This is a joke, right? Designed to cause outrage and distress so that you get attention?

Watching a child die from anaphylaxis has nothing to do with political correctness or parental ‘preciousness’. No one can show such phemomenal ignorance about anaphylaxis and be taken seriously.

Claire Joia on October 17, 2013 at 1:54 pm

Before you write such a cold-hearted, unfeeling, and un-compassionate blog, you SERIOUSLY need to do some hard research and EDUCATE yourself. Hard to believe anyone can be this indifferent to handicapped children (yes! it is considered a handicap) — EDUCATE!

Catherine on October 17, 2013 at 1:56 pm

What a twisted, creative way to drive people to your site. Mentioning people with life-threatening food allergies and terrorists in the same post shows a lot about how low you’ll go for attention. Bravo. Now you’ve shown the world what a class act you really are. Pathetic…

Gina on October 17, 2013 at 1:59 pm

Boo. You would probably feel differently if it was your family members life threatening allergy. Where is your compasion for others? Children didn’t ask for these allergies so they can have something to make a big deal about. Why are you making such a big deal about no peanuts. Deal with it. Buy some popcorn.

Jaime on October 17, 2013 at 2:00 pm

Debbie…you said “Well, suddenly every single precious kid in the world developed allegedly deadly allergies.” Your comments are absurd, insensitive, selfish, and the reason why this country is so messed up. As a professional you should be ashamed. That comment also reflects poorly on other lawyers and contributes to the anti-lawyer bashing in this country. Have you ever experienced a life threatening situation with your child in the emergency room where their chances of survival depended upon how fast and effective epinephrin worked throughout the body to reduce the swelling in the throat and other major symptoms? Have you ever seen your child’s face turn bluish purple because oxygen was not getting into the cells yet they were still breathing? All that because they inhaled peanut shell dust at a ballpark. I bet not. Well I have and my son has experienced near death reactions to cross contamination of peanut and other nut products. He didn’t even have to eat them. How dare anyone be so selfish and expect that you deserve or have a right to eat or do whatever you want and whenever you want without any regard to the people around you. That’s exactly why Americans are so hated by other countries.

How do you feel if someone says to you that the Holocaust never really happened and it was “alleged” to have taken place. Does that mean your grandparents really didn’t suffer in those camps? Maybe your mother was only “allegedly” born there. Without knowing someone that experienced that trauma some people may have doubts, even seeing the pictures. As a lawyer, you should have been trained better to be careful with what you say or do. You infuriated many people, including me. You owe us a public apology and an article on peanut allergy safety and how deadly it really can be for many people.

Chris Gierymski on October 17, 2013 at 2:08 pm

But folks, I really don’t want to appear as though I were unsympathetic to your plight. So I want to make a constructive suggestion as to how you can publicize your cause and get more sympathy and support.

Go on The View.

Little Al on October 17, 2013 at 2:08 pm

Do you have children? If you do, then they must not be allergic so you wouldn’t understand. Every day that my son leaves the house I worry. Worry is an understatement. Most parents send their kids off to school and hope they remembered their homework or their lunch. I worry about my son forgetting his epipen in case he needs it during the day. At the end of the day all I want is to see my son come home safe, alive.
Someday someone in your life will be affected by a peanut allergy. Whether it’s a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, cherished friend. Then you’ll understand. It all comes around. Wise up my friend, and be sure not to spread your ignorance around. It may come back to haunt you someday.

laura on October 17, 2013 at 2:09 pm

Wow! This has to be one of the most rude, insensitive articles I have ever read! I am speechless, just goes to show how ignorant people are

Courtney Rockwell on October 17, 2013 at 2:13 pm

I really wish you would have educated yourself before writing such an ignorant article. Foods that contain gluten, and are not vegan would not put someone at risk for a life-threatening allergic reaction.

My daughter has allergies to peanuts and eggs. I do not expect anyone or any establishment to accommodate her. I do think that Northwestern University is doing a nice, kind-hearted thing for people who suffer from peanut allergies and have never been able to attend a game. I would never frown upon them had they never hosted a peanut-free game though. I teach my daughter that life is not fair. She will have to deal with food allergies living in a world where most food products contain peanuts or have been manufactured on machinery that have also processed peanuts, and it will be okay. She will also have to deal with living in a world with mean-spirited, self-centered, ignorant witches such as yourself. Perhaps your next article can be on bullying, and you can get off of your high horse and focus on writing about yourself and what a shallow and selfish person you are.

