Most people are overweight due to lack of education into nutrition. That falls on their shoulders, the shoulders of their parents, and on the government for allowing food companies to continue to lie about what is in their foods, while also putting forth bad education on what a healthy diet is. With internet access, people can educate themselves and ask questions pretty easily to get answer they need.

 

A very good friend has become very obese looking because she has been taking long term cortisone therapy. If you saw her getting out of her car I'm sure you would assume she's just a person who made poor lifestyle choices.

What amazes me is people worried about this and who make word filter-ump-tions about others they know nothing about. Never talked to, got to know, yet are able to judge and know who or who does not deserve a handicap placard.

Never thought we would need a handicapped sticker but now we do. It will be temporary....I hope.

 

Sorry to hear this.

A very good friend has become very obese looking because she has been taking long term cortisone therapy. If you saw her getting out of her car I'm sure you would assume she's just a person who made poor lifestyle choices.

 

First. I am sorry this happened to your friend.

Second. You are correct, I would have. Just being honest. It would have been am error in my judgment, but I would have made it.

Third, she is not who I am talking about here.

@mexitucky I'm going to throw another one out at you I find just as frustrating. People using service dogs. I see so many at the airports now it is ridiculous. While many have the need for one, most appear to be normal folks who went on line and bought a service vest for their dog and off they go. Free flights for the pooch!

 

I have two nephews that are Autistic, and both have a fairly high degree of social anxiety. They both have service dogs that help calm them down when they have issues. Both look completely normal, and you'd never know of their condition. I've been out in public (I'm the cool uncle who takes them to sporting events) with them and gotten those looks from people who make the judgement that I'm scamming the system with by having a service dog. Some have even felt the need to call me out and let me know that I should be ashamed of myself. I can only imagine what my sisters in law go through from folks passing judgement.

I haven't gotten a handicap tag yet-- even though my neurologist recommended that I apply for one. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis last September. During 2 of the outbreaks it took me 2-3 minutes to walk into the ER from the drop off lane at UK. Some days I'm not having a full on exacerbation but the lesions on my spine and cerebellum make my entire right side feel like it is being drug through broken glass when I walk. Yet I look completely normal and don't let myself limp unless I'm you the point that I need to go to the ER for steroid treatments (which has only been the 2 times). You just never know what someone is going through.

First. I am sorry this happened to your friend.

Second. You are correct, I would have. Just being honest. It would have been am error in my judgment, but I would have made it.

Third, she is not who I am talking about here.

 

And my point is you can't know. I understand that she's not who you are talking about. I also know that people have verbally questioned her using a handicapped space. In my mind it's only a small step, or perhaps a bad day, from thinking someone is taking advantage of a situation to verbalizing it. Maybe you haven't done that and maybe you never will but I wonder if any of the people that have been cruel to her started off thinking someone was cheating the system and never had any intention of verbalizing it?

I have two nephews that are Autistic, and both have a fairly high degree of social anxiety. They both have service dogs that help calm them down when they have issues. Both look completely normal, and you'd never know of their condition. I've been out in public (I'm the cool uncle who takes them to sporting events) with them and gotten those looks from people who make the judgement that I'm scamming the system with by having a service dog. Some have even felt the need to call me out and let me know that I should be ashamed of myself. I can only imagine what my sisters in law go through from folks passing judgement.

 

In this instance, that makes my point. People I know abused the system with thousand others. As a result, everyone gets the stink eye bc the public knows it is getting abused.

My father in law who can barely walk and has several health issues refused to let my wife get him one. She had me take the form and get it done. I thought it would be fairly strict process. It wasn't. The lady said how many do you need. I said "what do you mean?" She said who drives him that needs one. I said two would be enough, one for him and one for my wife or me to use when we transport him. I think I could have gotten five.

 

Typical government bureaucracy. Some allow anything, some too strict and puts the whole program which most that use them need. The next step some will want is to ban the stickers. Unfortunately, that mindset is becoming pervasive now.

 

I now just understand in a country this large that abuses will take place and move on. I guess I have accepted that. Not worth my getting upset over anymore. I get the frustration, I really do, but not worth my emotional time because I truly don't know who needs them and who doesn't.

 

I think part of the divide are those that just can't accept things like this and move on. Again, I get it, I just don't see it changing without punishing those who truly need the stickers. That's where we are heading.

And all overweight people are disabled either. My point was two people with the exact same condition and you go right after the overweight person, which is what I said would happen. People see an overweight person and automatically assume that is their disability, when in nearly every case it is something else.

 

I have a good friend that is skinny as a rail, he has developed diabetes, has high cholesterol and high blood pressure...all things associated with people that are overweight. If he was overweight, the easy out would be to say he has no self control, but food isn't his issue....it is genetics.

i never said all over weight people are disabled.

I never attacked anyone. You made a point a I agreed with it. I also point out the person in your example isn't over weight becasue of his illness. Most overweight people are over weight becasue of their own doing, not an illness. Most of those people are not disabled.

 

Now, that said, unless you have some type of medical condition that causes you to be over weight there is no excuse. If you have a illness that doesn't allow you exercise and you can't walk very far without getting out of breath then you need a handicap sticker. If you are also 350lbs because you eat 5000 calories a day then your illness has zero to do with you being overweight.

So, unless you have a medical condition, you have no excuse for being overweight.

 

What medical condition do people have for being so judgmental? Or is that just okay?

I have two nephews that are Autistic, and both have a fairly high degree of social anxiety. They both have service dogs that help calm them down when they have issues. Both look completely normal, and you'd never know of their condition. I've been out in public (I'm the cool uncle who takes them to sporting events) with them and gotten those looks from people who make the judgement that I'm scamming the system with by having a service dog. Some have even felt the need to call me out and let me know that I should be ashamed of myself. I can only imagine what my sisters in law go through from folks passing judgement.

 

See Mexitucky's post 53. A few bad apples spoil the bunch for others. Not doubting many folks need them, the same as my sister in law does not look the part for her handicap sticker.

See Mexitucky's post 53. A few bad apples spoil the bunch for others. Not doubting many folks need them, the same as my sister in law does not look the part for her handicap sticker.

 

I get it. I guess the whole point is the assumptions that are made and why we feel the need to judge people.

I haven't gotten a handicap tag yet-- even though my neurologist recommended that I apply for one. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis last September. During 2 of the outbreaks it took me 2-3 minutes to walk into the ER from the drop off lane at UK. Some days I'm not having a full on exacerbation but the lesions on my spine and cerebellum make my entire right side feel like it is being drug through broken glass when I walk. Yet I look completely normal and don't let myself limp unless I'm you the point that I need to go to the ER for steroid treatments (which has only been the 2 times). You just never know what someone is going through.

 

Sorry to hear. My 24 yr old son was diagnosed with MS a year ago. Looks completely normal, but doesn't always feel completely normal. We can relate.

I haven't gotten a handicap tag yet-- even though my neurologist recommended that I apply for one. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis last September. During 2 of the outbreaks it took me 2-3 minutes to walk into the ER from the drop off lane at UK. Some days I'm not having a full on exacerbation but the lesions on my spine and cerebellum make my entire right side feel like it is being drug through broken glass when I walk. Yet I look completely normal and don't let myself limp unless I'm you the point that I need to go to the ER for steroid treatments (which has only been the 2 times). You just never know what someone is going through.

 

My prayers with you AverageJoes.