Cross posted at www.cala.com

I am certainly not a role model for eating habits.

Believe me I will jump at an Entenmann's donut any day of the week over a salad, but you will not see me sue Entenmann's. I guess I should have seen it coming. First the County Board of Supervisors in Santa Clara banned McDonald's from putting toys in its Happy Meals. Now comes the Center for Science in the Public Interest sending a letter of intent to sue McDonald's if the toys are not removed from all Happy Meals.

Stephen Gardner, the center's litigation director said "McDonald's is the stranger in the playground handing candy out to children." Are you kidding me? He also went on to say that McDonald's is undercutting parental authority. Really? So these fast food giants are just coming along and jamming Happy Meals down these kids throats behind their parents' backs.

Look there is a serious obesity problem in this nation, but do not blame the fast food companies. All of us have lessons to learn in personal responsibility. Unfortunately, what's being taught are not the right lessons. We're getting taught that if you're fat, blame the fast food restaurants that "forced" you to gobble calorie-rich burgers and fries, if you're benched in a crucial game, blame your coach or school, if you fall in a supermarket, blame the store, and so on. Basically, we're being told "it's not your fault - sue them all."

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHS), fast food may not even be the cause of most teen weight problems. As it turns out, the couch potato phenomenon doesn't just apply to adults. Data from DHS shows only 20 percent of high school students are engaged in moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day.

Reforms will help, but the problems with our out-of-control legal system will not be resolved until we reform our way of thinking. We must teach our children - by word and deed - that if you don't eat right or exercise it's your fault and nobody elses. We must all change our way of thinking - stop blaming others and accept responsibility for our actions. That's the most appropriate lesson in personal responsibility for all of us.

So let's try and focus the debate on personal responsibility and some daily exercise and not on suing. The only ones that will benefit from litigation are the trial lawyers.