First They Came for the Happy Meals

[sunshine05]

First They Came for the Happy Meals

By Anthony Gregory
Thursday November 4, 2010 at 10:38:45 AM PDT


San Francisco, a wonderful American city known for its traditions of tolerance and freedom, banned Happy Meals. My home county of Santa Clara already had. So this isn’t just the most far-left radicals pushing this agenda; it’s the center-left progressives who dominate the Bay Area.

Some friends have wondered why I care about this so much, especially in a country at war, with a Bill of Rights in tatters and the dollar slipping every day. It just seems to me there’s something vaguely. . . anti-American. . . about all this. This is to say, American culture has long sustained a very statist system in terms of foreign policy, Social Security, public schools, regulations, wars on drugs, gun controls, peripheral acts of censorship, corporatist subsidies, middle-class welfare, national-security excuses for eroding civil liberties, and so forth.

But Happy Meals? They are a ritual, however vulgar, tacky and easily associated with public health concerns, that is at the core of modern American culture. And I make no apologies for a society where children want little more for lunch than a lame hamburger, some soggy fries, and a cup of sweetened water, all wrapped up in a box with easy crosswords plastered on it, and accompanied by a junk piece of plastic made in China.

This is one element of living in a free society. Even a semi-free society. Parents will occasionally buy their kids fast food, and that food will sometimes come with a toy. It’s the Crackerjack thing. It’s the prize in a box of sugary cereal. It’s what it means to be an American.

Is there a health epidemic? If so, stand up to the corn lobby and end corn subsidies. If McDonald’s is really so unnatural, and maybe it is, it won’t stand free market competition. Address the horrible school lunch programs. Better yet, rethink this whole program of forcing kids to sit in classrooms for 8 hours a day. Stop externalizing the costs of health care.

But the prohibition of Happy Meals is a shot across the bow of American freedom. It is an attack on American institutions, family rights, common sense, free enterprise, and the particular meaning of childhood in our culture. Yes, there’s a thousand things worse than a Happy Meal ban, but there’s a million things worse than a Happy Meal. The war on American fun continues apace. And I ask those who think this is petty—what’s next? They are already taxing lemonade stands and banning Happy Meals. They are putting more cops in public schools and monitoring children at every turn. They are spying on students at home through their laptops, adulterating classic cartoons by purging them of images of tobacco and persecuting pupils for drawing pictures of weapons and bringing aspirin to class. Poor kids.

http://www.independent.org/blog/index.php?p=8381

[ximmy]

Please keep any communications regarding American freedoms inside designated free speech zones...

[Twisted Titan]

Those that worship The Law will eventually be crushed by it.

[Dogman]

Those that worshop The Law will enventually be crushed by it


I think for most it is not worship, more like cowled by it, it is beaten into most from the time of birth, break the law = criminal, no mater how small the law that is broken.

It is the ones that live and breath the law, and see it as black/white, legal or illegal with no gray area between are the ones that will have a problem.

Also these days we have so many dam laws on the books, somewhere I do believe there is one against breathing the air we breath..

It has gotten plain ridiculous!

[Twisted Titan]

Those that worshop The Law will enventually be crushed by it


I think for most it is not worship, more like cowled by it, it is beaten into most from the time of birth, break the law = criminal, no mater how small the law that is broken.

It is the ones that live and breath the law, and see it as black/white, legal or illegal with no gray area between are the ones that will have a problem.

Also these days we have so many dam laws on the books, somewhere I do believe there is one against breathing the air we breath..

It has gotten plain ridiculous!








Publius Cornelius Tacitus: "The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."

[Libertytree]

Its the difference between a republic and a democracy.

Common sense should be applied but it isn't. Who gives who the right to make happy meals or to buy happy meals? Or whatever harmless commodity in question?

What a stupid country we are!!!

[Book]

Who gives who the right to make happy meals or to buy happy meals? Or whatever harmless commodity in question?



http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00113/pg-18-calorie-irela_113559t.jpg

Yeah...selling crack to children is probably guaranteed by our Constitution also...lol.

:oo-->

[Twisted Titan]

Its the difference between a republic and a democracy.

