The Los Angeles City Council is voting today on a moratorium on new fast-food restaurants in South L.A.. I think it's stupid. This is where I take up IsiliRunite's philosophy on personal responsibility. To explain that better, here's the last paragraph in the linked article:
Rebeca Torres, a South Los Angeles mother of four, said she would welcome more dining choices, even if she had to pay a little more. "They should have better things for children," she said. "This fast-food really fattens them up."
I guess Rebecca doesn't realize that it's even cheaper to grab some healthy ingredients from the grocery store to make a decent meal for the kids. And don't tell me about how she may not have the time to go to the store and prepare meals at home - buy some milk and a loaf of whole-grain bread, some sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, whatever, and make a decent freakin' sandwich for them. It's fast, easy and cheap, and a hell of a lot healthier than a burger, fries, chicken nuggets and soda.
And if demand is lowered through this increased personal responsibility, then the number of fast food restaurants in the area will drop as a result. That, in my opinion, is the only way to affect
lasting change where this issue is concerned.
Another favorite quote from the article:
"What's next — security guards at the door saying 'You're overweight, you can't have a cheeseburger'?" Casana said.