Carly on October 17, 2013 at 2:15 pm

Seems to be a trend with some of these posts. They start off seeming reasonable, but by the end they lapse into profanity and invective. This is a condensation of the slipper slope whereby emotionalism about peanuts leads to more serious abridgments of personal liberty.

Little Al on October 17, 2013 at 2:23 pm

Although I choose to abstain from commenting one way or the other regarding Debbie’s latest post I do find it fascinating how all these “new” faces suddenly pop up and get in a high speed wobble over this topic. They’ve basically tried to lynch Debbie from the highest tree over this subject yet I’ve never seen any of these people comment on any prior posts in response to the vast myriad of news stories Debbie has addressed and I’ve been reading/posting on Debbie’s page for a long time.

At the very least I find this suspect on many levels. Makes me wonder if, when it comes to the most critical topics of the day (be it politics, terrorism, et al) these soldiers of the anti-legume legion are either out of touch or just don’t give a damn?

IceNoMore on October 17, 2013 at 2:29 pm

I don’t understand the sudden increase in adults that can’t go a few fucking hours without peanuts! It takes a selfish, heartless bitch to write an article like this. My 3 yr old could die from peanuts, but let’s not inconvenient the extra special people that aren’t capable of finding another food to eat. You won’t die from avoiding peanuts, but my child could die from inhaling the dust from those peanut shells. Maybe try having some sympathy.

No one wants to have food allergies, but it is our life. I have to worry every time I leave the house with my son about people with your attitude. This sort of attitude could kill my child. I hope you are not a parent because being a mom requires thinking about someone other than yourself. You don’t seem capable of that!

Janet on October 17, 2013 at 2:29 pm

Nobody is forcing a frigging peanut up your child’s nose. Just don’t bring him to public places where peanuts are served.

If your little brat had an allergy to oak trees, should we burn the forest down? And if you are so concerned about your future underachiever why don’t you get them allergy shots?

Jonathan e. Grant on October 17, 2013 at 2:31 pm

I am allergic to stupid people so will some of you stay away from me?

Jonathan e. Grant on October 17, 2013 at 2:33 pm

Maybe you should take a trip to the ER and hold the hand of a child who can’t breathe because their airways are closing cause some smartarse like you decided their allergy wasn’t worth bothering about. Look into their panic filled eyes as they want to scream for help but are so lethargic from their body’s reaction that they can’t do so, watch as they try to scratch off their skin burning with hives. Do that and then you qualify to comment. Unfortunately the world is full of uneducated, ignorant idiots just like you, the keyboard warrior who thinks they’re all that, sat behind their PC. Well from the ER nurse and mom to a peanut allergy sufferer the official judgement is YOU SUCK!

Jenny on October 17, 2013 at 2:33 pm

Well no, actually I do not remember a time when peanut allergies were unheard of. I am a working professional woman in my mid-thirties and I was born with a severe allergy to peanuts. Strangely enough, staying home all the time is not an option for me. In addition to having to do things such as fly in airplanes for business trips, it would also be kind of nice to do things for fun without fear of imminent death. Yeah, I know. Wicked selfish of me to have been born with a disability. Kind of like all those selfish people out there who need to use wheelchairs and insist on having equal access to the world rather than just staying in their homes all day.

Let’s assume that a football game will run for four hours. That is four hours of your life in which you will not be able to eat peanuts. Those of us who actually HAVE the food allergies have a life sentence. My life is already extremely restricted. I have to carefully plan each day around my ability to access foods that will be safe for me because something fundamental that most people take for granted – eating to survive – is something that could cause me to die. I do my best to quietly navigate this with as little inconvenience to others as possible. But that said, I do not choose to accept that my life is less valuable than yours or any other person without disabilities.

Ultimately, the fact that you have found a way to somehow tenuously drag Muslims into this argument has only proven that you are somebody with an unpleasant amount of mindless hate in your heart for things that are different or that you don’t understand. In that context, it strikes me that you also don’t have a firm grasp of what the Nazis were all about. Perhaps you have gleaned all of your information from an episode of Seinfeld? Because it’s pretty clear that the views which you espouse are more closely aligned with the Nazi way of thinking than not, at least in so far as the Nazis were not particularly interested in protecting the civil rights of minority groups.

