Petty controversy: Is Michelle Obama killing pedestrians?
A safety organization implied that the first lady's anti-obesity message could be responsible for an uptick in traffic deaths. Just how tenuous is this connection?
The controversy: A spokesman for the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a non-profit group, told a Washington radio station Thursday that a recent rise in pedestrian deaths may be connected to Michelle Obama's fitness initatives, which she has championed as first lady. Explaining the extremely slight increase in pedestrian fatalities — 1,891 people were killed by cars in the first half of 2010, seven more than in the same period the year before — Jonathan Adkins told an interviewer at WMAL that the Obama is "trying to get us to walk to work and exercise a little bit more. While that's good, it also increases our exposure to risk." Meanwhile, Barbara Harsha, the director of the organization, was quoted in The Washington Examiner saying that thanks to the first lady "there's an emphasis these days to getting fit, and I think people doing that are more exposed to risk."
The reaction: The numbers don't prove anything, says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. Only seven more people were killed this year than last, and "an increase of 0.4% is, statistically speaking, noise": "It's a random variation that occurs in smaller data sets." Besides, says James Joyner at Outside the Beltway, "while I don’t pay much attention to the social campaigns of first ladies, I don't recall Mrs. Obama telling people that they should get drunk, strap on an iPod, and go wandering around the streets reading their BlackBerries." The GHSA's Harsha says she "was misquoted" by the Examiner. In fact, she says, "we in no way oppose Ms. Obama's program;" people should merely "walk in a safe manner" and "be aware of their surroundings."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
The hunt for Planet Nine
Under The Radar Researchers seeking the elusive Earth-like planet beyond Neptune are narrowing down their search
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Magazine interactive crossword - April 26, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - April 26, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine solutions - April 26, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - April 26, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published