The government wants to take your children. At least if you’re not deemed fit to take care of your obese kids, our government wants to see if it can have a crack at shuffling them around the system until your kids stop eating the crap it subsidizes.
The internet has been ablaze with people weighing in on whether or not the government was right in its hands-on approach with an Ohio family.
According to reports, an 8-year-old Cleveland boy, who weighs more than 200 pounds, was removed from his mother’s custody because of what officials have deemed medical neglect.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:
[The County] said that the child’s weight gain was caused by his environment and that the mother wasn’t following doctor’s orders — which she disputes.
This disturbing trend, which is gaining more credibility in medical and politic circles, encompasses everything that is dysfunctional about America in the present moment.
First, it starts with our malfeasant government that takes tax dollars to help large food companies maintain their grip on our food supply.
We only receive large amounts of cheap, crappy food because as companies grow its main priority is profit not quality. So consumers who haven’t seen their wages increase in over ten years are put in a bind: either starve or buy the subsidized corn, soy, wheat, and processed meat products. And once your hooked to the instant gratification that comes from the processed sugar in those products, you’re more than likely a customer for life.
Secondly, the children are born into this world and immediately bombarded with refined sugar, salt, and fat food products. They don’t even receive a chance because their parents are hooked already. It’s eerily similar to how health professionals describe the tragedy of an drug addicted parent and their offspring. The child doesn’t have a chance.
Consequently, our government then uses our tax money again to rectify the problem. As we continue to witness with our endless wars on drugs and terrorism, our government goes after individuals, demonizing people for structural issues — a place a politician dares not to go, cowering away from going up the power structure, and putting their corporate lobbying bonuses on the line. No, no, no, can’t do that, right?
Either way, if spineless corporate media outlets continue to tell people nihilistic things like this, “Railing against those larger forces won’t help this Cleveland boy,” why in the world would the government self-correct this apparent abuse of power?
But whatever, do you have an opinion? Do you think children should be forcibly removed from homes that are engaging in acts that are not illegal, like overeating? Is this the government abusing its power or a benevolent approach to an increasingly troubling epidemic?
No. This is a sad situation that being made worse. i know a child that was raised in foster care, and it was not a stable situation. Not to say ALL foster care is harmful, but the stigma that is attached to this young boy’s plight will leave mental scars on his brain for life. This is an EPIC FAIL!
This is well articulated point but what are as society going to do when we have a generation full of, as you call it, addicted children. I would spend my tax dollars now to stop this problem, but we have to have solutions that make sense.
I like what The President and The First lady are doing but there needs to be more action.
These parents are the worst and don’t feel anything for them and their loss. Hate y response if you want but I’m not about the little money that I do have go towards a lifetime of Medicaid and Medicare just because they’re gluttonous.
When are we going to hold people accountable for their actions? I mean DAMN! She knew that boy was eating too much and that boy cannot feed himself. It’s just sad that parents are scared to tell they’re kids NO! you can’t this or that.
How in world do we figure women who are single mothers can possibly take care of children by themselves? It’s hard enough to raise kids with two people so we need a renewal home values. That would solve a lot of problems with obesity and behavior problems
Very interesting. I am honestly at a loss for words.
There are so many other parameters that can be used to measure an unfit parent…
I am very interested to know how many other parents were cited by social services for ”medical neglect” for obese children and were able to make a viable change within a year of their citation. Or at least enough weight loss not to warrant the removal of their children.
I believe that the child will be returned to the custody of the mother just because there is so much gray area surrounding this case. The article highlights that the child was on the honor roll, an active participant in school and had an otherwise normal childhood. Usually, children are not returned to the parents until the parents can prove that they can provide a safe nurturing atmosphere for the child… How will they even measure that in this case? By checking the pantry and refrigerator for healthy food? Makes no sense to me. The psychological stress from this situation will prove to be detrimental to the child in the long run.
A bit bizarre.
My parents actually took in a foster child at one point. When he came into our family (after being in 5 foster homes) he was hooked on juices, TV dinners and craved fast food (to the point of becoming violent). It took months of hard work to correct his habits but at the end of his stay with us I am happy to report he was requesting kale and sweet potatoes.
Needless to say I don’t feel that putting the child in foster care was the best solution. Clearly it worked to punish the parents and give them a reality check. However, what is in the best interest of the child? Not to mention all the meds they will probably put him on for behavior that will only increase his hunger. The best solution would be to have a case worker work with the parents weekly to rid their fridge of bad food and replace it with healthier options. Also some healthy cooking workshops for the mom. That would have probably made to much sense.