Cordelia on October 17, 2013 at 2:33 pm

Wow! I won’t make this a personal attack on you as a blogger because clearly you have an opinion that won’t change and you think it’s accurate. That’s your opinion to have. I would think that a person who is empathetic would be able to sympathize with parents who try to protect their children from such a dangerous allergen and yet provide them with a normal childhood similar to their peers and siblings. I have had a fatal peanut allergy for 30 years and it has been a roller coaster. When I was young, hardly anyone else had it. The ridicule from classmates was harsher than your words in this post but it taught me to be strong, protect myself and be an advocate for those who suffer from anything – be it an allergy or being confined to a wheelchair. I count my blessings that I have this. It is who I am. I don’t expect others to go out of their way but I find it amazingly empathetic when companies, airlines and now sports teams go above and beyond to make these experiences available to all individuals. Again, there’s no changing your opinion with which I vehemently disagree, but by sharing mine, I hope others who read this post will learn to show a little empathy to others.

Bree D. on October 17, 2013 at 2:34 pm

Wow. I am embarrassed for you by your complete ignorance. My son has multiple, severe, life threatening food allergies. He is only 1 1/2 years old and it is bullies like you, that I fear will make fun of my son when he gets older. There is an age, old adage: if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. My son could DIE from coming in contact with multiple different food products, including peanuts. Your lack of concern about the welfare of children, and anyone in general, with food allergies is discouraging and plain outrageous. My son does not deserve to be excluded from all the fun, exciting events because he has severe food allergies. Get a clue; have some respect; stop being a bully. People like you, that are ignorant and uninformed, need to learn that your bullying tactics and self-righteousness will not be tolerated, especially by this mother of a food allergy kid.

Amanda on October 17, 2013 at 2:51 pm

Terrifyingly and selfish. That’s what you are. Period.

Jessica on October 17, 2013 at 2:53 pm

When I was in the Army back in ’79, a favorite prank on maneuvers was to secretly toss a can (we still ate canned c-rations at the time) of peanut butter in the camp fire and then skulk away and wait: in a few minutes, a great peanut explosion and an aerosolized peanut butter spray for all. Hilarity would then ensue.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 2:58 pm

All these crazy women who are now posting claim that their children have “life-threatening” allergies to peanuts. What a joke. It’s more like they are going to quack doctors who are putting their kids on gluten free diets, inventing fictitious food allergies, diagnosing them with the invented chronic lyme disease, etc. It is usually the mothers who are crazy.

A lot of times mothers who are anorexic will invent “food allergies” for their kids. Therefore, they can control access to food and have an excuse for limiting food intake that is socially acceptable.

Judging from the comments of these crazy mothers, it is so true what Debbie wrote: These women are peanazis. Wow, these women really think that if their precious baby has a fictitious food allergy, the whole world should revolve around them.

JM on October 17, 2013 at 3:07 pm

Talk about grandstanding and sensationalism. You do realize you do more here to hurt your position than help it by coming off as crazier than someone that Obama is an alien from the planet Zork. It is one game don’t make it out to be more than it is. Why do I get the feeling that you would have no problem with imposing your own morals and values on the entire country if you had a chance. I hope you choke on a peanut.

Tan on October 17, 2013 at 3:15 pm

My wife puts on a paper-thin schmear of peanut butter that you could read a newspaper through on her PB&J sandwiches and the same with the jelly. I, OTOH, use about a 1/4 of a jar of peanut butter on my PB&J sandwiches so there’s about a 1/2″ layer of peanut butter and about the same amount of jelly. When I bite into mine, PB&J squishes out the sides onto the plate and I then pick up the drippings with the crusts as I finish the sandwich.

The interesting thing is how these innate preferences are passed on through DNA: two of our children eat them my way with the peanut butter slathered on and the other two eat it mom’s way with only the thinnest coating of peanut butter.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:21 pm

WOW! Debbie.YOU.are.a lunatic!! If something is not safe for my son we simply don’t go. We don’t eat in certain places and that is just fine with me. It is ignorant people like YOU that make food allergic parents look bad. While you certainly have the right to you opinion you could not be more off base. Comparing me to a Nazi and trying to keeps my son safe to a Muslim Holy War makes you probably the dumbest person on earth.
I have seen my son react very severely to his first taste of peanut butter! It was not magic. I can assure you. Go find something else to write about. You are way off base here.

