I think it is more traumatizing to see an insane stranger freak out on you or your mother, than it is for a kid to drink a little bit of soda (diet OR regular... well unless they are very carbohydrate sensitive, in which case, regular might actually be *more* traumatizing
).
I can remember 2 distinct experiences from childhood where strangers thought it was their business to tell me what to do. Once I was on the bus, a little kid of about 5 or so, and I was eating those "Nerds" candy - the kind that has bright colors, one side is like purple the other is pink or something like that. I was eating them by the handful when this crazy old woman shrieks and she's like "YOU HAVE TO EAT THEM ONE AT A TIME" and started scolding me. That made me feel really bad.
The second time I was at a shoe store, waiting for my mother to do what she needed to do. I was standing on a chair in the waiting room when another crazy old woman hit my legs and told me to sit down. That really made me feel awful and I felt bad the whole day.
Maybe I was just a reaaally sensitive kid, (I am kinda sensitive) but IMO I think most children would be affected like I was.
Bottom line?
Aggression and hostility is REALLY bad for kids.
Candy and soda or standing on a chair far less so.
Don't be a nutjob walking around venting your issues on people (or defenseless children). Aspartame is not a health risk. There is nothing wrong with it. Freaking out because some child is drinking diet soda makes you look like the nutter you probably are. Even more so when you are morbidly obese and professing to know everything about health and nutrition (I understand some people have medical conditions that make them morbidly obese, but come on, lets get real, it's much more likely she just doesn't know much about healthy eating or how to control weight - especially if she thinks sugar soda is better than aspartame!).
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