Common sense should be applied but it isn't. Who gives who the right to make happy meals or to buy happy meals? Or whatever harmless commodity in question?






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsoIR2BlCH8&feature=related

[sunshine05]

The thing that gets me is that it's our government that has pushed for/(allowed through the FDA) all the crap food.....genetically modified grains and vegetables, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame, vaccines, meat with hormones and antibiotics, parabens in soap, etc, etc. NOW they want to "protect" us from them. Why did they not tell the FDA NO to all the harmful crap in the first place???

[Bullion_Bob]

McDonalds is a cruel joke on even the smartest of individuals. I have had cravings for this food that are highly unnatural.

If I had never been seduced by the characters, toys, playland, and crack like effect on the brain I would be much better off.

Honestly, people are bitching about happy meal toys? This company is mind programming children so they eat this garbage their entire lives. wake up to it.

[Awoke]

I have taught my kids that they would be better off eating Dog shit than McDonalds. They are not interested in Fast food. Thank God.

[sunshine05]

McDonalds is a cruel joke on even the smartest of individuals. I have had cravings for this food that are highly unnatural.

If I had never been seduced by the characters, toys, playland, and crack like effect on the brain I would be much better off.

Honestly, people are bitching about happy meal toys? This company is mind programming children so they eat this garbage their entire lives. wake up to it.




I don't think anyone here would argue that McDonald's is healthy. I don't know that they are "mind programming" as you describe. I haven't found that with my kids. They don't beg me to take them there. But this isn't the point. The point is- we don't want the government telling a private company that they are not allowed to sell their product. And in this case it's such a joke because as I said, THEY approved all the crap that's contained in McDonald's food. If they really cared about our safety they would not have approved aspartame, gmo's, growth hormones in dairy, etc. It's about turning us into a nanny state. How could anyone think that's okay?

[keehah]

Then they came for the Sugar-Crack.

http://engrishfunny.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/engrish-funny-dried-crack.jpg?w=500&h=375

[Twisted Titan]

McDonalds is a cruel joke on even the smartest of individuals. I have had cravings for this food that are highly unnatural.

If I had never been seduced by the characters, toys, playland, and crack like effect on the brain I would be much better off.

Honestly, people are bitching about happy meal toys? This company is mind programming children so they eat this garbage their entire lives. wake up to it.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oFpUW11RPs

[Bullion_Bob]

McDonalds is a cruel joke on even the smartest of individuals. I have had cravings for this food that are highly unnatural.

If I had never been seduced by the characters, toys, playland, and crack like effect on the brain I would be much better off.

Honestly, people are bitching about happy meal toys? This company is mind programming children so they eat this garbage their entire lives. wake up to it.




I don't think anyone here would argue that McDonald's is healthy. I don't know that they are "mind programming" as you describe. I haven't found that with my kids. They don't beg me to take them there. But this isn't the point. The point is- we don't want the government telling a private company that they are not allowed to sell their product. And in this case it's such a joke because as I said, THEY approved all the crap that's contained in McDonald's food. If they really cared about our safety they would not have approved aspartame, gmo's, growth hormones in dairy, etc. It's about turning us into a nanny state. How could anyone think that's okay?


McDonalds totally targets and mind programs children. This is the whole premise behind the characters, the play land, and the toys that go with the food. It's not casual they have all these things that appeal to children to make it "fun". They specifically target the young so that children turn into adults that keep eating the food.

A good book to read is "fast food nation" The flavors and smells of what you think you're eating are all concocted in a lab and synthetic, and designed specifically to trick your brain on a few levels. They can spray a liquid on a perfume sample, and it smells exactly like a cheese burger, or anything else they want you to sense.

It's pretty crazy when you think about what they are really doing.

[cedarchopper]

Fast food, led by McDonald's, is what changed our food system into a consolidated corporate food model... for all food. They are the biggest single buyers of just about every food commodity, and they dictate what seeds are used, how it is grown, and every other step...that includes the food in grocery stores and non fast food outlets.

They took our food supply from a diverse family farm system and transformed into a frankenfood system...all by taking control of the consumer. I guess you could say they did it fair and square?

