Chris Arnold writes to the
Hornsey Journal about the HoL poll to rid Green Lanes of the McAd;
05 November 2008
So a small number of people ("Fast food ad removal plea", Journal, October 23), hate McDonald's and want to protect their children from McDonald's adverts. Maybe these people should get their facts right first instead of jumping on a propaganda bandwagon created by meat-hating vegans.
I would ask those 286 people who condemn McDonald's if they have ever given their kids sausage rolls, sausages, meat pies, pork pies, pasties, crisps, sweets, chocolates, sugar-coated cereals, fizzy drinks, cakes, biscuits, donuts... the list of food that is worse than a hamburger is a long one. Have they ever taken their kids to a restaurant serving kebabs, curries, Chinese, pizza or fish and chips? By contrast, all these foods are very fatty and calorific. McDonald's is a healthy choice by comparison.
Corporations like McDonald's don't corrupt our kids, but parents, full of anger with extreme views that have no factual basis, do.
Finally, companies have a freedom of speech and a right to advertise, just as Hugh Flouch has a freedom to express his minority views. The ASA monitors ads and takes down lies and illegal claims, that's their role. McDonald's serves 47 million people a day. We live in a democracy and most people like McDonald's. The ad stays.
- Chris Arnold, Rathcoole Gardens, N8.