Some unsuspecting children in Fargo, North Dakota will be receiving an evil “trick” this Halloween!
A woman named Cheryl, called into a Fargo radio station WRIG this week to discuss her plan that will undoubtedly terrorize some trick-or-treaters in all of the wrong ways.
Cheryl elaborated that she plans to hand out letters to children she finds to be “moderately obese” in the hope of forcing parents to get in on the effort to end unhealthy eating habits.
“I just want to send a message to the parents of kids that are really overweight…I think it’s just really irresponsible of parents to send them out looking for free candy just ‘cause all the other kids are doing it,” the woman said.
Although Cheryl appears to believe in the age old notion that “it takes a village,” I wonder if she was ever taught that “if [she] has nothing nice to say, [she] shouldn’t say anything at all.” It is one thing to discuss her feelings on obesity with parents (although it is arguably none of her business how they choose to raise their kids), but seeing as how many trick-or-treaters can and will read these letters, she is not aiding the “village of Fargo,” but rather shaming children into feeling very poorly about themselves; something that the rest of society will also have to attempt to fix.
Shame on her for making what should be a fun and positive experience for these kids into an embarrassing, shameful memory. In her quest to combat childhood obesity, she is doing more harm than good. If she wants to help bring an end to the consumption of sugar and sweets by children, why not simply refuse to give out candy altogether? As far as I’m concerned, considering the selectivity and sensitivity with which Cheryl has decided to refrain from giving out candy, she might as well choose who gets candy based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. She is sending the wrong message to our youth; there are more positive ways to go about her mission.
Let’s hope that someone casts a spell on Cheryl’s bad behavior and maybe for Halloween next year she can forgo the tin-man costume and dress up as someone with a heart.