Illegal Happy Meals

[mhsjax]

If that is the thought, then they would just have to ban fast food, chips cookies ice cream. And here is a shocker, I happen to think milk is pure evil. I think they should ban that. Ok off topic but I had to say it.

 

[Wall-E1]

That's the quote of the day. I do not think you have considered the consequences of laws such as this. Though I think that the ban on certain cigarette advertising is a violation of free speech, at least the sale of cigarettes to minors is illegal.

I have considered the consequences. Kids will not be tempted by toys to make unhealthy choices. I consider that a good consequence.

I have seen several McDonald's commercials that appear to be directed towards African Americans. Should that type of advertisig be restricted because someone arbitrarily decides that there are too many obese African Americans?

??????

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If that is the thought, then they would just have to ban fast food, chips cookies ice cream. And here is a shocker, I happen to think milk is pure evil. I think they should ban that. Ok off topic but I had to say it.

I think it is pure evil as well. Mostly b/c I can't stand milk.

When I learned that...it isn't a good thing to drink, I felt like telling my parents....See??? It really wasn't good for me.

 

[mhsjax]

The king is scary!!! But during the day on the kids channels I've seen the commercials for toys. Especially the big names. Sponge bob from BK comes to mind. McD's and BK both run several different ad campaigns depending on the time of day.



Love it. They want to make pre-K mandatory but they are firing all their teachers?? Heck, here kindergarten isn't even mandatory!
And DH wanted to move to CA.

That could be the difference, I am not watching kids channels theses days. Boy do I miss them too. And I don't have a problem with them holding back on advertising. But I also realize that somehow, it just doesn't seem right in the spirit of free enterprise.

I am still in the camp of the parents being responsible. When I was growing up my dad wouldn't set foot in a fast food place, it killed me. I would wait the the day when he would go out of town for work so my mom and I could go. the ironic thing is that about 10 years before he died, he got on a fast food kick and that was all he ate.

I also have to say, that my mom actually did cook almost every night, and I was never fat, up until now.

Yep, they have to get rid of that King, he scares me.

 

[mhsjax]

I think it is pure evil as well. Mostly b/c I can't stand milk.

When I learned that...it isn't a good thing to drink, I felt like telling my parents....See??? It really wasn't good for me.

I was really lucky, I had a Dr way ahead of his time. I am 46 and my pediatrician told my mom that milk wasn't really good for people and I could get my calcium in much better ways. It also helped that she couldn't stand the stuff either. lol

 

[FireDancer]

I understand the premise but it isn't addressing the underlying problem...poor choice. I do think that companies need to stop marketing bad food directly at children (cartoon characters on sugary cereal) but ultimately it isn't the marketing companies that make food decisions, it is the parents.

It is so easy to eat healthy in this country if you are educated and it is up to people to educate themselves. With all the information out there any adult can enter search queries in Google and come up with healthy food options. I eat extremely healthy for either the same price or a fraction more then the unhealthy options and that is because I educated myself on the choices and wanted to eat healthy. I do so because I want to be healthy, not because I am told I have to be healthy. Carrot, not stick (pun intended).

As much as I think something needs done it is through information, not legislation. People that want to feed garbage to their kids and have 200 pound 6 year olds that can't see their feet aren't doing it because they get a piece of crap toy.

While I don't see this as a money grab the way the pop tax is it is the government showing again that they only know how to try and force change through legislation. It won't work. Change has to be desired, not dictated.

 

[luvmy3]

Educate who? The children? They aren't the ones in charge of their lives, so I don't see where that would be terribly effective either..

The parents? Many of them are obese themselves - and unless they are living under a rock, they are certainly aware of what constitutes good choices and what doesn't.. You can't watch television for 2 hours without hearing about the obesity health crisis and what people need to do to lead healthier lives - as well as protect the lives of their children - over and over and over again..

So if the kids aren't in control - and the parents don't care - who is left? Unfortunately, only the government.. I'm not saying that I like it - or even necessarily agree with it - but if parents don't care enough about their childrens health when it comes to obesity, isn't that a form of child abuse, child neglect, or child endangerment?

Well then instead of banning something for all, the gov't should just go after all those obese parents and their children and punish them severly. I mean alittle tough love from the only ones that care wouldn't hurt.



