October 5, 2012 5:32 AM

Jennifer Livingston: classy and built to stay that way...Kenneth Krause: not so much

MY NEW HERO

Jennifer Livingston

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD

(apologies to Keith Olbermann)

Kenneth Krause

Given this country’s present epidemic of obesity and the many truly horrible diseases related thereto, and considering Jennifer Livingston’s fortuitous position in the community, I hope she will finally take advantage of a rare and golden opportunity to influence the health and psychological well-being of Coulee Region children by transforming herself for all of her viewers to see over the next year, and, to that end, I would be absolutely pleased to offer Jennifer any advice or support she would be willing to accept.

We live in a society that talks the talks about preventing hatred and discrimination but too often fails to walk the walk. The saga of Jennifer LIvingston provides ample proof of that.

By now, you’re probably familiar with the story. Livingston, a morning news anchor at WKBT television in La Crosse, WI, was chastised via email by a viewer for being overweight. To her credit, Livingston, who would have been within her rights to go off on the viewer and expose him for the jerk he is, took the high road. She went on air and delivered a four-minute rebuttal, admitting she’s overweight while also making the case that she’s more than just a number on a scale.

Livingston’s rebuttal was eloquent, genuine, and devoid of anger or recrimination. Would that I could be so gracious under similar circumstances. The beautiful thing about her on-air response is that it stands in stark counterpoint to the author of the email, personal injury lawyer Kenneth Krause. Better to be thought a jerk than to be Kenneth Krause and remove any lingering doubt, eh?

Most of us, if we’d done what Krause did, would have the decency to recognize that it was a dick move and apologize profusely. Not Krause, who effectively doubled down on his judgmental disapproval of Livingston’s physical appearance:

Given this country’s present epidemic of obesity and the many truly horrible diseases related thereto, and considering Jennifer Livingston’s fortuitous position in the community, I hope she will finally take advantage of a rare and golden opportunity to influence the health and psychological well-being of Coulee Region children by transforming herself for all of her viewers to see over the next year, and, to that end, I would be absolutely pleased to offer Jennifer any advice or support she would be willing to accept.

Livingston, while admitting to being overweight, managed to transform the discussion about Krause’s email into one about bullying. Instead of making it about her, Livingston used her response to make it about how we treat one another and how we teach our children to treat those perceived as “different.” She could have ripped Krause a new one, and she would have been well justified in doing so. In choosing the tone she took in her response, Livingston made the case for being nice to one another, which did more to expose Krause’s epic dickishness more than any amount of justifiable anger she could have expressed.

Today’s Internet culture has made it easier for people to be mean to one another, and to do so without remorse or second thoughts. We tend to forget, if we think about it at all, the meaning and impact that words can have. We can pass judgment on others instantly without stopping to consider what impact those words might have on those targeted. Krause’s argument, while perhaps true in a global sense, sounds much different, more small-minded, and certainly meaner when directed at one person. He made a huge miscalculation in picking a target with a much wider audience than he has access to. The fact that Livingston is also a far kinder and gentler personality only serves to demonstrate the dickishness of Krause’s words and demeanor.

You don’t know me. You are not a friend of mine. You are not a part of my family, and you have admitted you don’t watch this show. You know nothing about me but what you see on the outside, and I am much more than a number on a scale.

Livingston has admitted that she’s struggled with her weight since having children, something millions of American women can certainly relate to. Krause, who’s clearly very much in love with his own chiseled physique, has never had to reclaim a body changed by pregnancy and childbirth. He also clearly hasn’t bothered to realize that far more Americans can relate to Jennifer Livingston’s situation than his.

What Krause fails to understand is that physical appearance very often has little to do with one’s state of health. By focusing on Livingston’s appearance, Krause perpetuates the fallacy that women and girls, in order to be accepted, must fit a preconceived notion of what the female form should look like. Additionally, he’s exposed himself as genuinely judgmental fool and a complete jerk. He’s also probably the most despised man in La Crosse, WI- and deservedly do.

Livingston’s righ;: it’s not a weight issue. It’s about how we treat one another and how we teach our children to treat one another. It’s about understanding that it costs nothing to be nice, but the damage that can be done via ridicule and bullying is often enduring and difficult to repair. It’s about recognizing that words have meaning, and that hurtful words can do more damage than the person responsible may realize. Ultimately, it’s about the Golden Rule.

Jennifer Livingston is aware of her issues and her struggles; she didn’t need Kenneth Krause to point them out. By her response, Livingston demonstrated that kindness and a refusal to retaliate says more about Krause’s dickishness than her words ever could.

The lesson for Kenneth Krause (and others similarly thoughtless and insensitive) is simple: The next time you get the urge to pass judgment on someone for not meeting your personal standards of appearance, think twice before hitting “SEND.”

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on October 5, 2012 5:32 AM.

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