[General of Darkness]

Speaking of happy meal. What a way to go.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/11/04/20101104africa-lions-kill-tourist.html

5 lions maul tourist to death as he was showering

Nov. 4, 2010 07:07 AM
Associated Press

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...#ixzz14SI8rZ5N

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Lions attacked and killed a tourist while he was showering at an unfenced campsite in a nature reserve, and such fatal encounters are on the rise because of poaching, a conservationist said Thursday

Peter Evershed, a 59-year-old Zimbabwean businessman, was mauled by five lions while showering under a tree at the Chitake Springs bush camp in the Mana Pools nature reserve, said Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force head Johnny Rodrigues.

Evershed was the last of his group of family and friends to take a shower as darkness fell on Saturday. They heard Evershed scream and raced to the showers but he was already dead from a gash to the throat, Rodrigues said.

The lions retreated only after a safari operator pulled up in a vehicle with its headlights on and fired shots into the air, Rodrigues told Zimbabwe Herald Online.

"We appeal to everyone to exercise extreme caution. Animals have become extremely unpredictable," Rodrigues said, adding that a surge in poaching has made animals more dangerous to humans.

Last month, South African business executive Don Hornsby was killed by an elephant in the nearby Matusadona preserve. Hornsby had helped fund feeding programs for orphaned animals.

"Due to the poaching and number of elephants being shot, they have become even more dangerous," he said.

Soon after Hornsby's death, veteran conservationist Steve Kok died when a wounded buffalo charge him as he was destroying traps and wire snares laid by poachers.

In September, businessman Geoff Blythe was attacked by a female elephant as he rode a bicycle ride near his home in the lakeside town of Kariba, 230 miles northwest of Harare. He barely survived the nightmarish encounter.

Blythe told family and friends he tried to pedal as fast as he could from the cow elephant and her calf but the bike chain dislodged. He dumped the bike and ran but there were no trees or powerline towers near enough to climb. He threw himself into a gully of soft sand as the elephant overtook him. The elephant gored him in the back and thigh and kicked him into thorny bushes before backing off. Blythe suffered cuts and fractured ribs.

"He was lucky to escape with this life," Rodrigues said.

[Horn]

The poor children should have No Toys, and should only be allowed to play with Uncle Sugar's guns. :sarc:

[sunshine05]

They took our food supply from a diverse family farm system and transformed into a frankenfood system...all by taking control of the consumer.


I don't know about "taking control of the consumer". What do you mean exactly?

I think it is marketing to offer happy meals for kids. It's a way to get parents to eat there. The kids get a toy, all is well. Except the food is garbage but so is most of the food at the grocery stores, as you said. Now smart consumers are having to go out of their way to find organic foods but that's why Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are booming. I think consumers are driving the market. There is quite clearly a demand for natural foods and products.

[Horn]

I don't know about "taking control of the consumer". What do you mean exactly?

Every red blooded American will not be happy & satisfied until their own court of public opinion is duly reflected by being made in to concrete law handed down by their controllers.

[Bullion_Bob]

Going after the FDA is one thing, but in all reality due to the massive amount of $$ involved it would rotate in the court system for eternity (literally forever), via one payout ofter another as people concede to cash over morals. Same old same old. nothing will change there.

If one small step is taken to break the cycle of mal nutrition mind games, this is bad?

The source is really the mouth that eats it, as it perpetuates the cycle, and empowers the entire process. Change from the bottom up is the only thing that really works.

[cedarchopper]

They took our food supply from a diverse family farm system and transformed into a frankenfood system...all by taking control of the consumer.


I don't know about "taking control of the consumer". What do you mean exactly?


Through advertising and being everywhere.

[Horn]

Change from the bottom up is the only thing that really works.

It will most likely be found out down the road, that the law was created by some special interest local toy maker.

[Bullion_Bob]

Here's an actual McDonalds ad from India, not too hard to see through the mindset:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/jasongooljar/baby-ronald.jpg

[Bullion_Bob]

Change from the bottom up is the only thing that really works.

It will most likely be found out down the road, that the law was created by some special interest local toy maker.


Possibly, but I think what's even more apparent is the obvious targeting of children through devious marketing practices.

A question to ask is at what other events/times are children typically given toys, and why?

