Ice-Cream 'Sue Fat Movement' Leaves Washington-Area Consumers Cold

The Washington Times ^ | 7/28/03 | Anne Bakalis

[TrebleRebel]

Back away from the Blue Bell, and no one gets hurt.

[szweig]

These lawyers must be stopped. Litigation will pull this country down. Ideas??? (other than the OBVIOUS)???

[sgtbono2002]

I wont be eating Ben and Jerry's , but not because its fattening.

[A_perfect_lady]

These lawyers must be stopped. Litigation will pull this country down. Ideas???

Countersuits? For harrassment, libel, blackmail... anything??

[randita]

He boasted recently that $246 billion was made from major tobacco litigation and that a similar amount could be made, mostly by settlements, in obesity lawsuits.

I'd think it would be a cinch to defend these cases. Line up the people who eat high fat, high sugar diets and are thin and healthy (I know quite a few of these) with those who do the same and are obese. Then challenge the prosecutors to prove that a high fat, high sugar diet made his clients fat when others eat comparable foods and stay thin. There is no cut and dried cause and effect like there is with tobacco. So much of a person's reaction to food is based on heredity, metabolism and lifestyle.

Dr. Atkin's and others have spent decades proving that high fat is not the culprit for obesity, it's high sugar and processed flour products. That also throws a wrench into the works.

[Poohbah]

These lawyers must be stopped. Litigation will pull this country down. Ideas??? (other than the OBVIOUS)???

This is why more and more companies are outsourcing overseas and moving offshore.

Notice when this trend really got underway--back when the tobacco settlement came down. Every major company in America suddenly realized that their profitability was being held hostage to the whims of the lawyer class.

People have GOT to quit voting for lawyers or anyone funded by lawyers.

Perhaps we can have a ballot initiative in California that prohibits former legislators from practicing law, or being employed by law firms/individual lawyers. Grandfather in those who've already done their legislative terms, but everyone running for legislative posts will realize that they're not going to be able to ride the gravy train.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Banzhaff is a total creep. He uses these law suits as a teaching exercise for his proto-litigators at George Washington University. He is the clown who sued area dry cleaners because ladies ornate blouses cost more to launder and press than mens dress shirts. The result was that the cost of all laundered items went up something like threefold for everything.

He is an exemplar of why the legal profession needs to be severely restricted in their activities.

One method would be to adopt a "loser pays" system like they have in England.

Regards,

[Sam Cree]

"Some Washington-area residents think the new crop of lawsuits targeting the ice-cream industry is leaving out a key ingredient to junk-food consumption: personal responsibility."

I guess they are forgetting that personal responsibility is not really politically correct. After all, in leftist philosophy, the "community" (state) takes responsibility for most aspects of life.

They may as well sue anyone that makes any product that tastes good, as it may lead to obesity. While they're at it, why not sue the liquor manufacturers, and bring back Prohibition. And don't credit cards make people spend too much, and get themselves in debt.

Probably, most of school should be dedicated to warning us all of the dangers of all products, since we clearly are not thought to be able to figure out much on our own.

[metesky]

There is no cut and dried cause and effect like there is with tobacco.

Perhaps you could enlighten us on this "cut and dried cause and effect" associated with tobacco.

Drink the Kool-Aid...

[kinghorse]

you can't be serious.

[Texan5]

Another excellent reason for passing tort reform legislation, now. Hasn't this "non-profit public health advocacy group" ever read Dr. Atkins' (now proven) studies? I may not eat it, if someone wants to eat fattening stuff, whether it is ice cream or pasta, that is their business, and their responsibility. It doesn't need to be an excuse for sharks and sheeple to make money.

[Texan5]

I think all lawyers should be barred from holding public office at the state level, or higher. As to an example of why-Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton were both lawyers-they couldn't even curb their predatory and dishonest behavior while holding the highest position in the nation...

[Texan5]

I thought the same thing. I guess he means that tobacco is processed by "cutting and drying" it. Yes, surely that's what he meant....

[Gabz]

The only "cut and dried cause and effect" in this nonsense is that Banhaf needs to be cut from the herd and left out to dry.

[Gabz]

Good point!!!

What really gets me is Banzhaf himself......have you ever seen him on TV? It is very apparent he needs to lose a few pounds!!!!

[randita]

I believe the scientific evidence that smoking is an addiction and that smoking contributes to lung cancer deaths. The numerous pictures I've seen of the tar filled and cancerous lungs of smokers were not fabrications.

If that means I am a Koolaid drinker, so be it.

[ValerieUSA]

These particular lawyers are incredibly stupid. It's August! It's hot! People love their ice cream now. This is a case for the dead of winter if it is to be a case at all.

In November I guess they'll go after canned soups for high salt content again.... or contend that turkey is bad for us.

It may get them attention - but it gets them no friends.

[Gabz]

The numerous pictures I've seen of the tar filled and cancerous lungs of smokers were not fabrications.

While in some cases you may be correct, there are many, many documented cases of these so-called smokers' lungs being totally fabricated - such as the use of pig's lung that have been intentionally injected with various substances.

[Wiser now]

OH, the irony!!!!!Politically correct Ben and Jerry's is being sued by another politically crowd? How sweet it would be to allow these people to eat each other if only they would leave the rest of us aone.

[Guillermo]

Ben and Jerry's is now owned by Unilever.

They're one of "them" now, and a legitimate target.