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Judge H. Lee Sarokin

Judge H. Lee Sarokin

Posted: December 25, 2010 03:19 PM

They both said: "Let them eat cake!" Somewhere in the Constitution, Sarah Palin has found the "God-given" right to be obese. Michelle Obama's initiative to improve children's health by encouraging better diets and sufficient exercise is mocked by Sarah Palin as just another intrusion by government into the daily lives of our citizens, and this effort apparently is especially abhorrent by depriving children of their just desserts.

Although Ms. Palin claims to read "all" of the newspapers, she apparently missed the one (or many) that reported that one out of three children are obese increasing the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other illnesses. Rejecting the threat of being forced to follow "some politician's wife's priorities," she triumphantly visited a school in Pennsylvania holding cookies high in an act of brave defiance by a Grizzly Mom against Big Brother. No government was going to tell her children what they could and could not eat (forgetting entirely that a recommendation from the first lady is not necessarily a presidential executive order).

But she does speak the truth in one respect. This is groundbreaking. No other president's wife has ever dared to engage in this socialist activity of suggesting to America's citizens that they should take or refrain from some particular action. According to Half/Governor Palin such suggestions violate the word of God and our rights under the Constitution. Michelle Obama is clearly the first and only, that is, of course, if one ignores, Laura Bush for encouraging reading and literacy; Hillary Clinton for encouraging mammography to prevent breast cancer; Lady Bird Johnson for encouraging protection and beautification of the environment; and Nancy Reagan for urging the fight against drug and alcohol abuse among young people; and Pat Nixon who encouraged the performance of volunteer services to benefit others. Even as far back as Dolly Madison, who was urging aid to orphan children.

So yes, ultimately we each have a God-given right (or from some other recognized source) to let our children be fat, fail to read, become sick, take drugs and drink alcohol, ignore the plight of others and destroy the environment. But to my mind, there is something wonderful (and in the holiday spirit) when first ladies, who have no formal duty, undertake a cause and use their platform to advance and advocate practices that will benefit our children and the country. Sarah Palin and others like her may see a socialist plot under every such initiative while others may see the pursuit of worthy goals and respect for Constitutional rights.

The moral: Don't let them eat cake if it is going to make them fat, even if that advice comes from a first lady of the opposition party. If Sarah Palin had taken Laura Bush's literacy advice, this column probably would not have been necessary.

Happy Holidays.

 
They both said: "Let them eat cake!" Somewhere in the Constitution, Sarah Palin has found the "God-given" right to be obese. Michelle Obama's initiative to improve children's health by encouraging bet...
They both said: "Let them eat cake!" Somewhere in the Constitution, Sarah Palin has found the "God-given" right to be obese. Michelle Obama's initiative to improve children's health by encouraging bet...
 
 
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10:04 AM on 01/01/2011
New Book Released:

Paradigm Shift: The Palin Matrix

What is The Palin Matrix? You could define it in many different ways, all of which boil down to a madness that has infected the political lives of many Americans. You cannot see it or hear it or feel it with your hands, but you can certainly see its brainwashing effects on cable news, hear it discussed infinitely on talk radio, and feel it as you walk among the masses from the other side. America cannot heal its economic divide until we stop fighting The Second Civil War. The specific problem is that the other side has become so vehemently rabid that we cannot ignore the bully and hope he will just go away. We must defend the compassionate America we all know and love before it ceases to exist.

Order Paradigm Shift here.
http://www.e-tabitha.com/
08:25 AM on 12/29/2010
Did anyone say, "Let them eat pumpkin pie!", this week's other traditional downfall?

Great piece. Consider that Sarah Palin knows she has two forces she is joining in her defense of cookies: the addicts who eat them by the bagful and the corporations that make profits from our corporal excesses.
03:44 PM on 12/28/2010
I reread this and I'll I've got to say is you forgot Lucy Hayes.
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03:02 PM on 12/28/2010
I echo the last commenter.  What is up with moderation these days?  Hours ago, I issued what I considered to be quite the bon mot about Marie Antoinette and Palin both having nothing but air above the shoulders - quite tame and genteel a reference to both decapitation and rampant stupidity - and it went the way of the first four French Republics.
 
 
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sprtakis69
Shouldn't all people be entitled to Equal rights?
02:22 PM on 12/28/2010
Seriously moderator - what is wrong with this post? Not one bad word...what gives? You love Palin too much to let these posts go to the thread? Geesh - find your freedom of free speech button already!

To be fair, I don't recall Sarah even saying "let them eat cake.'

Why don’t all those complaining that Marie Antoinette didn’t actually say “let them eat cake” just bugger off?!?!

