Thursday, April 30, 2020 –
I am going to attempt a thought experiment that will probably upset a great many people. However, I think that it is important to think about and discuss these issues. To that end, I am going to make this fairly focused on a specific issue surrounding my own life. It is pertinent, but not as “in your face” as this could have been, nor is it directed at any particular person. I am an equal-opportunity offender.
I hope to touch on several topics: personal responsibility, state interference / mandates, rights of individuals vs. rights of businesses, etc. It is going to be a stretch, but bear with me.
I have Celiac Disease. In case you are unaware of what that is, I have an autoimmune disease that causes a serious immune reaction when I eat gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. This doesn’t mean that I simply avoid those three things. Unfortunately, wheat, rye, and barely are used in a number of things: beer, malt based foods, soy sauce, processed meats that have filler added, sauces and spice mixes that have anti-caking agents or preservatives added, and the list goes on!
When I consume gluten, my immune system goes nuts and causes inflammation that damages my small intestine. There are a number of symptoms that occur when I eat gluten and that I have all the time: diarrhea, bloating, gas, fatigue, low blood count (anemia), and osteoporosis. Over time, this damage (the flattening of my villi) makes it where I do not absorb nutrients properly (malabsorption) and can lead to serious medical conditions like intestinal cancer.
There is no “cure” for Celiac Disease. I simply have to maintain a gluten-free diet…FOREVER! Once you know the “hidden culprits” of gluten, it honestly is not that difficult, but it does get tricky eating out of having dinner at a friend’s house. I know which soy sauce is made without gluten, but I have had several friends actually argue with me that all soy sauce is gluten-free, despite what the label says.
Anyhow, back to the thought experiment…
Knowing that I cannot eat gluten, I take extra precautions for my own safety. My health is my duty, not anyone else’s. This means I routinely turn down eating out or dinners made by friends. I am not trying to be rude; I am merely protecting myself from a few days camped out in my loo.
Likewise, if a restaurant chooses to only serve deep-fried, chocolate-frosted, whole-wheat bombs, I rightly choose to pass on by and eat somewhere else. Nobody is forcing me to eat at Le Fried Wheat. If I do not like their menu, or cannot eat what they are offering, I am within my rights to say “hard pass!”
Now, it might be bad policy for Le Fried Wheat to only cater to the gluten-loving crowd, but that is their prerogative. They are a private business and within their rights to exclude me. It is probably going to be a PR nightmare if they start posting “Gluten Must be Eaten Here!” signs everywhere, but who am I to judge how they run their business.
I have the right to take my business down the street to Chez Celiac. I get to vote with my feet and wallet on which restaurant I would like to support. I can also choose to grow my own food or order from a faraway place.
There is the first part of our thought experiment: personal choices. Now, phase two: state-mandated “choice.”
In this scenario I am still Celiac. I cannot change that about me, however much I miss deep-fried goodness. However, the government steps in and orders all restaurants to only serve people who can eat gluten. You can imagine the world of gut-wrenching pain I’m about to be in. EEK!
You see, I no longer have the option to eat at a different restaurant. I now HAVE to choose from gluten choice A or gluten choice B. But what if I cannot eat gluten? Well, the state did not think about that, did they!? Suddenly, I find myself unable to eat!
Conversely, you may be asking why the state doesn’t mandate all restaurants and grocery stores need to be gluten-free. Wouldn’t that solve my problem? If “regular” people can eat gluten-free, then in the name of public health should we not all go gluten-free to save the few?
Well, no. In order to accommodate the few, you have just taken away the liberties of the many.
In case you did not notice, humans are quite diverse. Many people have different dietary requirements. On top of my gluten-free diet, I also must eat a very high-protein, high-fiber diet. Remember, Celiac Disease causes other issues…
Anyhow, I would not dare ask the world to cater to my crazy needs. I take personal responsibility for my own dietary needs. The state SHOULD NOT make everyone eat just like me in order to protect me. If the government were to issue an edict proclaiming all restaurants must serve me, then that takes away their freedom to serve what food they choose.
Personally, I do not see a need for deep-fried, chocolate-frosted, whole-wheat bombs. However, if that is your favorite food and you want to run a restaurant dedicated to coronary disease, then you do you!
Likewise, a government-issued edict mandating what restaurants can and cannot serve completely discounts individuals who cannot eat just like me. What if you suffer from gout? Or, perhaps you have kidney and liver disease. The last thing you need is a high-protein diet.
The crux of the matter is that we all need to take personal responsibility. It is NOT the state’s job to dictate what people eat or what restaurants can and cannot serve. Likewise, businesses **should** consider who they may be alienating by only serving a certain population, but they are certainly not bound to cater to your needs. If a business makes a policy you disagree with, you should be free to take your business elsewhere. Businesses should not be run by the state; that takes away liberty as well.
Well, if you made it to the end, congratulations! I appreciate you not taking it personally. But, if you did: you’re so vain! I bet you think this post is about you, don’t you, don’t yooooouuuu!
Saint Timothy, pray for us!
