My thoughts exactly. There is a huge difference between the promotion and encouragement of healthy habits and Victor’s insensitive criticism. Most importantly, the Daily Lobo should be held accountable for such lack of judgment. I believe an apology is in order at the very least.

I agree with Scott and Maxwell. While I too would never oppose free speech, I do believe that some discretion should be exercised when choosing which articles to publish. While the opinion section is obviously just that, if an article is distasteful and hurtful, it should be cast aside for something a little less insensitive. I am an avid reader of the Daily Lobo opinions, I am appalled that this article made its way into today’s edition. Victor Murthy clearly wrote this article out of an egotistical, not to mention self-righteous, viewpoint that skinny people are somehow more entitled than those who are overweight. The obese population is (as Scott stated above) blatantly discriminated against, and this is merely fueling the hatred. If this article were geared towards gay/lesbian/minority/etc. students it would never have been published. But seeing as overweight individuals are silently, and apparently acceptingly abused, it is considered acceptable to publish this under the guise of “freedom of speech.” Perhaps we should spend a little less time trying to protect the rights of bigoted individuals like Victor Murthy, and instead focus on protecting the students from bullying and hatred.

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Not only should there be an apology for their bad judgment in printing the article, there should be an apology for their weak little editor’s note following this letter. Shame on you.

If the Daily Lobo wants to be taken seriously as a good, college publication then they need to heed better journalistic standards and quit printing crap like Victor’s opinion. At least give an opportunity for a response alongside that biased piece.

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who found it ridiculous that Victor’s writing was actually reproduced distributed throughout campus.

Congratulations, Scott, on making your voice heard. It’s good to know you’re not too obese to reach your keyboard.

However, your claim that being called out for your chubbiness is equivalent to “preaching white power or religious intolerance” is foolish. At no point did Murthy recommend “a mass cleansing of the population.”

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In response to the editors note, the caption beneath mr murphy’s name cited him as a daily lobo guest columnist. This would lead me to believe that Mr. Murphy was invited to share his pompous, less than tasteful “opinion” piece and possibly even compensated for it. Letters of opinion are just that, however some discretion should be applied when applying the title of guest columnist. Can we expect that future guest columnists will be as ignorant and unfounded in their “opinions” as Mr. murphy?

Dear String Bean,

Are you really trying to argue against his letter to the editor by implying Scott is fat? Good job changing his words to make it sound like he thinks critisism is equal to racism. If you’re going to insult someone by calling them a third grader for their writing, then try not acting like one yourself. Your attempt at twisting his words and indirectly calling him fat is not the sign of a mature arguement, but more of the intolerant and uneducated kind of writing everyone is complaining about. Seems to me like the reasoning of say… A third grader?

String Bean,
Interesting thought: since I’m defending overweight people, I must be overweight. I guess that means I must also be black when I say one shouldn’t be racist towards blacks, no?

Not all of us are so short sighted that we only think about ourselves when making a point.

Have Americans always been so stupid about everything, forever? Obese people need to start eating better and exercising, because they are costing this nation money.

It was silly. It was poorly written. It was a waste of space.

Last time I checked, which was yesterday so maybe my facts are dated, but i was under the impression that humans do not choose their race. We don’t call out people of different race or sexual orientation because they are not chosen. As a matter of fact, i know plenty of minorities and homosexuals that would be outraged for being lumped into the same group as obese people who have willing given up on a healthy lifestyle. Yes, it might be hard to maintain a healthy weight, but look around all the people who are skinny: it’s not impossible, just hard. Being fat, whether we like it or not, is the majority of time, a choice, those with health issues such as metabolism or glandular issues being the exception. Really, I am just sick of fat people being compared to groups that don’t have the choice to change their standing in society, such as homosexuals or ethnic minorities, when they can lose the weight. Compare fat people to smokers if you must, at least they both choose to be minorities.

You do realize we are free to make the choice to live our lives the way we want within the extent of the law, right? That is largely the point in our government. People can choose to remain fat because they’re plenty happy how they are. There’s nothing wrong liking food and disliking running because food makes you happier. People shouldn’t be intentionally insulted for choosing to be fat. It’s not Victor Murthy’s decision what people can and cannot do or can and cannot wear, as long as everyone remains in the boundaries of the law for this they can do as they please.

But that’s the thing isn’t it? We are free to make our choices, and Victor is free to hate on fat people because they have chosen to be fat. We can do as we like. Furthermore, the paper can publish what they like. It’s silly to debate such a thing when more important news like a dorm creeper(JESUS CHRIST! that’s so disturbing how you would care to be groped while you slept?) deserve far more attention. This issue just needs to stop.

Scott makes excellent points.

But even more telling is the Editor’s after the publication comment. As others have stated, to print such biased ranting is unworthy of any readable publication. As noted, if Victor were raving about race or religion, and the editor published such drivel, that person would almost certainly be looking for a new position.

For the person who made the comment that, “I am just sick of fat people being compared to groups that don’t have the choice to change their standing in society, such as homosexuals or ethnic minorities, when they can lose the weight.”
First of all, this is an odd comparison, homosexuals to ethnic minorities? Wow, this sounds a bit prejudice.
Homosexuals do have a choice to change, however, just like the overweight individual it can be difficult and challenging. I think this is a better comparison.
I would also like to say that many overweight people do have medical complications/conditions that hinder their ability to lose weight. So saying that they cannot change is clearly not a fair statement.
Dear Editor,
Every day you are sent many opinions, so for you to choose this as credible is not saying much for our school paper. I’m sure that you receive many opinions that are well thought out and serve a cause. This opinion is foolish and childish and should have been placed at the bottom of the stack or better yet filed in the trash.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It was the “opinion” section of the Daily Lobo. Victor utilized his resources and there is nothing wrong with that. If his opinion was hurtful, it was your choice to read the paper. I really do agree with the comment about relating being overweight to a race. Being overweight is a choice, wearing what you want is a choice. Now, if you like being overweight, then that’s your choice. If you choose to wear clothes that are too small for you, that’s your choice. Don’t get upset, however, if people are judging you. You are the person making those choices. If you are overweight, find a couple people to start hitting the gym with. I promise you’ll be a lot happier after the hard work has paid off. Just my opinion though.

Freedom of speech, ladies and gentlemen. If the Daily Lobo had put up a story about thin people, there would be a lot of people complaining about that too. Let’s get real.

Until reading these comments, I never realized that fat people were so thin skinned.

Victor Murthy’s opinion doesn’t matter at all to me, or most people who read the daily lobo for that matter. I honestly don’t care what he believes about overweight people. What I care about is that fact that a newspaper, something that is supposed to provide people with usefull information and facts, is publishing this biased and strongly opinionated article. Their job is to print news, usefull information, and facts, not some guys insensitive, shallow minded, and arrogant opinion.

Dubya wrote;
“What I care about is that fact that a newspaper, something that is supposed to provide people with usefull information and facts, is publishing this biased and strongly opinionated article. Their job is to print news, usefull information, and facts, not some guys insensitive, shallow minded, and arrogant opinion.”

You must be new to UNM or a new reader of the Lobo if that’s what you expect. It’s the daily Lobo man! Yesterday’s News Today. It’s entertainment, nothing profound or revealing. Take it for what it is and save your dissapointment for the way the Administration ignores student and staff concerns here. And just a heads up—don’t be dissapointed if Schmidly and Co. continue to cover up and excuse the Assletic dept. and the programs conected to it. It’s the way of this institution.

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