I was at my local supermarket tonight (ie the one that's not Loblaws or Metro) and I go pick up some peanut butter.

One of the staff ladies sees me put the peanut butter in my basket and comes right over to me and says, "that item may contain nuts, you know".

I sooooooooo wanted to tell her, "oh ya, next your chin will contain MY nuts!", but instead decorum dictated a milder, "ya think?!?!?!?".

There's a big hot button issue in my area right now about if parents should let their kid take a peanut butter sandwich to school in their lunch lest a kid with a nut allergy touch it by accident or the kid eating it rubbing peanut butter on the swing set.

What do you think? Freedom of the nuts OR should everyone cease eating nut foods in case someone is allergic to it?

Given some of your past revelations, I was expecting this thread to be about something entirely different.

There are far fewer kids with deadly or even harmful peanut allergies than the hype dictates. Schools with children who have deadly peanut allergies do need to enforce such a rule, however, schools who have not had parents come forward and say "Little Timmy's gunna die if he smells peanuts", then the kids should be entitled to PB & J.

it's a process of natural selection.



the weak ones die off.


Someone once said on here that if there's a zebra in the wild that's allergic to some kind of grass, no zebras are going to stop it from eating that grass.

If you (or your kid) has an allergy to something, it is your responsibility to take precautions, ask the appropriate questions, etc, so you don't keel over on us. Why should I be watching out for your health? That's how I see it.

OK, so can we extend this concept further?

If mentally retarded babies can't adapt and learn to keep up with their "normal" counterparts, should we let them die. Or simply abort them before they become an annoyance?

How about the jobless? They are a drain on resources that could be better used by employed people. All the jobless people could be rounded up and put in holding cells until they die.

Or the planet's starving and sick. Nothing's worse than a starving baby with AIDS. Let's dig a giant pit and dump them in it. Then set it on fire of course. And air it live on PPV for the employed healthy people.

Q: where were these deadly peanut-allergy kids when I was a kid?

Posted by fedge I was at my local supermarket tonight (ie the one that's not Loblaws or Metro) and I go pick up some peanut butter. One of the staff ladies sees me put the peanut butter in my basket and comes right over to me and says, "that item may contain nuts, you know". I sooooooooo wanted to tell her, "oh ya, next your chin will contain MY nuts!", but instead decorum dictated a milder, "ya think?!?!?!?". There's a big hot button issue in my area right now about if parents should let their kid take a peanut butter sandwich to school in their lunch lest a kid with a nut allergy touch it by accident or the kid eating it rubbing peanut butter on the swing set. What do you think? Freedom of the nuts OR should everyone cease eating nut foods in case someone is allergic to it?

...and just for shits and giggles, I would have argued with her. "Nuts...? Are you CRAZY?"

Posted by snap228 If you (or your kid) has an allergy to something, it is your responsibility to take precautions, ask the appropriate questions, etc, so you don't keel over on us. Why should I be watching out for your health? That's how I see it.

I do agree with this, to an extent. However, I am severely allergic to bananas and avoid them at all costs, so as to not end up in the hospital OR make my allergy worse by re-exposing myself.

When I was at Chest Fest, I saw someone getting ready to fling a banana peel into the fire. I immediately protested, but he still flung it in (I don't think he took me seriously). It sucked, having to be careful not to sit in the smoke or risk death. He WAS considerate enough to pull his NEXT banana peel back out of the fire, though.

I guess what I'm trying to say is... if you're in a position to potentially kill someone and they ask you not to, it might be nice if you just throw your banana peels into the trash, instead. ...Likewise, if a child at a school has a severe allergy to nuts and the school and other children's parents have become aware of it, people should be considerate enough to keep nuts out of the lunches and whatnot.

I'll eat what I want, and feed my kids what I want. I won't force peanuts down your child's throat, but I won't change my family's lifestyle to protect you either. Its nuts, not meth.

Jesus people have gotten pussified.

Posted by Jonsered I'll eat what I want, and feed my kids what I want. I won't force peanuts down your child's throat, but I won't change my family's lifestyle to protect you either. Its nuts, not meth. Jesus people have gotten pussified.

Your family's lifestyle includes only sending your children to school with peanut butter sandwiches?

It is a minor change in a school lunch. Big deal. Do your children have any allergies, Jonsored?

No, no allergies of any kind in my family. My daughter is 17 and my son is 13. I think they are self aware enough not to smear peanut butter on people.

