Well, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened here in the litigious land we call America. I am, of course, referring to the fact that three obese and unhealthy people recently filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and KFC for addicting them to unhealthy food.

Apparently these people are in such bad shape that their mental faculties have been severely impaired, or at least greatly influenced by the prospect of a huge monetary settlement their lawyer or lawyers may have dangled – like a carrot, which they would no doubt find most unappealing – in front of them.

This case is a perfect example of the decline of personal responsibility in this country, as these people would have us believe it’s not their fault they ate so much junk food over the years, thereby ruing their health. Give me a break. Nobody held a gun to the heads of these people and forced them to consume Big Macs, french fries and fried chicken to their clogged hearts’ content.

Despite the ridiculous nature of this lawsuit, it’s not too surprising to a great many people – myself included. I saw the writing on the wall a long time ago when people and then states began going after the tobacco industry. While I don’t condone the tobacco industry’s sometimes deceptive practices and I abhor smoking, for people to claim they didn’t know that smoking was bad for them and then to sue because of the inevitable health problems is absurd. I mean, c’mon, you don’t need a medical degree to realize inhaling smoke into your lungs is bad for you, not to mention that warning on all packs.

Next, lawyers went after firearms manufacturers, because somehow it was the gun industry’s fault that criminals sometimes use guns when breaking the law. Oddly enough, criminals often use automobiles in the commission of crimes, but to my knowledge there have been no lawsuits against automobile manufacturers…yet. I’m happy to report most of these lawsuits have backfired and been thrown out of court.

I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before lawyers – suffering from a severe case of historical amnesia, as well as greed – try to sue the alcohol industry and get that product banned again.

Sad to say, but blaming everyone else for your problems and portraying yourself as a victim has replaced baseball as America’s national pastime.

I hope this case against fast food is thrown out of court and the plaintiffs get no money. If they do come into a huge cash settlement, I fear they’ll just spend it on more junk food.

“My Two Cents” is a weekly column where the author – who has cut way down on his junk food intake over the last several years and has no plans to sue anybody – gets in his two cents worth, in spite of the old saying that you only get a penny for your thoughts.