Lisa on October 17, 2013 at 3:23 pm

Peter Pan peanut butter is far and away my favorite peanut butter brand. So smooth and silky.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:25 pm

As near as I can tell the only link to peanut allergy that has been found is Soy milk. Giving that to your kids instead of Cow milk is the most likely reason for the rise in Peanut allergy.

Ziggy on October 17, 2013 at 3:26 pm

Although JIF and Skippy are perfectly good national brands, also. Ralph’s store brand (I think it’s the parent company’s Kroger label) is a fine spread, indeed.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:27 pm

Mr. Peanut hated your children. It’s part of a plot by the right wing.

Jonathan e. Grant on October 17, 2013 at 3:27 pm

The jihad on peanuts is growing. — REALLY! Proves how uneducated you are…

Catherine on October 17, 2013 at 3:27 pm

The Discovery Channel recently did a documentary on how food allergies are reaching epidemic proportions. Anyone who thinks they aren’t serious doesn’t have the facts.

Should we also stop building ramps for people in wheel chairs and tell them to just stay home instead? Why should we give up eating peanuts in public once in a while? Because its the right thing to do. Go home and eat all the peanuts you want – no one is taking them away forever. Its called being compassionate to your fellow man. Grow up.

I don’t know why anyone should care what Debbie Schlussel thinks, but I hope she has a terrible reaction to her next lip injection. That would be perfect.

Deanna on October 17, 2013 at 3:30 pm

Peanut butter schmeared on saltine crackers or Velveeta slices on crackers were two of my earliest forays into fending for myself as a child. One day at about the age of eight, I combined the two and euphoria ensued.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:31 pm

Does anyone here admit to eating chunky peanut butter? I’ve always seen it on the shelves but never dared try it. Also in 50 or so years on this earth, I’ve never seen anyone eating it, although I’ve seen or heard it referenced in pop culture once or twice.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:34 pm

Liberal motto: I can’t have fun; therefore, no one else is allowed to, either.

Jonathan e. Grant on October 17, 2013 at 3:34 pm

Who here can remember a peanut butter brand that had bacon bits in it? I do.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:35 pm

The last time you said something this stupid was when you discovered the existence of “Argentinian Falklanders” – a nationality that nobody in the world but you had ever heard about. Show some sense: you are in the wrong. Apologize and drop the matter.

Laura Latini on October 17, 2013 at 3:37 pm

I never liked that swirled peanut butter and jelly stuff. Half the fun of making PB&J sandwiches is applying the exact proportions of each ingredient to achieve a fantastic flavor fest.

Although i do see how it cuts in half the silverware that you need to dirty in making a PB&J sammich.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:38 pm

Nutella was Europe’s “classier” answer to America’s love of peanut butter. The stuff makes me gag.

Hazel nut butter that has to be tempered with cocoa to disguise its bizarre flavor, really? Okay, you Euros are more refined than we Yanks.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:41 pm

George Washington Carver, renowned black inventor, came up with the idea of peanut butter as a way for toothless geriatric patients to eat quality protein. The rest is (actually) history as peanut butter became a symbol of pure Americana.

Therefore, if you are against peanut butter, that means you hate black people and are a racist.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:44 pm

Is taking your little retard to a football game a necessity? If not then don’t go if he has such severe allergies.

Jonathan e. Grant on October 17, 2013 at 3:45 pm

While I hate to even give in to your attention seeking ways, maybe this article will make you think twice before berating those who deal with such a scary, and yes, potentially deadly allergy. If you’re a parent, put yourself in these parents’ shoes. If you’re not yet a parent, but plan to have children, I can only hope for their sake (not yours bc you are so cold hearted that I couldn’t care less about your sake) that they do not suffer from any deadly allergy or disease as serious as this. I’m not a parent of a nut allergy kid, but as a parent, friend, and decent human being, I cannot fathom the thought of thinking much less writing such cruel words. “Enjoy” the following article, and I will pray for you!
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/31/health/california-peanut-allergy-death/

Alisa on October 17, 2013 at 3:45 pm

Get used to it witch!!! Pretty soon you wont be able to write about it either. It is an epidemic, educate yourself and at least try to empathize. I hope you never have to go through this, on a second thought, i hope you do.

