: : Siamak entitled one of his recent postings " You guys never learn".
: : Also he said "you and your kind". Now this is quite interesting because on certain occasions when a poster of the pro-McDees persuasion makes a gross generalization of activists, these activists are quick to point out what a character flaw this is.: Yes groundless stereotyping has no place in proper debate. But generalisation? Well, I see nothing wrong with it if properly argued. Now, since you were defending a pro-McD position, I put you in the McD apologisyts camp. So the phrase "you and your kind" refers to you and and the rest of the pro-McD gang. So why make a mountain out of a molehill?
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: : Being how I've never considered myself to be in possession of what I call a herd mentality,
: Think again!
There you go again. I said I don't think with the herd and you don't know me, but you can assume I don't know myself.
: : I would like to know with what "guys" I am being associated with. Also, it would be interesting to know what "kind" I am.
: See theanswer above.
: : You might be very surprised Siamac.
: Go ahead mate, surprise me, let's know where you stand on the question of McD and it's policies on children, it's workers, it's misleading advertising etc etc.
:
Maybe I'm someone who doesn't bow before the alter of either McDonalds or activist groups. Maybe I can see a little of both sides.
Maybe I can see rhetoric on both sides.
When you say "you and your kind" I imagine (rightly or wrongly) that you are picturing people who don't think about the issues, who aren't concerned about our planet, who belong to the religous right and various other stereotypes. The truth is I do study the issues and try hard to educate my children. I do many things to help my planet. I also treat my children to McDonalds about once a month.
As far as their policies go , well in my area I don't see the low wages. I see McDonalds paying well above minimum wage and offering paid health insurance. In my area McDonalds has to pay a competitive wage to keep workers. In fact one fast- food restaurant had to curtail their hours because there weren't enough workers. We have a great employment rate. And as a homemaker with children in school I have considered a part-time McDonalds position during school hours, and I have other options with a college degree, but I like to be home for them. And, yes in my area you can just about pick your hours.
As for children, my children have never been ones to cry to go eat someplace. We cook at home. We eat veggie burgers and tofu( does that surprise you). Sometimes they want a happy-meal toy and if they are good ones sometimes I let them get a happy-meal(that once a month trip). Sometimes I even make them pay for it with their allowance. As for Ronald, I would much rather them look up to Ronald than the Power Rangers. They know where hamburgers come from as well as chicken nuggets. If Ronald told them they were grown in a vegetable patch they would know that he was pretending. To me, Ronald is the least of my worries as far as my childrens well-being is concerned. I'm more concerned about child-molesters or abductors, or the bully down the street. But especially I'm concerned about people forcing dogmas on them. I don't want them to be sheep and they aren't.
Misleading advertising-------I guess I'm just not with it because I don't recall seeing advertisements that were misleading. If you're speaking of the hamburger patch I don't consider that misleading, just pretend.
Now, if they claim their food is healthy I swing both ways. Some of their food is not healthy if eaten regularly. When I eat there I get a griiled chicken sandwich minus the mayo or a garden or grilled chicken salad with low-fat dressing. I consider both of those healthy foods. I always get water or iced tea to drink. In my family we don't drink soft-drinks. Water is great for you, and research is showing that tea may have medicinal benifits. With my children's diets I don't worry about fat. Some experts think children should be on a low-fat diet after age two, but I have some concerns about restricting children's fat intake. So I consider a Happy Meal to be okay, especially if I change that soft drink to juice or milk. By the way I remember a few years back that McDonalds was soliciting opinions from mothers about substitutions in their Happy Meals, such as applesauce. I haven't seen that lately but at least they were making an effort.
I disagree with McSpotlight on one issue especially. Ronald McDonald Houses are a wonderful thing. I personally know people who have benifited from them. When a child is sick is a wonderful thing to have a place to stay that is either free or almost free. The most wonderful part is being around others who are faced with the same problems as yourself. I think it's very petty to ridicule their charitable contributions. Would it be better if they gave nothing?
Well I don't know if I surprised you(probably not, but I shouldn't presume).