Then ask yourself do they design, build and pay sq footage $$ for the all the playland's for the good of the children when the food itself is the exact opposite? Hmm.

[Book]

Then ask yourself do they design, build and pay sq footage $$ for the all the playland's for the good of the children when the food itself is the exact opposite? Hmm.



http://www.mcwashington.com/images/operators/1000023361/mcplay4.JPG

Big Pharma probably pays McDonald's to install those virus-infested playlands:

http://media.nowpublic.net/images//92/5/925596e069b8c8ba779de7986af2e88a.jpg

:D

[k-os]

I am often amazed here on GSUS that people who claim to want freedom sometimes relish the new restrictions that TPTB hand down, particularly in the name of "the children".

If anyone should be protecting "the children" it would be sunshine05, but instead, she sides with freedom. Bravo! This is just a hunch, but she can probably afford this luxury because she takes responsibility for raising her child, and doesn't blame advertisements, toys or clown characters for her child's nutritional diet.

If parents did not plop their child in front of the television for hours an hours of "babysitting", or hand them off to strangers at 6 weeks, or find themselves unable to provide supervision because of a divorce . . . I would think that they would be strong enough to combat McDonalds with their parenting.

I keep having to say this, but I'll keep saying it in as many ways as I can until it sinks in: We will never be free until we earn our freedom, which means we have to stop blaming [this time it's freakin' happy meals] for some sort of failure. Do your own parenting, and the nanny state won't have to do the parenting for you!

[nunaem]

In a perfect world, yes, happy meals would be legal and everyone would be educated about the junk they contain.

But with freedom being assaulted from so many directions, defending 'food' that is arguably poison aimed at children is not a battle we can afford to fight.

[cedarchopper]

The corporate/government model has freely taken freedom by getting rid of the competition. When you can only pick from a few dominate choices, is that freedom?

The US used to have 1000's of slaughter houses...now there are 7, is that a choice?

[ximmy]

Mc'Donalds spokesman... "We practically are the government." :oo-->

[Horn]

Mc'Donalds spokesman... "We practically are the government." :oo-->


Let's say WE do lunch, ximmy? :)

http://www.formerfatguy.com/sunrider-foods/blog/two-pound-mcdonald-cheeseburger.jpg

[Book]

Do your own parenting, and the nanny state won't have to do the parenting for you!



How many children do you have K-os?

:)

[Horn]

You're invited to Dinner too, Book...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoBTsMJ4jNk

[k-os]

Do your own parenting, and the nanny state won't have to do the parenting for you!



How many children do you have K-os?

:)


Zero, by choice. Your point being? If your point is to tell me that I don't know how difficult it is to parent, then you are wrong. I do know how difficult it is, and that's one of a thousand reasons that I have for not wanting children. Other people made a different choice, however and should do their job as a parent, however they see fit - without asking the State to make up bullshit laws for them so that they don't have to be the bad guy.

Do you know what my parents said when we asked for McDonalds when we were children? You won't believe this - they said "No." Amazing!

[Book]

http://pictures.directnews.co.uk/liveimages/Child+labour_554_19580833_0_0_7014131_300.jpg

http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2007/12/29/india-child-labor-111_26.jpg

http://www.dol.gov/ilab/images/if_20080612a_hi.jpg

http://www.zoriah.net/.a/6a00e55188bf7a883401156f4748d7970c-800wi

Yeah...let's get rid of our child labor laws also. Who cares since they are not our own kids. Blame their parents!

:oo-->

[Buddha]

Let the stupid assholes eat mcdonalds, since when do we care about sheep? Let them fight their sheep battles as well, it's all frivolous and asinine. Democracy at it's best, one stupid group fighting with the other stupid group, over some stupid sh*t. If the people want to eat sh*t let them, if the parents want a toy with their childrens cancer, diabetes, and obesity let them have it, there are choices. There is a mcdonalds right up the street from where I work, at lunch the drive through is wrapped around the building and into the street literally daily, it's nearly the same at dinner too. I used to work at one and it was the same there. We had mothers in Denalis and Escilades (the same ones all the time) would come through and get something for themselves and a happy meal for the little bastards everyday. I don't have to eat it, and can sped $2-$3 more and get something more nutritious and better tasting just for driving maybe an extra block. I've been guilty of eating the crap, maybe 3-4 times a year, but I definitely had many other choices. Like cocaine or tomatoes, it's ok now and then.

