Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Dr. Arthur Hoyte, You Are Cordially Invited To Piss Off

I used to like the Center for Science in the Public Interest, since they seemed to be reasonable people who believed in the scientific method and reasonableness and all that jazz. But they're out of my will now.

Along with a Dr. Arthur Hoyte, who as a retired doctor apparently now has far too much time on his hands, they are suing KFC (the former Kentucky Fried Chicken) for frying their birds in partially hydrogenated oil. Their claim seems to be that, since healthier methods of cooking are available, then using less healthy methods should be forbidden. Dr. Hoyte and the CSPI are seeking class-action status and are "asking for a variety of economic damages."

Of course, there are much healthier kinds of food than fried chicken, so presumably this would be only the first step. If this suit succeeds, it would only be a matter of time before someone (there's always a someone willing to sue, in the US) sues McDonalds for serving beef, since there are healthier foods than beef. I shudder to think of the suit against Krispy Kreme. And there could be no end to those suits, until a judge either requires us all to eat only pureed tofu, or a much smarter judge throws the whole thing out of court with contempt.

CSPI, this is not what you should be doing with your time. This will not increase the stature or respect of science in the public's eye. (Rather the opposite, actually.) You don't want to look like Rush Limbaugh's caricature of a liberal -- and you're very close to that now.

And, Dr. Hoyt? Educating people is a good thing. Trying to sue their favorite foods out of existence is a bad one. If time hangs this heavy on your hands, you either need to get back into that surgery, or play more golf.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The bell is tolling for the death of personal responsibility. If a person eats a bucket of chicken three times a day for twenty years and requires a triple bypass, then it’s obviously KFC’s fault, according to Dr. Hoyte. Choices no longer matter, as long as there is someone to blame for the consequences. I wonder when the time will come when personal choices will be outlawed for individual safety? Someone’s cooking a frog.

Anonymous said...

Is he running out of money to live off of. This is a waste of time and I hope it gets thrown out of court. If Dr, Hoyte & friends does not have to eat there. Duh you eat fried food what do you think is going to happen. When will the madness end go get a JOB. If you want to educate peolpe on what's good for you then do that but dont go blaming resturante on your FAT problems.

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