I would never try to change your views. I have been reading them for some time now, and I know that they are set in concrete.

Still, stereotyping is a mechanism for the lazy.

If you think that the fat and lazy represent American kids I suggest you get out to some club soccer tournaments; or high school cross country, track, soccer, swimming, basketball, football, baseball, water polo or tennis events. You will see a very large number of kids who have trained hard and are competing vigorously. The sight of them might influence your perception.

Not quite. It’s more like no matter what your experiences or views are, Old, they won’t and cannot change my own. That’s substantially different from being mistaken.

It works in the vice a versa as well.

True, most of those I see are middle-class and upper-middle class kids who have considerable advantage over some others.

That doesn’t include everyone in those schools nor does it include everyone in other schools, as you already noted.

On the other hand, I am in position every week to personally see scores, sometimes thousands of kids who are active and competing–yes competing–for all they are worth in a variety of sports. True, most of those I see are middle-class and upper-middle class kids who have considerable advantage over some others.

Nevertheless, I have seen enough to reject the popular stereotype of fat and lazy. Politically indoctrinated–perhaps, and it is up to us to counter that effort in any way that we can.

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-s-Mattress-Mack-lays-out-7-million-on-5198913.php

Those who can get “out” side the cage of rigid academia, can probably find a hobby or club that actually does something.

I love baseball. I love everything about it when watching it live–and so many years ago when I played. I also love that TV cannot intervene and stop the action, They are relegated to the period during pitching changes, and between innings, although I suspect that interval is extended when the game is televised.

I would love basketball if the officials were more consistent. As it is, they have virtually ruined the game for me. Oh, when I speak of basketball, I mean college. I don’t give two hoots about the NBA.

I have always spurned soccer. That has changed to some extent the past couple of years as I watched my grand daughter in club and high school. It still leaves a lot to be desired as a spectator sport when she isn’t on the field. My daughter, who still plays in an over 25 league at 50, and my grand daughter are slowly changing my perception.

I love Cross Country. I have never seen a more dedicated group of student athletes; who work so hard for so little recognition. It seems that as a group they are also good citizens. I love meets and watching parents, and other of the fitter fans racing almost as hard as the runners to get from one viewing site to the next–while grandparents are content to see their darlings for a few seconds. By the way, XC meets in Southern California–at least–put the lie to the notion that our youth are fat and lazy. At many meets there are literally thousands of the skinniest, most fit kids you can possibly imagine. Track has some of the same appeal; except that you often have to wait for hours between very brief appearances by your particular darling.

They often say that it is because it suits the Japanese physical stature.

The American Left might call that racism against tall black people.