[Cebu_4_2]

Let the stupid assholes eat mcdonalds, since when do we care about sheep? Let them fight their sheep battles as well, it's all frivolous and asinine. Democracy at it's best, one stupid group fighting with the other stupid group, over some stupid sh*t. If the people want to eat sh*t let them, if the parents want a toy with their childrens cancer, diabetes, and obesity let them have it, there are choices. There is a mcdonalds right up the street from where I work, at lunch the drive through is wrapped around the building and into the street literally daily, it's nearly the same at dinner too. I used to work at one and it was the same there. We had mothers in Denalis and Escilades (the same ones all the time) would come through and get something for themselves and a happy meal for the little bastards everyday. I don't have to eat it, and can sped $2-$3 more and get something more nutritious and better tasting just for driving maybe an extra block. I've been guilty of eating the crap, maybe 3-4 times a year, but I definitely had many other choices. Like cocaine or tomatoes, it's ok now and then.


why are you taking it out on innocent tomatoes?

[Buddha]

oh, they know....

[Book]

http://www.american-pictures.com/gallery/family-1-children/Jacob.Daniel.blaffer-a.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3360/3584446536_a81be784ed.jpg

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_420/12479288886TPRR9.jpg

Yeah...let's not concern ourselves with other people's children. Hey...look at that $1400 price of gold today!

|--0--|

[k-os]

Yeah...let's get rid of our child labor laws also. Who cares since they are not our own kids. Blame their parents!


Post all of the pictures you want to, Book, your argument is flimsy. Are you telling me that if there were no such thing as child labor laws, your children would have been working at age 4? I find that hard to believe. Or perhaps you are now saying that we need to make sure the third world people never are exposed to McDonalds?

Quit rolling your eyes and try to focus.

Can someone tell me if what Book wrote is an example of a strawman fallacy? I think it is.

[1970 silver art]

Yeah I will admit that I am guilty of eating McDonalds too but not 24/7. All of us as adults have the choice of what foods we put in our bodies. The gov't banning private companies to do business is not good BUT If the gov't is crazy enough to ban McDonald's, then they should just go ahead and ban every other fast food joint. If the gov't bans only McDonald's, then the people who were going to McDonald's are going to go to another fast food joint and eat essentially the same bad food like they did when they were at McDonald's. Fast Food is Fast Food is Fast Food. It just has another name on it. Nothing is going to change.

[k-os]

http://www.american-pictures.com/gallery/family-1-children/Jacob.Daniel.blaffer-a.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3360/3584446536_a81be784ed.jpg

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumblarge_420/12479288886TPRR9.jpg

Yeah...let's not concern ourselves with other people's children. Hey...look at that $1400 price of gold today!

|--0--|


For goodness sake, now we have to make sure it's illegal to hitchhike! Only state approved methods of traditional transportation, or else!

[osoab]

3 things.

How did we go from talking about banning happy meals to child labor laws. Big stretch.

Am I able as an adult to buy a happy meal for myself in Santa Clara county or San Fransisco?

Great distraction for the TPTB. Argue about happy meals and not the "looting of the treasury"

[Book]

http://www.cfnews13.com/static/articles/images/2010/child_neglect.jpg

http://www.justnews.com/2010/0817/24653598_640X360.jpg

http://www.baynews9.com/static/articles/images/2010/child-neglect-arrest-08040000_rdax_676x456.jpg

http://media.fedstv.com.s3.amazonaws.com/d2b94970561a4ba09d7a44154a39edbc.jpg

Yeah...let's mind our own business and free these political prisoners. If some parent wants to, oh I dunno, put their kid in the microwave.........that's their choice.

Society has no "responsibility" for other people's children.

:oo-->

[Book]

How did we go from talking about banning happy meals to child labor laws. Big stretch.



Your answer is to not get involved with the welfare of children as a society at all?

