Obesity and government benefits run in the family for this mother and daughter duo, who have a collective weight of approximately 600 pounds and say they would rather be fat and happy, than depressed and thin — just so long as they’re not paying for anything.
Janice Manzur, 44, and her daughter Amber, 25, rely on scooters to get around their home because their weight limits their mobility. Janice’s home has also been modified to accommodate their large size and both scooters, all of which has been funded by the government, according to the Daily Mail.
Janice has been living off the government since 2006 when she left her call center job because of health issues brought on by her weight. Amber, who has one child, has not even attempted to work in the last two years when she began receiving benefits after losing her job in security after she broke her leg. Her mother fully encourages her daughter remaining unemployed, telling her it’s far better than the alternative of being thin, which is apparently a death sentence of depression. The two government dependents receive approximately $50,000 per year, paid for by hard-working and allegedly “depressed” taxpayers.
Considering their time is spent not working and all their necessities are covered, it would be plausible to think they would put a plan together to lose weight, especially since both women suffer from fairly dangerous health issues which would be resolved by dropping a few pounds. A weight loss plan is not in place, nor any intention to create one. After all, they’re essentially getting paid to do nothing and would never want to stop that gravy train.
According to The Sun, Janice weighs approximately 390 lbs and suffers from diabetes, high cholesterol, and angina, which is all due to her obesity. To her credit, at one point she did attempt to lose weight, but when the bulge didn’t budge fast enough, she gave up the effort and sought out surgical possibilities, such as a gastric band. But a doctor told her she was too overweight for the procedure, so she instantly ceased all effort to improve her health and waistline.
Why would Janice or her daughter be remotely motivated to lose any weight when it’s considered a medical disability and is their ticket for added benefits? The two receive an extra employment allowance of $938 monthly, $484 in disability per month, and $454 for rent, the newspaper reported.
“I’ve always been big, and I’m too fat to work, so I have a genuine disability,” Janice said. “I should be miserable, but I’m happy. I know this is the way I’m meant to be.”
Amber is upset that people judge her and her mother for their weight and subsequent abuse of the welfare system, and she blames their size not on their own actions — or lack thereof — but on genetics. “People shouldn’t judge me or my mom for how big we are because it’s in our genes,” she said. I think she meant jeans, not genes.
The welfare system, enables some people to live comfortably while doing nothing to improve their circumstances. The intent was never for it to become a career path, it was designed to give people who fall on hard times a temporary leg up. At this point, it’s become so mismanaged that there is seemingly no end in sight, especially when children are brought up to believe this is the way to live. Add to that an entitlement mentality that exists in our culture today, and you have a recipe for dependency.
