[Leigh]

Pardon my rant for just one moment ..........

Ok so I just read this story on yahoo, and the darn thing simply boggles my mind. Alright so let me explain the story as best I can; a television news anchorwoman in Wisconsin named Jennifer Livingston received an email from a man named Kenneth Krause; now the nature of this email wasn't a very nice one let me tell you that much. You see, Jennifer is what Kenneth considers "overweight" (and believe me I don't see it) and his email was nothing short of rude and unacceptable. He sends her an email, firstly telling her that he questioned whether or not she was a suitable example for the community's young people (mainly girls) saying that *quote* "obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain."

Choice?!?!?!?! Does he honestly think we "choose" to be fat? To be ridiculed constantly? To be looked at by society as less than simply because we are not smaller? I don't see how we "choose" to do that to ourselves. Jennifer went on tv to talk about bullying and and how it is not acceptable but Kenneth refused to take back what he said; he didn't see how he had said anything wrong. A picture along with the story shows Mr. Krause posing with a bike showing off his biceps (which is fine, no harm there) but the fact that he criticized her weight and then circles a picture of him looking all buff etc just seems like a slam to me. Then, as another slap in the face, Kenneth then issued this response to Jennifer's on tv speech:

"Given this country's present epidemic of obesity and the many truly horrible diseases related thereto, and considering Jennifer Livingston's fortuitous position in the community, I hope she will finally take advantage of a rare and golden opportunity to influence the health and psychological well-being of Coulee Region children by transforming herself for all of her viewers to see over the next year, and, to that end, I would be absolutely pleased to offer Jennifer any advice or support she would be willing to accept."

WTF are you serious? He's basically telling her in order to be a better role model she has to lose weight! Maybe she IS already being a role model, by letting children know that its okay to be who YOU are no matter who that is and be proud of yourself. Isn't she showing others that you can be anything you wanna be in this life regardless of your looks (or anything else)? Apparently he says he has been fighting obesity since he was a child; okay I get that but then to go after her like that when HE more than most people should know better? What sort of example is HE showing to the children in their community (including his)? None obviously.

Sorry but this just gets to me ~ no one has any right to do what he did; yeah okay he issued an apology BUT his apology began with these words and I quote "If she is offended, I truly apologize to Jennifer,". Wow *IF* she was offended? How the hell could you not be? Ughhhhhhhhhhhh what the hell is wrong with this world today?

Anyways I'll end the rant now but this bullying shit has GOT to stop, and it begins with us adults setting a good example for our children and the younger generation!