that has become a talking point in this communitiy

over the past week and especially on Facebook

that centers around me. On Friday, I received the following

email from a Lacrosse man with the subject line, "Community Responsibility", and it reads as follows

*Hi Jennifer, It's unusual that I see your morning show, but I*

*did so for a very short time today. I was surprised indeed to*

*witness that your physical condition hasn't improved*

*for many years. Surely you don't consider yourself a *

*suitable example for this community's young people,*

*girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices*

*a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits*

*to maintain. I leave you this note hoping that you'll*

*reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality*

*to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.*

Now, those of us in the media, we get a healthy dose of

critics from our viewers throughout the year, and we realize

that it comes with having a job in the public's eyes. But THIS

email was more than that. While I try my best to laugh off

the very hurtful attack on my appearance, my colleagues

could not do the same, especially my husband, our SIX and TEN anchor, Mike Thomson.

Mike posted this e-mail on his WKBT's Facebook page, and

what happened next has been truly inspiring. Hundred and

hundred of people have taken the time our of their days to

not only lift my spirit, but take a stand that attacks like this

are not OK. Now, we're going to have more on that in just a

second, but first the truth is I'm overweight. You could call

me fat and yes, even obese on a doctor's chart. But to the

person who wrote me that letter, do you think I don't know

that? That your cruel words are pointing out something that

I don't see? You don't know me, you are not a friend of

mine, you are not part of my family, and you have admitted

that you don't watch the show, so you know nothing about

me but what you see on the outside, and I'm much more

than a number on a scale. And here is what I want all of us

to learn something from this. If you didn't ready know,

October is National Anti-Bullying month, and this is

a problem that is growing every day in our schools

and on the internet. This is a major issue in the lives of

young people today. And as a mother of three young girls,

it scares me to death. Now, I'm a grown woman, and luckily

for me, I have a very thick skin literally...

as that e-mail pointed out and otherwise,

and that man's words mean nothing to me.

But what really angers me about this is there are children

who don't know better, who get e-mails as critical as the one

I receive or, in many cases, even worse, each and every

day. The internet has become a weapon; our schools have

become a battle-ground, and this behavior is learned,

it is passed down from people like the man who wrote me

that email. If you are at home, and you are talking about

the fat news lady, guess what, your children are probably

going to go to schools and call someone fat.

We need to teach our kids how to be kind, not critical;

and we need to do that by example. So many of you

have come to my defense over the past four days,

I'm literally overwhelmed by your words.

To my colleagues and my friends from today and

from years ago, my family, my amazing husband, and

to many of you out there that I probably will never have

the opportunities to meet, I will never be able to thank you

enough for your words of support, and for taking a stand

against this bully. We are better than that email.

We are better than the bully that was trying to take us down.

And I leave it with this, to all the children out there who feel

lost, who are struggling with your weight, with the color of

your skin, your sexual preference, your disability, even

the acne on your face, listen to me right now.

Do NOT let your self-worth be defined by bullies.

Learn from my experience that the cruel words of one are

nothing compared to the shouts of many. We'll be right back...