Readers Write 1/25

Obesity is not a disease, it’s a choice you make

Regarding “Newest face of diabetes” (Living, Jan. 21), so now it’s the smiling face of Paula Deen.

She is just a more famous example of baby boomers and those who follow who eat themselves into being overweight or obese, get diabetes (and/or other serious conditions) and contribute to the growing cost of health care that will bankrupt us — if we don’t change course.

Being overweight (and obese) are not diseases, but choices. Diabetes and many other serious health conditions flow from the choices we make and the habits we develop, except in some cases. Ask any honest physician.

We are eating ourselves to death (or invalidism) and bankruptcy.

Edward A. Watkins, Lilburn

If Obama is to blame, then what about Bush?

A recent letter from a Roswell resident implies that the debt problems facing the country can be laid at the feet of President Barack Obama and his advisers (“It’s the economists who advise the politicians,” Readers write, Opinion, Jan. 18).

I feel compelled to ask the writer where he was while George W. Bush was spending money like he was printing it in the basement.

I may need to head to that same place if one of the current three stooges (Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum) happens to end up in the White House.

Eric Pearson, Atlanta

Voters are fooled: There is no free ride

There’s an easy lesson we teach our children at a young age: “There are no free rides.” No one gives you money for doing nothing — you must earn it.

As a citizen and as a parent, I absolutely resent politicians telling me and my child that there is nothing wrong with accepting money from a lobbyist, and that the lobbyist expects absolutely nothing in return.

The truth is the lobbyist is a pimp and politicians are the prostitutes. They’re not fooling the voters!

Don Varn, Conyers

Don’t make excuses for Marines’ behavior

Regarding “Marines deserve some slack” (Opinion, Jan. 21), why should we cut Marines any slack?

They are supposed to be the best. How can you be the best if you lower yourself to actions unbecoming a soldier?

Republicans like to talk “American exceptionalism.” What these Marines did (and Terry Garlock’s attitude) are anything but exceptional.

Apologizing for doing something you know is wrong is not weak.

It takes a strong man and a strong country to admit you are wrong and to fix the problem. That is exceptionalism.