Pissed over Cheerios?

I have pulled out my firesuit so that I can write this:

I am sitting here watching the news and a story comes on about outrage by parents over new Peanut Butter Cheerios.  Really?  Outrage over a new cereal flavor?  What is this world coming to?

Now YES, I know there are many, many folks with peanut allergies.  And it can be life threatening, just as allergies to other things can be.  But to be pissed cuz a cereal company introduces a new peanut-based flavor is just....silliness.  By those folk's thinking, we should clear the shelves of anything peanut-related.  No peanut butter, no salted peanuts, no Reese's cups, no peanuts at all!!  I understand it can be difficult to deal with a peanut allergy.  I know folks whose kids are allergic.  But also the folks I know have more common sense than to think the world can banish peanuts forever.  Does it make life a little more difficult?  Sure.  But nobody ever claimed it was gonna be easy!  My son and I are allergic to cats, and react differently depending on if its long haired or short haired.   When it comes to long haired cats,. it is much worse to the point it affects our breathing.  We can not stay in my mom's house anymore because she got a long-haired cat a couple years ago.  (she had a short haired cat, and our reaction was the itchy eyes and sneezing but could be controlled by claritin/zyrtec.  Nothing helps when it comes to this long haired cat.).  Like with peanuts, cat hair and dander is spread around since it sticks to your clothes and such.  Never, ever would I say we should rid the world of cats because someone may have an allergic reaction.  It's just a part of life.  A sucky part, but part of life nonetheless.  It is just something to consider when even doing something as simple as deciding whether or not Nick can sleep over at someone's house.  Same as someone with a peanut allergy..  Or a milk allergy. Or any other allergy.  These things have to be considered when doing normal, every day things.  While I am all for some considerations being made, such as peanut-free classrooms, special peanut-free lunch tables and other such things...saying companies should stay away from peanuts altogether just strikes me as....well, nuts.

I may be in the minority here, but oh well.  Such is life!!

(in the news story, they did mention many parents who have kids with peanut allergies are just fine with the new cereal and that they will just stay away from it, no biggie.  there is still plain cheerios to enjoy!)