NY State Representative both Sizeist and Racist

New York State Representative Peter King’s stigmatizing remarks about Eric Garner’s cause of death demonstrate weight bias and a discriminatory attitude. This is a civil rights issue. It is time to put a stop to the bigotry.
By: NAAFA
 
FOSTER CITY, Calif. - Dec. 6, 2014 - PRLog -- NAAFA, a civil rights organization working for Equality at Every Size, was shocked to learn of the decision of the Grand Jury in the Eric Garner case, and appalled by New York State Representative Peter King’s stigmatizing remarks. For him to state that Garner’s death was due to his obesity is a blatant attempt to make the victim the guilty party in this case.

In fact, an officer who has a history of civil rights violations felt his authority was being challenged and feared that someone who was larger than he could overpower him. Clearly, the officer let his fear cloud his judgment and violate the department’s anti-choke hold policy which has been in place since 1993.

Eric Garner would probably be alive if he had not been put in an illegal choke hold and forced to the ground. Eric Garner would probably be alive had any one of four officers listened when he repeatedly said he could not breath as they held him face down.

Eric Garner would probably be alive had he not been a large, tall, black man. Four officers aggressively forcing one non-violent person to the ground displays their racism and fat-hatred. Furthermore, for Representative Peter King to blame Mr. Garner’s body size for his death, despite the homicide ruling of the coroner, demonstrates his own weight bias and discriminatory attitude.

DO NOT blame the victim! Judgment and treatment based on a person’s color and/or size is discrimination. It is time for change. It is time for Equality at Every Size!

Founded in 1969, NAAFA is a non-profit human rights organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy, and member support.

On the web:  http://www.naafa.org

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Source:NAAFA
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Tags:Size Discrimination, Weight Bias, Racism, Obesity, Stigmatization
Industry:Government, Health
Location:Foster City - California - United States
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