I remember watching her speech in PA where she took cookies to school, but don't recall her saying that, but maybe she did. Did she say it on her show when she made s'mores? That I'm not sure of because I wouldn't give her show the time of day.

I'm certain though, with what I've heard come out of Palin's mouth since 2008, that had she actually said "Let them eat cake" she too thought, just like the judge, it was an actual quote from Marie Antoinette. You cannot convince me that she actually knew where that quote came from. If an educated, federal judge (ret) got the origination of an 18th century quote wrong you can be assured Palin would have gotten it wrong as well. Meaning? When/if Palin said it she most certainly thought she was being clever and quoting a Queen.
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Judge H. Lee Sarokin
Retired after serving 17 years on the federal cour
03:14 PM on 12/28/2010
sprtakis69 -. Frankly I don't know if Sarah Palin actually said: "Let Them Eat Cake" and I am now convinced that Marie Antoinette most likely did not say it, despite believing it with all my heart until yesterday. I just cannot say "bugger off" to those who have focused on the "quotes" rather than the message----it is just against my nature, although the temptation is great. I do think I should be given some poetic license. "Let them eat cookies" (and that she clearly said or implied) just didn't have the same ring or historical impact. Message and moral irrespective of quotes: Michelle Obama suggesting that we should care about diets and exercise for children does not constitute government interference, does not violate parental control, does not violate the Constitution and is a pretty darn good idea. Thanks for urging me to push that "free speech button". Happy New Year.
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sprtakis69
Shouldn't all people be entitled to Equal rights?
02:18 PM on 12/28/2010
To be fair, I don't recall Sarah even saying "let them eat cake.'

Why don’t all those complaining that Marie Antoinette didn’t actually say “let them eat cake” just sod off?!?!

I remember watching her speech in PA where she took cookies to school, but don't recall her saying that, but maybe she did. Did she say it on her show when she made s'mores? That I'm not sure of because I wouldn't give her show the time of day.

I'm certain though, with what I've heard come out of Palin's mouth since 2008, that had she actually said "Let them eat cake" she too thought, just like the judge, it was an actual quote from Marie Antoinette. You cannot convince me that she actually knew where that quote came from. If an educated, federal judge (ret) got the origination of an 18th century quote wrong you can be assured Palin would have gotten it wrong as well. Meaning? When/if Palin said it she most certainly thought she was being clever and quoting a Queen.
02:16 PM on 12/28/2010
Actually Marie Antoinette was never proved to have said "Let them eat cake!" Most historians believe that the Dauphin's aunt made the statement long before Marie Antoinette ever even came to France.
12:48 PM on 12/28/2010
There are books out there you can read to find out that she neve said let em eat cake. Ifthe Judge had taken Laura Bush's literary advice this column probably would havebeen written differentl­y.
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Judge H. Lee Sarokin
Retired after serving 17 years on the federal cour
03:14 PM on 12/28/2010
RockyBlue3 - Touche
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homer winslow
Truth in Beauty, Beauty in Truth
12:04 PM on 12/28/2010
When I was growing up in the fifties it was perfectly acceptable to beat your children with a belt. It was perfectly acceptable for the coach or shop teacher to take you to the principal's office and beat you with a paddle. That is considered child abuse today. I look forward to the day when smoking around children, or not teaching your children about the heath risks involved in making poor food choices are considered child abuse. Yes, the government does have a a right to tell you how to raise your children if your choices endanger them, or others.
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soisay
Angry? Scared? Thank a Republican.
02:04 PM on 12/28/2010
You fail the conservative litmus test. As 'constructionists', whatever existed in the minds of the founders was correct, per Scalia's long discussions of flogging at the whipping post and hanging horse theives. The rest of us live in an evolving society, where technologies, societies, social expectations and norms, economic norms, and certainly the definition for cruelty and abuse continuously evolve. Oddly, the expectation for each seem only to evolve away from that position that is considered "conservative". Truth, after all, has a liberal bias.
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11:29 AM on 12/28/2010
There's nothing wrong with eating snacks in moderation.  The President himself just enjoued a snow cone I see. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1342103/Wish-Obama-enjoys-Hawaiian-vacation-ice-frozen-dessert.html
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soisay
Angry? Scared? Thank a Republican.
02:09 PM on 12/28/2010
There is nothing wrong with learning about the fundamentals of a healthy diet, the importance of following one, and the implications of failing to follow one.

That would be called "socialization" if "it took a village" to raise a child. Since that is too socialist, we have libertarians running amok, feeding their children the capitalist's dream of mcburgers, high-fructose fruit-free "juice", and oil-based dairy-free cheese and whipped topping.

