Fat Free Ohio

Fat Free Ohio: Issue 7 is a parody campaign created by satire artist Joseph Urbank II. in protest of the smoking ban issued in the November 7, 2006 Ohio election. It bears an analogy of cigarette smokers to overweight people, therefore proposing the idea that overweight people should be banned in restaurants, bars, and public places, just as smoking is in Ohio.

Name

The name of the ban itself is a double pun, referencing both the name of the electorial issue that caused the smoking ban (Smoke Free Ohio) as well as that of Fat Free food products. Issue 7 was added to the name later by supporters of the satire, possibly under reasoning that Issue 6 would be the fictional opposing issue "Fat Less Ohio".

Purpose

The intent of the satirical campaign is to direct a reductio ad absurdum argument toward those that supported a ban for smoking, specifically when a compromising issue was available. It was deemed from the start that the idea was unlikely to develop into anything more than a joke devised to prove a point, and that it would be unlikely that Fat Free Ohio would accomplish anything more than that.

Controversy

The fictional anecdote, in which the idea for the campaign spawned is filled with vulgar attacks toward overweight people. While this was GeneRally added as an analogy to how cigarette smokers are treated, it nonetheless, has caused some hostile feedback toward supporters of the satire. The author himself claims that he is an overweight non-smoker, and the reason for him starting Fat Free Ohio: Issue 7 was not to cause hostility toward overweight people, but to show people how they sound as they are declaring to take away the rights of individuals, particularly ones with addictions such as smoking. The author has, however, received criticism for having a history of being brazenly fascist -- including an authoritarian ideal society which he deems "Joetopia" -- and nonetheless taking specific outrage at a law he sees as unnecessarily restrictive.

The Primary logical fallacy pointed out in Issue 7's argument relates back to the primary reason for a smoking ban: second-hand smoke. Supporters claim that the number of people starving in third world countries in Africa, South America, and the Middle East are a comparable threat. However, they have thus far failed to offer scientific proof that American overeating has any profound effect on availability of food to already impoverished undeveloped countries. Critics of the campaign, on the other hand, have readily provided references to the World Health Organization's finding that second-hand smoke does in fact have deleterious effects to health.