I am an asshat

I'm sure many have heard of the Abercrombie & Fitch CEO fiasco that has recently been in the news.  A&F has a rich history which dates back to the 1800s, though not in its current form of course.  Though its current marketing strategy of highly sexualized black and white photos of chiseled half naked men, and very thin half naked women has be criticized since the late 80s, the company reportedly raised money for Ohio State University for medical research as well as National Society of High School Scholars since 2010.  However, as a society, we have quickly forgotten much of A&F's past as of a few days ago.
In a country where obesity runs rampant, where dieting is more of a cash crop than an actual weight loss solution and where women (and men) both under and overweight are accused of being afflicted by eating disorders or "laziness", the opinion of Mike Jefferies has hit the nerve of America.  The Meme websites icanhazcheeseburger  and Reddit has been blowing up with satire pictures that call out what feels like a hypocritical stance of the Jefferies.

When I went to post about it on facebook, most people were outraged and struck back at him for the sizeist, and even racist comments (how does he define "All-American popular kid"?).  Others are telling us to back off because, especially in America, we are entitled to our own opinion.  This debate could go back and forth.  It doesn't matter what Mike Jefferies says/feels/thinks.  If we don't like it... and I still don't, then we don't have to support him or his company with our money.  Some people still will, and that is their choice. We, as a society, tend to believe that those of celebrity status of any kind should never do or say anything that will hurt, abuse, or make anyone upset either.  We have little tolerance for outbursts or mistakes that people like Reese Witherspoon, Mel Gibson or Amanda Bynes make, when us "normals" do things like this all the time.  We forget that these people are just that... people.One reason I did not black out my name in this picture is because I am guilty of this too.

 I woke up this morning and two things hit me.
1. Mike Jefferies is an asshat (see also douchebag,jerkwad)
2.  So am I

 For all the times I have worn my reflexive and critical nature as a badge of pride, recently I have taken off that badge and jumped up and down on it until the luster was gone.  This is my attempt to add a little shine back to it.  I am sorry for promoting and encouraging hurtful pictures of a man I know nothing about, outside of a single article.  I am sorry for putting my hurt feelings ahead of a person who had probably experienced just as many hurtful words said about him (and much more in the last week) as I have.  I am sorry that he feels that overweight women and men are not worth selling to (though as a marketing strategy, it has worked for him for a long time).  I am also sorry that I let my own struggle with weight (and those of my friends) and the self esteem tied to that has caused me to lash out against my fellow man.  This is exactly what I have taught in my class NOT to do. It is not okay to make judgements against someone because of race, gender, sexual orientation, dis/abilities, age, weight, economic status, health.... the list goes on and on.  Tolerance (or just love) is how America has learned to change over the years.  This long and still winding road has drawn our attention to the horrible things people can and shouldn't do, but it hasn't stopped us from blasting those we disagree with.

I am not advocating that Jefferies is right in any way, because that is not how we should treat anyone.  But his business practices are what we should be debating... Not his opinion, and most importantly  not his looks.  THAT is how this whole thing started!