Role of the parents
For once Michelle Obama got it right [“Play more, eat better,” Opinion, Feb. 15]. She said when it comes to childhood obesity, “We have everything we need right now to help our kids lead healthy lives.”
What’s askew is her — and evidently The Seattle Times’ — perception of just who “we” refers to. It’s not food suppliers, schools or the federal government. It’s the kids’ parents for goodness sake! I cannot believe the words parent, mom or dad don’t appear once in this entire editorial. What is happening to our society?
The more we look to government to fill the void of personal accountability the further we’ll get from accomplishing our ends. And does it strike anyone else as ironic that we’re looking to the very federal government that can’t control its own bloated spending appetite to impose such will on our children?
— Stu Haas, Seattle
Kick smoking habits too
Childhood obesity is certainly a problem worth tackling. Americans don’t eat healthy foods and we’re increasingly sedentary.
But tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability and death in the United States and I’m disappointed that our first lady is not addressing it with equal fervor. Admitting that her husband has not been able to kick his nicotine addiction might even draw more attention to the problem.
I’d like to see the entire Obama family expose their experience with tobacco, just as previous first families have shed light on breast cancer and mental illness.
— Marie Esch-Radtke, Des Moines