:)

[k-os]

http://www.cfnews13.com/static/articles/images/2010/child_neglect.jpg

http://www.justnews.com/2010/0817/24653598_640X360.jpg

http://www.baynews9.com/static/articles/images/2010/child-neglect-arrest-08040000_rdax_676x456.jpg

http://media.fedstv.com.s3.amazonaws.com/d2b94970561a4ba09d7a44154a39edbc.jpg

Yeah...let's mind our own business and free these political prisoners. If some parent wants to, oh I dunno, put their kid in the microwave.........that's their choice.

Society has no "responsibility" for other people's children.

:oo-->



Yes, Book, obviously, because I think parents can choose what to feed their own children, that means I want to put babies in a microwave and set child abusers free.

You are looking a little foolish, and I am pretty sure that every post you have put in this thread is a strawman fallacy.

[Book]

Yes, Book, obviously, because I think parents can choose what to feed their own children, that means I want to put babies in a microwave and set child abusers free.



You apparently don't "draw the line" anywhere. Perhaps you can tell us when society should become involved with the welfare of children.

:)

[osoab]

How did we go from talking about banning happy meals to child labor laws. Big stretch.



Your answer is to not get involved with the welfare of children as a society at all?

:)


Society. Well, some would consider a good parent would want their kids to go to McD's and enjoy all the "fun" the other kids get to have. "See how much fun they are having on the commercials!"

No matter what side one takes, it ends up in a slippery slope in the control of the many by the few.

Do we also need to take into the consideration of those on the San Fran board that banned happy meals. Heck, some of them might have interests in the new organic food stop that just happens to be next to McD's.

Unless, the kid is direct dire harm, that I witness, I keep my nose out. Even if I disagree. What should I do, set up s hidden video in everyone's house who has a kid?

Do I yell at parents that provide fluoridated water to the tikes?

Slippery slope. But the thread was just about the happy meals and freedom, not child labor laws. And since I grew up on a farm, I have a completely different view of what kids should be doing in the work aspect. So I am biased.

[Book]

Slippery slope. But the thread was just about the happy meals and freedom, not child labor laws.



http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9304/zkb2.jpg

Yeah...our soldiers are dying on the battlefield over in Iraq and Afghanistan so someday those poor children can have the "FREEDOM" to eat poisonous crap at McDonald's.

:oo-->

[osoab]

For Book.

http://www.reportchildabuse.com/


If you suspect child abuse please call (in the USA):

1- 800- 4- A- Child

(1- 800- 422- 4453)


I wonder what would happen if one would stand outside a fast food place and call the abuse hotline on parents buying junk for their kids. Hmmmm.

Do you go on the same crusade with car seats? I would gander you were one that sat on your mom's lap in the car. I think most here did. We all lived.

[k-os]

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9304/zkb2.jpg

Yeah...our soldiers are dying on the battlefield over in Iraq and Afghanistan so someday those poor children can have the "FREEDOM" to eat poisonous crap at McDonald's.

:oo-->



Well, no. Using your chosen method of debate . . . it would seem that our soldiers are dying over there so that we can prohibit people from the ability to purchase happy meals. You did read the article, didn't you?

[osoab]

Slippery slope. But the thread was just about the happy meals and freedom, not child labor laws.



http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/9304/zkb2.jpg

Yeah...our soldiers are dying on the battlefield over in Iraq and Afghanistan so someday those poor children can have the "FREEDOM" to eat poisonous crap at McDonald's.

:oo-->






Freedom of Choice. I should have proofread more carefully. Oh well.

So Book, who follows you around making sure, you don't by any pop, milk from the store (hormones), cookies, commercial cereal, plastic toys, etc. for your kids? Yeah, I didn't think so.

I would agree with your right to privacy if one attempted to intrude into your life in that manner.

I look at as nunmy. Non My F%$king Business. It's that simple.

[Book]

I should have proofread more carefully. Oh well.



http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/animals/assets/chimp_with_baby.jpg

It appears that the topic here is our society's concern for the welfare of other people's children. Children.

A concept instinctively understood by most every other species except GSUSers.

:D

[osoab]

Waiting for your web cam Book. So we can all gauge your parenting skills.