Let the kids learn about proper nutrition, if only in their American History class.
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02:36 PM on 12/28/2010
ther'es nothing wrong with the occasional Big Mac or high fructcose corn syrup.
 
What is unhealthy is eating a ton of calories and getting little exercise.
 
But a person has that choice too.  Freedom does not always occur the way we wish it too.
 
Sometimes the President chooses a snow cone, and sometimes a kid chooses a snickers bar.
10:19 AM on 12/28/2010
As I am sure the good judge is aware Marie Antoinette never made that statement - and that in any event the context would be inapposite (Palin is not unfeelingly prescribing a particular diet as Marie A was alleged to have done, but rather advocating freedom of choice) - I must conclude that Mr Sarokin's intent is to be mischievous.

Few people who are sane approve of Sarah Palin but I daresay there is sufficient material available to ridicule the former governor, without us having to resort to stretching historical facts, or logic.
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homer winslow
Truth in Beauty, Beauty in Truth
11:37 AM on 12/28/2010
It is the old axiom that turnabout is fair play. If Palin can stretch the truth (more like totally ignore it) then those who wish to poke fun at her should be allowed to do the same.
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Judge H. Lee Sarokin
Retired after serving 17 years on the federal cour
11:41 AM on 12/28/2010
EducatedObserver - I am now aware the Marie Antoinette probably did not make the statement. Unfortunately I relied on what I learned as a child and did not research the matter. Mischievous and stretching - I plead guilty.
12:45 PM on 12/28/2010
There are books out there you can read to find out that she neve said let em eat cake. Ifthe Judge had taken Laura Bush's literary advice this column probably would havebeen written differentl­y.
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sprtakis69
Shouldn't all people be entitled to Equal rights?
01:42 PM on 12/28/2010
Non-the-less it was a really good article and I took it as mischievous.

I thought you were certainly having good fun, and it did, indeed, make me laugh!
10:14 AM on 12/28/2010
Apparently what Sarah Palin and Marie Antoinette have in common is liberal ideologues misquoting them in an attempt to generate ad hominem attacks against them.

Marie Antoinette never said "Let them eat cake" or any variation thereof. The quote came from Rousseau. Marie Antoinette was 11 years old at the time. And Sarah Palin has never advocated for obesity. She's only advocated for parents, not government, to do the job they're supposed to do.
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homer winslow
Truth in Beauty, Beauty in Truth
11:40 AM on 12/28/2010
And when the parents, many of whom seem to not even realize that they have kids, fail to do their job of educating their children to make informed choices, we the people end up having to pay for their failure through increased health care costs for all. I praise Mrs. Obama for her attempts to help educate the parents and children to the need to eat properly.
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Judge H. Lee Sarokin
Retired after serving 17 years on the federal cour
11:48 AM on 12/28/2010
rightwing927 - I have already acknowledged the inaccuracy of attributing the quote to Marie Antoinette, but you reiterate the very point that Sarah Palin improperly makes. Michelle Obama is not making children do anything. She is pointing out and educating on a serious problem. There is no government intrusion by her statements. Suppose she had urged children to stop smoking would that violate anyone's constitutional rights? Plus plenty of parents can use some good advice even if they do have the final say about their children's upbringing.
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09:35 AM on 12/28/2010
Excellent closing.
08:24 AM on 12/28/2010
Well Marie Antoinette never said that

But other than that, could we please just stop reporting anything that Palin does? it just feeds into her plan that any exposure is good exposure
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babybelle
EARTH without art is just EH
08:18 AM on 12/28/2010
One might think since Sarah is so concerned about her own health & appearance she would be concerned about others.
But that is NOT Sarah !
She says running keeps her sane ! I find that very funny!
Sarah Palin, exercises, eats healthy and isn’t afraid to expose the athletic side of her.



Sarah is a fitness fanatic. She runs and runs, and runs for miles. This runs in the family, taking into account her parents were track coaches. "Running was a family affair," the governor explains. "I didn't have much choice. Thankfully, I've never tired of it."




Running 7 to 10 miles each day is what keeps her sane. "Conventional running is my sanity." She’s got five children so running didn’t seem to be enough. Sarah Palin started going to aerobic classes while pregnant with her fifth child. Summer or winter, running is always in the to-do list. If the weather is impossible, she goes to the gym, runs on the treadmill or she goes snowmobiles with her family. Looking presentable when running is also important. “I always wear sunglasses. My kids tell me to put them on so I don't freak people out when they see me with a goofy hairdo and no makeup."



Her diet includes moose, caribou, seafood & fruit. She, most of the times, skips breakfast. I know it's the most important meal of the day but I still haven't bought into it.