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I tried to make this an optional read-type thing:
"Before you may post this message, the following must be corrected: * Could not find anybody named 'anyone who cares'"

Here's my rant:

Why is acceptable to mock someone because of weight?

Politically correct humor topics:

Fat (which for some is *any* body fat; Twiggy was the standard when I was in HS and because I had breasts, at 5'6" and 116 lb. I still thought I was fat and ugly. We won't discuss self-fulfilled prophecies or anything at this point.)

Trailer trash

Christian (especially if you lump them in with other words like rightwing and extremist)

Cracker

It's true that Ruben's weight will affect his stamina. That's proven by his performance.

Having said that, as conservatives, we know all about biased reporting. We've had to read it and listen to it for years.

Bias is one thing. Bigoted, mean-spirited comments -- whether they're race-, weight-, or other predjudice-related -- are something else. I'm not trying to sound holier-than-thou. We're all human and as humans, we're flawed. But by my observations, conservatives as a rule tend to be those who follow the golden rule and are nicer. Maybe it's impossible never to cross the line between passes as funny for somebody and what's cruel to another. I laughed at the Momma Cass joke, but cringed at some of the Ruben weight comments -- even though I'm not a Ruben fan.

Just my thoughts....

I agree with you. As someone who is overweight, I have been frequently disheartened with the viscious comments made about weight in general at freerepublic. Many of the men seem very shallow, and are not ashamed to admit it and seem to want something akin to a Stepford wife for a mate(no, I'm not looking--I've been happily married for 7 years). It seems as if this is an acceptable thing to plug fun at here and, like you, it does not fit my image of a conservative who I expect to have a little more dignity and control with their words and a bit more REAL compassion for their fellow man/woman, but everytime I read it I can't help think of high schoolers with the tone some of the comments take.

I just wish you all would give it a rest already. Sure we know being overweight is unhealthy, life is unhealty, not even the biggest health nut on freerepublic is going to escape the coffin. But why this constant obsession with "fat jokes" on free republic I'll never know. I think part of it is that it is easy to make fun of fat people. Their personal flaw is very obvious and it is still acceptable to make fun of that obvious flaw.
Anyway, off my soapbox and expecting to have some stupid fat, dumba$$ woman joke, but it's been said. I agree with you Fawnn!
PS I thought Clay was most deserving of this as well, but I think its for the best. Clay will have more flexibility now with what he does and Ruben may be stuck with marketing that may not be appropriate for him(think of that movie that looks like a flop from Justin to Kelly) just because that's what he agreed to do when he signed up for this.
Like others, I don't know if I will watch it again(ok, maybe the initial shows because they are pretty funny), but not the final 12. It's not worth the effort if it's fixed.