Ronald McDonald Is An Enemy of the State?

The Food Police are out in force and have Ronald McDonald in their crosshairs. Below is a great article on the subject.

From: Big Government

According to a nonprofit watchdog organization, Corporate Accountability International, Ronald McDonald is an enemy of the state. The grassroots group has assembled 550 health professionals and organizations to denounce the famous clown, the icon of not only the restaurant corporation, but also numerous children’s charities such as Ronald McDonald House.

Ronald McDonald is under fire over a claim that his existence is marketing poor eating habits to children. The organization charges that the fast food giant the clown represents is driving a health epidemic. This accusation comes only months after a mother filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s, asserting that the corporation was “…getting into my kids’ heads without my permission and actually changing what my kids want to eat.” This parent, and we might use that term loosely, was supported by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which has been involved in the mandates to add calorie labeling on menus and to remove soda and snack foods from school cafeteria menus. The mother claimed that Happy Meals with toys inside them were too inviting for her kids. This suggests that she could not manage to actually say, “NO,” to them, or take the car keys away from them, when they told her they wanted to eat at McDonald’s. Her goal in her lawsuit: “…I want McDonald’s to stop interfering with my family.” So, let’s get this straight: Ronald McDonald is controlling your kids’ thoughts? Neil Cavuto couldn’t understand this either.



In the mid 1950’s, a social psychology concept called “locus of control” was identified as an important topic in the field of understanding behavior. “Locus of control” concerns the extent to which individuals believe they can control circumstances that affect them. Those with internal locus of control generally believe that events in their lives come about primarily by their own actions, while those with external locus of control tend to attribute their behavior to people, situations, and entities outside of themselves.



In general, individuals with high internal locus of control have better control of their behavior, have higher self-esteem, and believe their successes and accomplishments are due to their own hard work. Those with high external locus of control often expect other people, institutions, or the government to bring about changes in their lives. While these individuals tend to ascribe a considerable amount of power to other people and institutions, they also often feel victimized and dependent on these external forces, with few resources of their own.

The political philosophy of many liberals, with its embrace of the over-reaching arm of government, often plays to those with external locus of control. Because these individuals have little inner strength to make changes in their own lives- or those of their children- liberal politicians and organizations can frequently use them to legislate through fear and other emotions, rather than through reason. And likely most of us know that it is not reasonable to charge a corporation with “mind-control.”

The promotion of government legislating what we eat is also evident in those prominently preparing food in the media. “Celebrity” chefs are no longer simply creating delicious meals, but politically advocating for leaner lifestyles. Award-winning Washington D.C. chef, Jose Andres prides himself on his political activism.

According to Brett Zonkger of Associated Press, lobbying Congress and the White House is all in a day’s work in Andres’ idea of the changing role of chefs. “I cannot wait to see the day that one day we will have a chef that will become the secretary of food of the United States of America,” he said. That sounds like a tad over-reaching.

Andres is a friend of White House chef, Sam Kass, who has assisted Michelle Obama with her anti-obesity campaign. Kass agrees that “chefs have a critical role in guarding their customers’ health, both inside and outside the kitchen.” And that sounds like over-reaching as well.

In an article in Time, Josh Ozersky asks: Are chefs to blame for obesity? Mr. Ozersky points out the tension between approaches of chefs like Jamie Oliver, who has experienced less than anticipated success in getting children to eat healthier foods, in his Food Revolution series, and Chipotle’s Nate Appleman, who asserts that, while he enjoys cooking and eating healthy, fresh foods, “I think people need to take responsibility for their own actions instead of blaming others….a chef’s job is to make food delicious. If that means it is decadent and indulgent, so be it.”

Appleman sounds like he has it right.