4plex: I want to address your 300lb smoker comment. I’m diabetic (Type II, Adult Onset) and I manage my diabetes with diet and exercise. I don’t take meds like glucophage or insulin and that’s entirely due to being very careful about my diet and making sure that I exercise at least 5x per week (minimum of 45 minutes per session).
However, I know plenty of people that are also diabetic, but make no effort to control their diet and/or don’t exercise. They’re fully aware of the consequences of both, yet have this laissez faire attitude about the disease and it’s effects (blindness, loss of limbs, etc). This attitude amazes me, but it’s no different from people suffering from obesity (a large percentage of this country) and/or smokers. They know the risks and yet continue the behavior(s) and expect someone else to pick up the tab.
I know that this is something of an ethical slippery slope and I wouldn’t deny care to someone that genuinely needs it, but there needs to be some level of personal responsibility for one’s health. It seems that we are truly a society of victims and someone else is always held responsible for our ills. That needs to change and perhaps denial of care/service for those that show no willingness to care for themselves (when they’re perfectly capable of doing so) might be a strong first step.