I am kidding BTW but with the attitude that the gov't is the only one who can do something, could lead to this kind of thing eventually.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Educate who? The children? They aren't the ones in charge of their lives, so I don't see where that would be terribly effective either..

The parents? Many of them are obese themselves - and unless they are living under a rock, they are certainly aware of what constitutes good choices and what doesn't.. You can't watch television for 2 hours without hearing about the obesity health crisis and what people need to do to lead healthier lives - as well as protect the lives of their children - over and over and over again..

So if the kids aren't in control - and the parents don't care - who is left? Unfortunately, only the government.. I'm not saying that I like it - or even necessarily agree with it - but if parents don't care enough about their childrens health when it comes to obesity, isn't that a form of child abuse, child neglect, or child endangerment?

Yes educate the children. And the parents. Follow the same plans Jamie Oliver is. Telling people what to do and showing them are 2 different things. "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime."
Most people know that certain things are good for you but not how much.
Many parents care, they just don't have the tools and the knowledge to make the right decisions. Immerse knowledgeable people into communities to help those that need it.
Yes it will take time, but knowledge is power.

 

[C.Ann]

I am kidding BTW but with the attitude that the gov't is the only one who can do something, could lead to this kind of thing eventually.

I understand completely what you're saying, but it still begs the question, "Who can do something?" - and "How?".. Education obviously isn't the answer - or this wouldn't be the number one health crisis facing our country right now..

I'm seriously looking for answers - not trying to be argumentative.. It's really upsetting to see this obesity epidemic getting so far out of hand and endangering so many innocent children who just don't seem to have a voice..

 

[FireDancer]

I understand completely what you're saying, but it still begs the question, "Who can do something?" - and "How?".. Education obviously isn't the answer - or this wouldn't be the number one health crisis facing our country right now..

I'm seriously looking for answers - not trying to be argumentative.. It's really upsetting to see this obesity epidemic getting so far out of hand and endangering so many innocent children who just don't seem to have a voice..

In the end people have to do for themselves and their children. Just like everyone knows smoking is bad for you and some choose to do it anyway people know certain eating habits are bad and will do it anyway.

It is unfortunate but one of the downsides of freedom is the freedom to make bad choices. Free speech must allow not nice speech. Free press means the press must be allowed to be controversial. Freedom of assembly means that the KKK and that church that protests at soldier's funerals get to assemble too.

The day we only have the freedom to make certain choices I will be hoping for a new revolution.

 

[rie'smom]

In the end people have to do for themselves and their children. Just like everyone knows smoking is bad for you and some choose to do it anyway people know certain eating habits are bad and will do it anyway.

It is unfortunate but one of the downsides of freedom is the freedom to make bad choices. Free speech must allow not nice speech. Free press must be able to be controversial. Freedom of assembly means that the KKK and that church that protests at soldier's funerals get to assemble to.

The day we only have the freedom to make certain choices I will be hoping for a new revolution.

Bravo!

 

[Wall-E1]

If that is the thought, then they would just have to ban fast food, chips cookies ice cream.

Well then instead of banning something for all, the gov't should just go after all those obese parents and their children and punish them severly. I mean alittle tough love from the only ones that care wouldn't hurt.

I am kidding BTW but with the attitude that the gov't is the only one who can do something, could lead to this kind of thing eventually.

Again, happy meals are not being banned. The sale of toys are not being banned. All that is happening is that the fast food restaurants will not be able to use toys as a way to entice children to eat happy meals.

I don't think that the govt is the only one who can do something, but they can certainly help in combating obesity. Better education is also a key in the fight against obesity, but at least the govt is trying something.

 

[castleview]

Government trying to fix the obesity problem has already crept into the schools. Our local schools have banned cupcakes for birthday parties and cut back on holiday parties - not in the name of lost instruction time, but in the name of childhood obesity.

What I can stand about these lifestyle laws is that the legislators have no idea that every bureaucratic layer they throw out makes it so much harder for people to do their jobs.

 

[castleview]

Again, happy meals are not being banned. The sale of toys are not being banned. All that is happening is that the fast food restaurants will not be able to use toys as a way to entice children to eat happy meals.

I don't think that the govt is the only one who can do something, but they can certainly help in combating obesity. Better education is also a key in the fight against obesity, but at least the govt is trying something.