M Lozano on October 17, 2013 at 3:46 pm

What is cuter and funnier than feeding a spoonful of peanut butter to your dog and watching him fervently trying to lick it off the roof of his mouth?

Therefore, if you hate peanut butter then you must hate dogs just like Muhammad did and are a jihadist.

DS_ROCKS! on October 17, 2013 at 3:47 pm

Wow. Ignorance must be bliss, right? Surely, you can’t expect me to feel bad for people attending this game that can’t order peanuts or eat them for just a few hours out of their lives. Allergies are not some made up, magical thing. They are serious. Deadly serious.

Jennifer Knott on October 17, 2013 at 3:48 pm

I thin some of these liberal peanut haters are racist because it was a black man. George Washington Carver who made the peanut so popular.

Jonathan e. Grant on October 17, 2013 at 3:48 pm

Whoa, just whoa, seems like Debbie hit a nerve with the trolls here, lookit to all of you sill trolls who’ve commented here and claimed that you’re parents, etc., DS didn’t NOT mock or attack anyone allergic to peanuts or any foods or beverages, apparently you trolls are only doing this: read whatever the heck you want to read, and to me and every other intelligent person, that’s not being smart, but rather being stupid and using the right-end of your brain.

And many of you trolls claimed that your “Parents on Facebook”, ok, I have a question for you trolls who commented here, do any of you have “jobs/careers”? If any of you had jobs, you wouldn’t have been trolling on this blog at the late hours of the night when everybody is fast-asleep, I presume that many of you trolls are “pajama-brigades” looking for the perfect chance to start to troll on a site or blog and become nothing but “cyber-bullies”.

And our pal, “Jonathan E. Grant” claimed that he’s allergic to peanuts, however, he didn’t say that he’s going to force his opinion on everybody else of banning peanuts from any event, and he also didn’t attack DS by being a flame-tosser like many of you trolls. So I suggest ALL of you idiotic trolls to take a deep breath, chillax, and THINK instead of being using reactionary!

“A nation is defined by its borders, language & culture!”

Sean R. on October 17, 2013 at 3:55 pm

I am astounded by the mega-response to this otherwise entertaining article. I had no idea people were so organized and/or opinionated on the subject. I have four children and five grand-children. I don’t need to visit the local ER to see a child in distress, to fully understand the severity of this issue. I never liked people smoking near me, but I respected the fact that assholes do smoke cigarettes. But what next? No meat served at sporting events? I predict that alcohol will soon be restricted or completely eliminated. Remember restaurants once asked “Smoking or non-smoking?”. I guess what I am saying is…if you have an issue, keep it to yourself.

#1 Vato on October 17, 2013 at 3:55 pm

Clearly you are an educated woman, but I guess that education doesn’t cover having a heart, soul, or compassion for others. Your article is a disgrace and so are you. I fed my little boy peanut butter flavored cereal at age 2 and am lucky all he had were itchy swollen eyes, and did not die in my arms from anaphylactic shock. An allergy is the LAST thing I’d want for my child – so all of you who think we are “crazy mothers”, I’d suggest educating yourselves instead of trolling behind that computer of yours.

Stacey on October 17, 2013 at 4:00 pm

Interesting that Debbie did not wish harm to anyone in the peanut brigade. Urging the continuation of peanuts at games is not a desire to harm anyone else. But countless numbers of the peanut brigade have expressly wished harm to Debbie. This is one reason we see a logic towards totalitarianism in their comments.

Think about it a little.

Little Al on October 17, 2013 at 4:05 pm

No doubt the Republicans will soon decide that the way to win elections is to reach out to the peanuters.

Little Al on October 17, 2013 at 4:06 pm

I came to this website after having read a response someone wrote to this blog. I needed to see what kind of opinion could have inspired such outrage. Long story short, after having read much of your column, and shaking my head at the audacity of comparing a fatal food allergy to a religious diet CHOICE by the way, I concluded that it was all well deserved. Do you really care so much about peanuts being available at a football game to alienate a sect of the population whose main goal is keeping loved ones alive? Seriously? Or was this just a publicity ploy to drag people to your site? It’s the only time I’ll be visiting by the way. You’re despicable.

Amy on October 17, 2013 at 4:14 pm