Can’t believe it…
So this post is coming as I near the end of the work day, something that I have been looking forward to since the moment I woke up this morning. What I saw on the news this morning was hilarious, but maddening at the same time. Not so much for the person most affected by the outcome, but for those who just love a good old fashioned “get your lazy butt up and do some work!” verbal beat down. 
Police Chief Paul Goward was tired of looking around his department and seeing blubber hanging over the belts of some of his officers. So he sent out a memo exhorting the “jelly bellies” to shape up(src www.aol.com). This of course was not something his co-workers and employees found to be too hilarious. So one of the (I can only presume) more robust and tender men was in fact so hurt and distraught that he took it upon himself to write a letter calling for the resignation of Goward. It’s the fact that he actually GOT canned or was forced to quit that gets my upper lip snarling and my ears bright red. Seems at though the Police Chief was just looking out for the well-being of others, and the community. Here is a snippet of what he wrote… He said overweight police poorly represent the profession, poop out when chasing suspects and might have to resort to “a higher level of force” if a criminal got the upper hand in a fight. He said out-of-shape cops are a liability to the city and their families.
“Take a good look at yourself,” he wrote. “If you are unfit, do yourself and everyone else a favor. See a professional about a proper diet and a fitness training program, quit smoking, limit alcohol intake and start thinking self-pride, confidence and respectability. And stop making excuses for delaying what you know you should have been doing years ago. We didn’t hire you unfit and we don’t want you working unfit. Don’t mean to offend, this is just straight talk. I owe it to you.”
Yikes people…what is the world coming to when you can’t even try to offer your opinion in an effort to help others without getting ripped apart.
P.S; What’s your favorite flavor Jelly Belly? Serious question!! 
Plain ol’chocolate! Seriously, this is such a joke. What a bunch of pansies.
Sizzling Cinnamon is my favorite Jelly Belly!
Pathetic story…but then again, we live in the America where obese is the norm. Ugh.
i’ll take…umm….actually…i really dont like jelly beans….
maybe if they had steak and potato flavor…
I’ll take the black and green jelly beans since no one seems to like them. Gotta take one for the team! ;o)
About the Chief’s letter, I think it was fine. Some areas were a bit too presumptuous so I can see why the overly-sensitive may have been offended but you can tell he meant well. Not everyone is a great writer but, really, people have to know their audience and play into their insecurities, rather than against them, if you know what I mean.
Personally, I don’t think the issue of self-respect is that important unless the person is grossly overweight to the point where it is an actual disability. If they have no medical condition warranting this, then you have to wonder if they give a damn anymore. Many people, fit and unfit, are dead inside and just stop trying in life. Sad but true.
In any case, health should always be the focus and not aesthetics, which always seems to be worked in somehow in the argument (that’s what probably got the cop all defensive). Sometimes, the reason people are fat slobs is because they have TOO much self-pride and confidence to realize that it may be great that they are comfortable with their bodies but their hearts are crying and their feet, knees, and lower backs hate them. Generalizations tend to be a real turn-off. It’s just a rule of communication.
Imagine this letter being taken into a one-on-one conversation with the average girl. I think the average girl would stop you halfway and probably slap you or cry. I agree: people should take criticism, constructive or not, with a grain of salt but people don’t so the communicator has to be responsible and ready for anything that may come out of what may seem like a simple, harmless communication.
Obesity in America is tied into a lot of things and it’s not just the ubiquitous self-esteem issues. Look at the so-called health food places. Subway is essentially gourmey fast food. They offer healthy alternatives to the ‘ol dollar menu but, here’s the problem: it costs you 3 to 4 times as much. Unless you are in the top 8-15% of the population, chances are you are in debt, at least living check-to-check, or trying to save up for some upcoming expense or investment, which means that quick fixes are more cost effective.
Healthy eating and exercise is great but those are expensive and inconvenient things. We live in a society where salaries are becoming less generous, executives are keeping most money for themselves, and instant gratification outweighs doing the right thing. Consider how many times even you have considered driving 5 minutes to get a light late-night snack or raiding the fridge, which happens to be filled with high-fat foods. Time and time again, doing the easy thing beats doing the right things, and self-respect, self-esteem, and confidence weren’t even thoughts.
The Chief lost his audience at “hello”. d’oh!
hello,my name is erin goward. i am paul gowards daughter. i just want to say that my father has always been a great man. he coached me in softball growing up and he just has that “stay in shape” mentality. he is a coach. he likes people to be physically and mentally fit. i love my papa so much and it deeply hurts me that some douche bag decided to make such a big deal out of this. get a life. you’re just jealous cuz my dad looks betta than you! ha!