| In terms of good health, one problem our society faces today - at least for an interim time period; I think this problem will take care of itself once the Great Collapse approaches cruising speed - is that of obesity.
And that includes our young people.
Now guess what leading institution in the country today is truly concerned about overweight young people?
Here's a hint: It's the same institution that sees global climate change as a long range security problem.
Linky goodness:
http://www.thesolutionsjournal...
Yup. The U.S. military. In a paper entitled "Too Fat to Fight", some 130 retired high ranking brass argue that junk foods be removed from schools, so that young people eat a more wholesome diet and avoid obesity problems.
Couple excerpts:
The study finds that an alarming 27 percent of all young Americans (ages 17-24) are simply too fat for military service. Between 1995 and 2008, 140,000 potential recruits failed their entrance physicals because they were overweight.
Now lest I be too cynical, the military has been a positive force for better nutrition in the past. They were looking out for their own interests, of course, but still:
This is not the first time the military has weighed in on America's health. After finding that 40 percent of rejected recruits during World War II were suffering from malnutrition, the military was instrumental in the passage of the National School Lunch Program in 1946.
Sounds like socialism to me. No wonder the Republicans thought George Marshall was a communist.
But you talk about "mixed emotions", for whom do you root in a situation like this? I have no idea.
On the one hand, here we are in a state of perpetual war. And perhaps the only way we ever break out of that situation is to raise a generation of blimps. Maybe the only way to "give Peace a chance" is to tell the kids to pound down those Cheetos, Fritos, Suzy Qs, and wash 'em down with gallon after gallon of high fructose corn syrup.
On the other hand, that's a terrible way to raise food, it's non-sustainable for all the fertilizer you would have to use on the fields, it only encourages continuation of those absurd subsidies given to sugar and corn growers, it's bad for the planet, etc.
But if you do promote a more healthful diet, and that results in lean, mean fighting machine young people who go around singing "over hill, over dale, as we hit the dusty trail, and I'll take the low road and jog to Baghdad a'fore ye..." (I mixed a couple of songs there) what does that gain us if we have this Spartan like immense population that can be drawn on for cannon fodder as much as you like?
I just don't know. Interesting battle of well-heeled institutions looming on the horizon. You have the vastly popular military saying "slim the kids down" versus the corn and fast food lobby that worked hard and paid good $$$ (gosh darn it) to bribe the right people and get that junk stuff into the schools.
What's a lobby grubbing, money taking Congress person supposed to do?
Well, that's why they take the big bucks they do to make the tough decisions like this. |
