of Philadelphia-based AORBS.
Connaghan carried out a survey of more than 300 Santas that found the average weight was 256 pounds.
Some Santas agree that crosses the line from jolly to obese. Wendell Ritchie, a 63-year-old, 6-foot-5, 310-pound Santa from Springfield, said he wants to lose weight next year, although he does not believe Santa should be slim: “I’m an overweight Santa, but he is naturally rotund.”
Santa Rene L. Bureau, 59, of Lowell said he fears for the health of his fellow fat Santas.
“I find that a lot of us who are overweight suffer from health problems, from heart attacks to just having problems getting around,” he said.
Health experts concur.
“I thoroughly agree he should lose weight and we should find ways to make healthy foods more palatable to children,” said Dr. Meredith Harris, associate professor at Northeastern University. “Role models should be seen to be looking fit and living healthily.”
Bah, humbug, say other St. Nicks.
“It would cripple the image of Santa if they were to take his weight away,” said Santa Jim Manning, owner of South End-based santaboston.com
“(Kids) are looking at my face. They could care less about the tummy,” agreed retired teacher Tom Geary, Santa at the Watertown Mall.
Santa’s jelly belly has nothing to fear from at least one local health honcho.
“While childhood obesity is a serious problem, we think Santa is fine just the way he is,” said Donna Rheaume, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
But she added: “We would recommend people leave him healthier snacks this year like a nice apple or carrot and celery sticks, which have an added benefit because they are tasty for his reindeer, to
The Face of Crime.
On this topic, this SG is an idiot. Santa is a centuries old cultural icon - not a test subject for PC edicts. If Dr. Galson wants good role models, he should try demonstrating to his children and others in his life that he’s not a pinheaded busybody.
Nice try for the sneaky Herald to justify it’s cultural attack by citing the “bemoaning” of other “papers” around the country and then bolstering their blather with some spokesman from some goofy Santa wannabe.
St. Nick need not check these twerps names twice - a simple red mark by their names will do. Unfortunately, until Escalante National Monument is reopened for mining, there isn’t enough low-sulphur coal to fill their stockings.
Reminds me of the busy body that took issue with the number of legs on the insect stars of an animated movie.
Whats next, Shreck needs to diet also?
Idiots.
I don’t remember ever looking to Santa as a role-model for health and fitness— or career advice either, for that matter.
I wonder who’s going to get a coal in their stocking.
"Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork"
A 12-Stop Program to End Bad Habits and Begin a Healthy Lifestyle: By Mike Huckabee.
No more hot chocolate and cookies for you, Bad Santa!
sw
UGH. This is sick. I’m tired of traditions being attacked by the PC lunatics.
The obvious answer is that Santa might look fat, but he is super strong, far stronger than a skinny person could be.
Santa can throw a tank like the incredible hulk.
He is also the only individual to have ever achieved the rank of 11th Dan in Judo.
And the pencilnecks will inherit the earth.
If acting U.S. Surgeon General Rear Adm. Steven K. Galson is worried about images of Santa Claus holding a cookie, then perhaps he doesn’t have enough to do.
Someone in the Adminstration needs to bring him in for a good talking-to.
Remember the thread I posted about the dept. stores in the UK putting Santa on the treadmill? Did we ever doubt that it would go beyond that?
This is an extremely low volume ping list. 6 per week max. To be added to or deleted from this ping list, please click one of the following:
Eric, you are a genius add me to your ping list or Eric, you are a jackass, take me off this ping list
____________________________________________________________________
Picture courtesy of unixfox. All rights reserved. Copyright MMVII. Any use of the pictures descriptions or accounts of this ping without the express written consent of unixfox, Eric Blair, or Major League Baseball is strictly prohibited. Some restrictions apply. Ping not available in all states. For erections lasting longer than four hours, call the Guiness Book of World Records. Use only as directed.
We the People Sheeple of the United States Nanny State, in Order to form a more perfect Union Socialist Utopia, establish Justice Socially engineer a country of non smoking, physically fit, tea totallers, insure domestic Tranquility Smoking bans in bars, limits on unhealthy food and social drinking, provide for the common defense Universal Healthcare, promote the general Welfare health of the population whether they like it or not, in order to save above mentioned Universal Healthcare entitlement program from bankruptcy, and secure the Blessings of Liberty Dependency to ourselves progressive liberals and our Posterity Hitler Youth who we brainwash through public school education, do ordain decree and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Nanny State of Liberals.
I’m reminded of the Charlton Heston line from Planet of the Apes...
“This is a madhouse!!! A maaadhoooouse!!!!”
Don't jest ... it will be true in very short order if we don't put an end to this nonsense. I swear, sometimes I'm really glad that I won't live too many more decades.
Santa - banned from cookies. PC run amuck. Are they going to go after Santa’s elves next? Or the reindeer?
-so what does Jax think of this?
LOLOLOL. You’ve got that right!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.