Its a slippery slope. New York is already regulating the type of oils you can use in food. Now we have a problem with peanut butter? My God, we should outlaw ice because someone might slip and break an arm. A pencil could be used to stab somebody. All our kids should have to use crayons. No wait, somebody could be allergic to crayon, or a child could choke on one. Holy Mother of God, Where do we draw the line at coddling? How many minor changes before I get to say fuck no, thats it?

PS. I take it back. I have a severe allergy to kissing ass. I have a terrible reaction to being forced to protect other people from themselves. I think meth should be available without prescription to anyone who wants it. Let the fuckers evolve themselves right out of the gene pool.

Posted by Jonsered I think they are self aware enough not to smear peanut butter on people.

LOL

Its a slippery slope.

I agree, here. I don't stop people in my family or around me from eating bananas. I simply try to stay away from them and if necessary do inform them (say, if they're eating one and then want to shake hands). My family keeps bananas wrapped up in plastic bags. I appreciate it.

Guess what - I have a deadly nut allergy.

Most people probably dont understand unless they have one, or know somebody who does.

Much like Emma, I cannot be around any residue of a nut, period. I was once rushed to the hospital after eating Reece's Pieces. Thats when I saw the disclaimer that said "This candy is processed on a machine that has contact with tree nuts".

I also got a kiss on the cheek from a guy who ate a pecan. My entire face swelled up.

I once brought a can of nuts into my dad, never even opening it. A minute later, I could feel a reaction coming on.

Some people dont have to actually eat the nut to have a reaction.

With that being said, I also went to school before they had the peanut butter sandwich ban. I NEVER had a reaction at school.

Each kid should have an epi pen being held in school for them for incidences like these anyway.

Posted by Debi Each kid should have an epi pen being held in school for them for incidences like these anyway.

Now that I can get behind 100%. Put people in a position to be allowed to live their lives. Proactive, not reactive.

Lets take Emma's banana problem. If you told me you had a problem with bananas, and please don't put one in the fire because it would make you ill, cool. Not throwing my banana peel in the fire is no imposition on me, particularly if your life is at stake. But some people would say we should outlaw bananas because you might accidentally come into contact with one. Now everybody gets hosed.

Posted by Jonsered Now that I can get behind 100%. Put people in a position to be allowed to live their lives. Proactive, not reactive. Lets take Emma's banana problem. If you told me you had a problem with bananas, and please don't put one in the fire because it would make you ill, cool. Not throwing my banana peel in the fire is no imposition on me, particularly if your life is at stake. But some people would say we should outlaw bananas because you might accidentally come into contact with one. Now everybody gets hosed.

a guy i work with, Andy The Chimp, is deadly allergic to peanuts. Our shift leaders' wife loves to bake cookies/bread, whatever, so Mac is always bringing stuff in for our crew. Anyways, he forgot to tell us which cookies were peanut butter and which weren't. Andy got a cookie to his mouth and was about to eat it when his bottom lip swelled up. It was actually pretty funny, even Andy thought so. But Andy has an epi-pen just in case. Why does the minority of an issue feel that the majority needs to accomodate them?

Posted by Debi Guess what - I have a deadly nut allergy. Most people probably dont understand unless they have one, or know somebody who does. I also got a kiss on the cheek from a guy who ate a pecan. My entire face swelled up.

Indeed.

Still...where were these kids when I was that age?

Sam stated it perfectly when he said "why does the minority of an issue expect the majority to accomodate them".

I take total control of my "affliction" by reading the ingredients of everything I eat, never eating in a restaurant that uses mixed nuts, always having my epi pen on hand, etc.

I can see the concern of parents with young children, who aren't able to better protect themselves (I can't imagine a first grader being overly aware of their possible peanut butter surroundings) but like Kubla said "Where were these kids when I was in school".

We were there . . . . we just weren't the paranoid society we are today.

I have 3 kids. Our newest which is 1 year old, is allergic to bananas. I still let my other boys eat them all the time, even in the same area as my 1 year old. Pussy world these days.

Posted by Emma Peel Your family's lifestyle includes only sending your children to school with peanut butter sandwiches? It is a minor change in a school lunch. Big deal. Do your children have any allergies, Jonsored?

but thing is peanut butter is cheap and easy. because its smooth and goes on soft bread, its also easier to get kids to eat it, and almost all kids like. food banks usually have lots of to too cause it keeps well. bread is cheap too. for some families there aren't many other options.