So educate, don't ban things. Those of us who have ever tried a diet know that the forbidden fruit method only backfires.

 

[luvmy3]

I understand completely what you're saying, but it still begs the question, "Who can do something?" - and "How?".. Education obviously isn't the answer - or this wouldn't be the number one health crisis facing our country right now..

I'm seriously looking for answers - not trying to be argumentative.. It's really upsetting to see this obesity epidemic getting so far out of hand and endangering so many innocent children who just don't seem to have a voice..

I'm not trying to argue either, but I dont believe we can be so cavalier about what we let the gov't take control over today because that just spells doom for our future. (although I'm sure there are many who would have no problem with that kind of control )

I honestly don't know what the answer is, but I don't believe that this method will change anything. We are not as stupid as the gov't wants us to believe we are. We know that eating at McD's is not a healthy option, we know that our kids should eat better. Banning toys is not the answer, people will still go there. The only thing we can do is educate, it can work. I look at smoking, now I know there is still a problem with teens smoking but it is not nearly as prevelant as it was when I was growing up. My kids know more about the harmful effects of cigarettes at their age than I did, and while they are young they have grown up with the education of just how bad it is for you. Why couldn't that work for eating healthy. Why can't we institute healthy food option curriculums in schools the way we have drug and sex curriculums Why does it have to come down to the gov't stepping and banning something because they think that we citizens just wouldn't get the message any other way?

 

[C.Ann]

In the end people have to do for themselves and their children. Just like everyone knows smoking is bad for you and some choose to do it anyway people know certain eating habits are bad and will do it anyway.

It is unfortunate but one of the downsides of freedom is the freedom to make bad choices. Free speech must allow not nice speech. Free press must be able to be controversial. Freedom of assembly means that the KKK and that church that protests at soldier's funerals get to assemble to.

The day we only have the freedom to make certain choices I will be hoping for a new revolution.

Again - I understand everything you're saying..

So - parents are allowed to abuse their children by endangering their health - not only now, but for years to come - yet other forms of abuse are okay to place limits on?

I certainly agree that adults can make whatever choices they want for themselves - whether it be smoking, eating themselves up to 500 lbs. or more, drinking in excess (as long as they don't get behind the wheel of a car) - but we're talking about the choices they are forcing on their children.. Until such time as the children are able to do the grocery shopping themselves, they don't have a choice.. That's where the whole "choice" theory flies out the window..

So - what is the solution?

 

[luvmy3]

Again, happy meals are not being banned. The sale of toys are not being banned. All that is happening is that the fast food restaurants will not be able to use toys as a way to entice children to eat happy meals.

I don't think that the govt is the only one who can do something, but they can certainly help in combating obesity. Better education is also a key in the fight against obesity, but at least the govt is trying something.

I know that, but banning free toys in unhealthy meals is still a governmental ban no matter what spin you put on it

 

[Wall-E1]

so educate, don't ban things. Those of us who have ever tried a diet know that the forbidden fruit method only backfires.

They are not banning any food items or toys. Kids can still get happy meals. Kids can still get toys. The only change is that fast food restaurants cannot use toys as a way to encourage children to make unhealthy choices.

 

[luvmy3]

They are not banning any food items or toys. Kids can still get happy meals. Kids can still get toys. The only change is that fast food restaurants cannot use toys as a way to encourage children to make unhealthy choices.

Then honestly whats the point of the ban? If the same kids can get the same food and the same toy, but it just cant be "together" why even bother? If given the choice between McD's without the toy and a nice healthy meal at home without a toy, which do you think the chidren of CA are going to pick? My money is on McDs, the ban is pointless and will not achieve what the govt is claiming its for. It just another way for them to inch in and control, thats all. This is the first step you said before, well I hate to see what the next and then the next will be.

 

[Wall-E1]

I know that, but banning free toys in unhealthy meals is still a governmental ban no matter what spin you put on it

Well, you could call any law a ban if you put a spin on it.

A speed limit is a ban on going above a certain speed.

Laws preventing child labor are a govt ban on kids joining the work force.

When you constantly use the word ban, it conjures up images of being oppressed and fearful of your govt. This new law does not bring up those feelings in me. Of course, I don't wear a tin foil hat, so I don't see the terrible things that this new ban will bring upon us.