Wingnuts Blame Michelle Obama For Pedestrian Deaths Because She Encouraged Kids To “Move”

First Lady Michelle Obama promoted the “Let’s Move” campaign to encourage youngsters to walk to school.  During the period where children were encouraged to be more physically active there was an increase in pedestrian deaths; so, they must be linked, right?

In the period between January and June last year there were 1,891 road related deaths, which – while being only seven more than during the same period the previous year – bucked a trend that had been going down for four years.

It was a 0.4 per cent increase and in 18 states there was an increase in the numbers, according to a study on Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by state.

This caused a stir and Governors Highway Safety Association Director Barbara Harsha blamed Mrs Obama and was quoted as saying in the Washington Examiner: ‘There’s an emphasis these days to getting fit, and I think people doing that are more exposed to risk [of getting hit by a vehicle].’

Harsha later walked back her comments:

Mrs Harsha later rowed back, and said: ‘We [the GHSA] in no way oppose Mrs Obama’s program, [but if the program is to make people walk] they need to be aware of their surroundings and do so in a safe manner.’

Of course, they had to take back a stupid statement, but only after conservative sites like the Daily Caller ran with headlines like: “Highway safety spokesperson blames pedestrian deaths on Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign?”

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.