Britain To Put CCTV Cameras Inside Private Homes (http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/08/britain-to-put-cctv-cameras-inside-private-homes/)

[MAGNES]

Post all of the pictures you want to, Book, your argument is flimsy.


Kos, I think you made some very good points and I agree with you, but
Book is also making some very good points, we need some standards,
banning happy meals isn't the answer either, we got bigger problems,
the State has a role and corporations have responsibilities, people
are being poisoned slowly, it is hard to avoid it too, its all over,
like HFCS, it should be banned outright and companies need to pay,
and the media helps to brainwash people, not bringing awareness,
and the gov regulators are criminal, busy going after honest people.

[k-os]

It appears that the topic here is our society's concern for the welfare of other people's children. Children.

A concept instinctively understood by most every other species except GSUSers.

:D




I'd love to see the extensive list of laws that other species have restricting choice of products for the sake of the little ones. Thanks in advance.

[Horn]

There must be some ulterior motive for all this Love, & Caring coming from Book.

http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/small/0805/nazi-kids-nazis-kids-demotivational-poster-1210040572.jpg

Are you trying to tempt your friends over to tea with some cookies, again? :oo-->

[Book]

Thanks in advance.



http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKjsKfB4dlc/R45pIGD9CzI/AAAAAAAAAOk/uzhw4XlgPvI/s400/child-safety.gif

This would look great on the back of your touring RV.

:)

[Olmstein]

The most important line in the article.


Is there a health epidemic? If so, stand up to the corn lobby and end corn subsidies. If McDonald’s is really so unnatural, and maybe it is, it won’t stand free market competition. Address the horrible school lunch programs. Better yet, rethink this whole program of forcing kids to sit in classrooms for 8 hours a day. Stop externalizing the costs of health care.

We need to weaken the power of the corporation in general. That is the root of most of humanities problems. Who do you think profits from child labor? Multi-national corporations.

The Corporation is the problem, as much as the government is.

[Horn]

Book's trip to Costa Rica.

http://www.evanmix.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/the_burger_king.jpg

[osoab]

Book's trip to Costa Rica.

http://www.evanmix.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/the_burger_king.jpg




The children must be bringing the drinks shortly. :D

[Olmstein]

Book's trip to Costa Rica.

http://www.evanmix.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/the_burger_king.jpg




Which one is book?

[osoab]

Book's trip to Costa Rica.

http://www.evanmix.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/the_burger_king.jpg




Which one is book?


I'll take the rock outcropping. Making sure all is well.

[ximmy]

From my point of view, McD's is absolutely what we can expect from government food... users have already posted on what this monster produces and is capable of...

I would not be surprised if this were a mutual undertaking by the local San. Fran. gov. and McD's...

McD's is laughing their ass off at the free publicity... (interpreted for sheeple, your happy meals are safe)

You/I cannot change this monster, If by some miraculous way your voice became heard against McD's, you would end up drown in your pool/hot tub (falls from high places are very convenient)...

It is foolish to think one is fighting for freedom of business here, this is simply a distraction from greater losses of personal freedom.

IMO... Those who would stand behind McD's are those who would complain that the fold down tray is inoperative while the plane is crashing into the mountain...
ximy

[Horn]

Tuco takes Blondie (both disguised as Confederate soldiers) to a Catholic mission run by Tuco's older brother Father Pablo. Tuco nurses Blondie back to health, and the two leave, still disguised. They inadvertently encounter a force of Union soldiers (whom they take for Confederates due to thick coatings of grey dust on their uniforms). They are captured and marched to a Union prison camp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttBXmqDtZJ0

[keehah]

Take it easy on Book. I think he is here to atone for past sin.

IMO, assuming the toy is not made in China, it is probably the least toxic part of the package. If anything is going to be regulated, many of the chemical concoctions McDonalds serves should not be allowed to be labelled or advertised as food.

But along with the toy figurine, they could sell a hamburger as a bed. Fries and napkins to build a shelter for the bed. And a soda as a swimming pool, or jacuzzi if it is nice and fizzy. That way if the kids end up eating any of the toxic crap, it is not McDonalds fault. ;D

[Awoke]

I am often amazed here on GSUS that people who claim to want freedom sometimes relish the new restrictions that TPTB hand down, particularly in the name of "the children".

