It's difficult to compare the smoking ban to the obesity ban because smoking does affect non-smokers. Putting aside the arguments of second hand smoke causing cancer, it definitely is a health hazard to those who have breathing issues such as asthma as well as pregnant women, so it is not simply a personal choice. However, being obese has not proven to be contagious or a health hazard to others. Perhaps the restaurants in Mississippi should be required to reduce the number of fried items on their menus instead. If they are required to ban obese people and keep their same traditional fare, they won't have any customers left.

Well, obese people do affect people around them, though not in the same way as smokers. Obese people are simply not visually appealing. Someone could be enjoying a nice meal when an obese person is seated within view and that person could throw up at the sight, possibly causing a chain reaction of retching in the restaurant. This could affect everyone's health, since vomiting can damage the lining of the esophagus. Also, wait staff and customers could slip on the vomit and fall.

Then stay at home and eat by yourself. Then you won't vomit and, better yet, no one will have to be in grave danger of possibly overhearing the inane, frivolous and stupid conversation of a rank fool.

Unless someone trips. You could get squashed. Agility would be required, and then who would you sue? The restaurant, or the person that crushed you?

Disclaimer: That was sarcasm. I know it's the lowest form of humor and it's certainly not politically correct, but in this case, it was irresistable. No, I'm not apologising, I'm just letting the overly earnest know that I wasn't serious and that I'm not interested in a debate. Taking smart-a$$ comments at face value is part of life, and nowhere in any contract I have ever signed is there a requirement to be "nice" at any given time.

And one must consider what these ultra heavy weights do to public restrooms. They can only be as sanitary as they can see and reach. Not only could they leave a sizable mess in the restroom itself but what they might miss cleaning up could end up on door handles, walls and even tables. Therefore they can present as public health hazards perhaps even initiating an E-Coli outbreak. We could ban them from the facilities but then they'd be tempted to use the great outdoors in the nearby vicinity of the restaurant.

Disclaimer: Everyone else is doing it and yes I did jump off a cliff as a teen when they all did that too. I was only moderately injured.

not one person questions the governments right to impose these rules on the restaurants or for that matter on obese people.

They came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protesant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.

Sad, but true....most municipalities are slowly replacing toilets in public restrooms (think stadiums and parks) with larger, sturdier versions with bigger openings. Broken toilets are by no means rare events. You'll also notice that there are fewer stalls than there used to be, because a standard stall cannot accomodate the truly obese.

Next time you fly, take a look at the wheelchairs at the airports. They are double the size, again, of a standard wheelchair. Many more people are being ferried through terminals in chairs than ever, simply because many obese people either don't have the stamina to walk to their gate or have injuries to their lower bodies due to their weight.

Another disclaimer: I did go to many stadium concerts during a somewhat misspent youth, but did not smoke pot. Who needed to? All anyone had to do was inhale. (And people think kids today are little reprobates!)

Speaking of flying... I believe the airlines have the responsibility to require people over x lbs to purchase multiple seats. There is nothing worse than having to sit next to a grossly obese person who extrudes over the arm rests.

Southwest already does that, and I think you're absolutely right. There's nothing more repulsive than someone oozing into your seat, particularly when they've brought along a triple cheesy/greasy garlic pizza.

He ate a 16" pizza, mouth open, crumbs flying, grease running down his face and elbows in a two hour flight. His two liter Coke was dribbling all over the place. It was almost the most repulsive behavior I've witnessed in a public place.

(No, not the worst. That would be the moronic woman who changed her baby's diahrrea-packed diaper in the middle of the departure lounge, with the kid peeing all over Creation. She didn't even apologise for the pee on the elderly lady's pants. That was the worst.)

I once got squawked at for "being discriminatory", but tough bananas. That is just gross. I don't appreciate paying for an entire seat, then having someone bi*** at me for hours because I won't let them raise the arm rest and squash me like the proverbial bug.

Disclaimer: I am not fat, I am not skinny. I am fit and just right. This is not easy. I have to work on it. If anyone is going to jump on me for the above comment, forget it. I don't play that game.

If a skinny person dripped a pizza and Coke on themselves in an enclosed space like an airline seat next to me, I would be grossed out, too. I also have been irritated by people who have taken over too much room by using their electronic devices. Why can't you just say that rudness is annoying instead of blaming it on one particular group? And if having someone sqush you on a plane is the worst you have to worry about, then you are a lucky man indeed.

Y'all should try performing CPR on a overly rotund person. It is hard enough to get in, and remain in, the proper position for cardiac compressions. But on the heavy duty folks you really have to be a contortionist to even begin the procedure. Then you have to be Superman to be strong enough to execute adequate compressions. All of the abdominal weight pushes down and a lot of it transfers to the chest via the diaphragm. Trying to bag these folks gives you hand cramps in very short order. To be honest I don't think any of the heavy ones were ever revived. But all of us who worked on em lost a couple of pounds trying to make it happen.

Double and triple width wheelchairs? You bet ya. But be sure that the manufacturer doesn't just widen a regular chair. They really have to get beefed up to handle the "beef" (so to speak). The frame, axles and tires ALL have to be heavy duty. Otherwise the wheels toe out and they collapse.

It is curious how many accommodations are made for the weight challenged. In healthcare it isn't too hard to do because we can pull many heavy duty tools from large animal veterinary medicine (Just kidding).

No disclaimers needed as this is mostly true.

Nope, sorry. It really is that repulsive.

1. It's repulsive because of the fat.

2. It's repulsive because I know that you can't make it out the exit with the healthy passengers if something terrible happens. But you still want to sit in the frickin' exit row. I guess that really would make you a selfish SOB.

3. It's repulsive because the grease you're eating is going to impact my health insurance bill one day.

4. It's repulsive because you seem to think that you have a right to be in my personal space without my permission. If anyone else got that close to me, they'd be begging to have their ears boxed.

5. It's repulsive because you seem to think that you have a right to impose the body that you voluntarily created on the rest of us and claim it's your right to make us suffer for your failings.

If you can manage to stay in your own seat and not crowd me, then I'm ok. Keep your revolting, greasy, sweaty self to yourself.

If someone is being rude, and you don't have the guts to say anything, then you're the one with the problem.

By the way, I'll let my husband (who is forced to fly with the likes of you twice and sometimes three times a week) know that you're laboring under the misapprehension that I'm male. And that I care. He could use a laugh before he flies home.

wow can you say nazi.