http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703509104576329610340358394.html
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| The face of a monster? |
A letter has been signed by 550+ health professionals and organizations to the McDonald's Corp. asking them to retire Ronald McDonald. This letter blames marketing as part of the problem of obesity. This campaign was started by Corporate Accountability International, a nonprofit watchdog group. This letter is scheduled to run in ads in many newspapers across the country. It urges McDonald's to stop marketing unhealthy food to children through Ronald McDonald and Happy Meal toys.
5W's:
Who? McDonald's
What? Has recieved a letter asking them to retire Ronald McDonald
When? May 18th, 2011
Where? The United States of America
Why? Because Corporate Accountability International feels that using Ronald McDonald to advertise to children is contributing to America's obesity.
Conclusion:
CBT: Sin: Language Arts: A Godless society, blinded by sin, rebels against God and arrives at false conclusions.
So, children in America are obese and to stop this you think that firing Ronald McDonald will help...
.......
BWAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Children in America are obese and you blame RONALD McDONALD! Ronald McDonald is a beloved character from many people's childhood. Yeah sure, some people find clowns creepy, but a "sodium, sugar, fat pusher"? C'mon!
Ronald McDonald has been around since 1963 and you blame him NOW!
*sigh* People these days...
So, all ranting aside, there are the major reasons why this letter is one of the dumbest things I've ever come across.
First
Ronald was first introduced in 1963 and was potrayed by Willard Scott, now the weatherman for NBC's Today Show. The whole idea of advertising and creating logos, trademarks, characters, etc. is to create something memorable so that people are persuaded to buy your product. McDonald's has the right to advertise whichever way they choose (of course there are limitations, but I'm pretty sure that using a clown does not push boundaries).
Second
Children do not become obese because of clowns, leprechaun, tigers, bunnies, or captains, they become obese throught the unhealthy foods they choose and lack of activity.
This, I blame parents for. Parents are supposed to encourage (or force) their children to go outside and play. They also need to teach their children how to make healthy choices. Parents are responsible for their child's well-being, they should learn how to say "NO!" even when their kid is screaming his lungs out because he wants a Happy Meal instead of homemade grilled chicken and rice. Healthy choices begin at home. (Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy an animal-style cheeseburger from In-N-Out, but my parents taught me to eat those things in moderation.)
Third
If Ronald McDonald goes today, what will happen tomorrow? If McDonald's lets these health nuts win, soon other beloved characters will be gone. What is Lucky Charms without Lucky the leprechaun? What will they call Cap'n Crunch cereal if they fire Cap'n Crunch? Firing Ronald McDonald will create a chain reaction causing other beloved characters and American nostalgia to be killed. (Do we really want to get rid of all the memories?)
Fourth
It's obvious that fast food is unhealthy, but McDonald's has been taking small steps toward better nutrition. Now, you can get a Happy Meal with Apple Dippers and milk or apple juice instead of soda and fries. It goes back to children being taught to make healthy choices.
I can go on, but that would bore you and I need to get to the CBT....
In this situation, I do believe that these people are blinded by the sin of pride. They are to prideful to admit that it is thier own problem for not teaching children how to choose better options, not just their own children, but the children of others. Many people just want to force the blame on others.
God wants us to enjoy food, if He didn't, we wouldn't have tastebuds or the wonderful spices around the world. However, He does not want us to become gluttonous and warns agaisnt it (Philippians 3:19, Proverbs 23:20-21, Proverbs 23:2 are just a few verses, here are a few more). With all things, He wants us to enjoy in moderation and balance.
These people have come to the false conclusion that Ronald McDonald responsible for the obesity of American children and not poor diet and lack of activity.
So finally, I have this to say...
RONALD McDONALD FOREVER!
2 comments:
I actually disagree with you on one part. Sure, you are right in saying that Ronald McDonald does not contribute to obesity (although he may take part in the scaring of children from coming into McDonalds. BUT you have missed a BIG point to this article. Allow me to shed some light onto the subject. In the last sentence of the first paragraph, you state that the letter "urges McDonald's to stop marketing unhealthy food and children through Ronald McDonald and Happy Meal toys." I would like to emphasis HAPPY MEAL TOYS. In fact, most kids go to McDonalds not because Ronald McDDonald is there, but they go there because they can order a Kid's Meal with food in it AND get a toy from a recent movie or a toy that they would like. It's cheap and affordable, and you get food with it too. What could be more appealing? This letter has a great point in excluding the toy in the Kid's Meals because less kids would want to go there for food without a toy. It does not matter, however, like you said, whether they include or exclude Ronald McDonald. He does not benefit marketing because what little kid would want to go to a fast food restaurant with a clown plastered all over the walls? NO kid (unless they enjoy clowns).
You make a good point, but again I say that McDonald's has the right to advertise in which ever way they choose and parents have the responsibility to teach children how to make healthy choices.
I would like to note that as a child, I enjoyed clowns. Part of the reason I went to McD's was because of Ronald.
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