If anyone should be protecting "the children" it would be sunshine05, but instead, she sides with freedom. Bravo! This is just a hunch, but she can probably afford this luxury because she takes responsibility for raising her child, and doesn't blame advertisements, toys or clown characters for her child's nutritional diet.

If parents did not plop their child in front of the television for hours an hours of "babysitting", or hand them off to strangers at 6 weeks, or find themselves unable to provide supervision because of a divorce . . . I would think that they would be strong enough to combat McDonalds with their parenting.


I agree with all of the above.



I keep having to say this, but I'll keep saying it in as many ways as I can until it sinks in: We will never be free until we earn our freedom, which means we have to stop blaming [this time it's freakin' happy meals] for some sort of failure.


Freedom is IMO an inalienable right that is given to each human upon conception, from God himself.
You don't need to "earn" your freedom. It's one of God's gifts.



Do your own parenting, and the nanny state won't have to do the parenting for you!


Do you really believe that? I don't.
Besides, what you are referring to as "Nanny State parenting", I refer to as "destruction of civil liberties and the dismantling of our moral compass", etc.

[nunaem]

I still don't understand why this is getting more attention than the State banning beneficial products like raw food or hemp. Where are our priorities as a nation when we put fast food ahead of food?

[Awoke]

I have taught my kids that they would be better off eating Dog sh*t than McDonalds. They are not interested in Fast food. Thank God.


Hahaha! The proof is in the pudding!

My kids and I went out with one of their Uncles that they haven't seen in 2 years. My kids are 8 and 10.
Their Uncle was spoiling them rotten (or at least trying to) and he brought them to a big-box store and said basically "Whatever you see that you like and you want, grab it and throw it in the cart".

I am so proud of my kids.
They were not greedy, spoiled, wanting little wretches; they were grateful, conservative and appreciative angels. After 45 minutes of deliberation, they each picked one toy and one video game. Their Uncle has missed a few Birthdays and Christmas's, so he was urging them to just grab whatever they fancied and put it in the cart. It was his treat. He kept saying "Grab more stuff!"

By the end of it, at the check out, he felt like he wanted to get them more stuff, and just started piling things in the cart (Stocking-stuffer type things) that they never asked for.

He paid for the goods, then turned around and said "While we're here, do you kids want to hit up the McDonalds?"

My kids looked at him like he had three heads and eight boobs, and said "No thanks"

"Why not?"

"Because it's crap!"

I am not sh*tting you. I'm so proud of how they conducted themselves in an arena where they could have went crazy and bought anything they wanted, courtesy of their Uncle. He made it clear that he brought a "couple grand", and was planning on spending it all on them.

We walked away with a combined bill of just over $120, including some purchases made for himself, his wife and myself (My item was $10, but he insisted on paying). My kids were very grateful for the gifts and made sure that they tahnked him numerous times as well.

I had to talk him out of buying them new TV's for God's sake!

My chest swells with pride for my kids.

[nunaem]

Good going, Awoke! Sounds like you've brought some fine additions to the human race.

[Awoke]

I have. They are humble and appreciative. I haven't done it alone though. I had the help of my wife and our Lord.

I talked with them afterwards, and my oldest told me that it felt "funny" to have him trying to buy them so much stuff, and said that it felt like it was "too much".

One thing I should make clear is that this Uncle is not lacking in any depatments. He is not trying to buy their love with material possessions or anything. The kids have a good relationship with them, and they love him. (And he loves them)

He just felt like spoiling them a little.
I am thankful that they are beyond spoiling. Hopefully I can help them maintain that attitutde.

[sirgonzo420]

Do your own parenting, and the nanny state won't have to do the parenting for you!



How many children do you have K-os?

:)


Probably the same amount as you.


:)

[Awoke]

http://blog.stixblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/mcpimping-motivational-poster.jpg

[k-os]

So, thank you, Awoke for proving my point that with good parenting, you can defeat the almighty McDonalds, the treacherous toys, the characters and the clowns!

And to completely blow everything of the water . . . you're kids are not materialistic and greedy!

Good job!