McD's Happy Meals Sinister "American trick" Warns Arab Reporter

Arab News: "SAUDI ARABIA'S FIRST ENGLISH DAILY" | 02.21.03 | Abdul Aziz Al-Suwayegh/Okaz

[yankeedame]

Another American trick

by Abdul Aziz Al-Suwayegh/Okaz

In an attempt to counter the effects of a popular campaign calling for a boycott of American products, one fast food outlet in the Kingdom has developed a tricky tactic to attract customers, especially children.

With each meal, the restaurant gives a present which is a children’s story. The story leads to the conclusion that children who eat the restaurant’s meals will develop supernatural powers.

Its message is simple: Eat our meal and we guarantee that you will become a superman.

I was alerted to the trick by a King Abdul Aziz University student in Jeddah. He saw in it a dangerous attempt to target that sector of society who is easily influenced.

Of all the possible ideas, the restaurant chose this one to target children and make the youngsters buy their meals. The story read by the children tells them that if they eat food from the restaurant, they will develop supernatural powers. Here is the commercial significance of the advertisement.

There is yet another hidden side of the story. It lies in the fact that the people who prevent the children from eating these fast food meals are monsters.

These ugly creatures, says the student in his letter, are shown as evil men who deny the children the pleasure of enjoying a delicious meal — sold by none other than the restaurant in question.

Because the boycott campaign calls on every one, children included, to stop buying American products, including fast food, then the boycott itself is evil and those behind it are evil as well.

What a start for yet another of those vicious campaigns we continue to face! This time the targets are children. The aim is to make children hate those who boycott American products.

I am not here to discuss the logic behind the boycott but I would like to ask a simple question: How can we allow such venomous advertisements to be directed at our children?

Those innocent creatures may not be aware of the dangers in what they read. Their elders, however, should be.

Arab News From the Local Press 2 February 2003

[js1138]

Huh?

[Former Proud Canadian]

This is hilarious, these people are nuts

[martin_fierro]

"Hey -- I have powers!"

[Billthedrill]

Dang it, it looks like they caught us. Wait until Abdul gets a look at the Harry Potter books...

[smith288]

THey are catching on... look at this "superman"

[Normal4me]

Perhaps we should be dropping happy meals on the French to try to give them some courage?

[babaloo]

You can never be sure of the motives of beanie babies, Buzz Lightyear and the like. Wait till these nuts get a load of the Power Puff Girls at BK. Too funny!

[commandante_zero]

Not to mention the McRib sandwiches...

All your hamburgers are belong to us.

[Redcloak]

This thread is going curiously Pulp Fiction.

[Diana Rose]

These people really do not function well in time other than the 7th century

[UncleSamUSA]

The sad truth is that this is what passes for intelligent discourse in Saudi Arabia. Just mind boggling.

[Lee Heggy]

You cannot harm me Tarek! My breath has the power of a thousand onions!!!

[Britton J Wingfield]

They already sussed out the hidden Zionist agenda behind Pokemon, so happy meals were just a matter of time.

[NeoCaveman]

This thread is going curiously Pulp Fiction.

I'll have a Royale with Cheese.

[new cruelty]

40 virgins : entirely acceptable
flying like superman: American trick

[mhking]

What passes for news in that part of the world. I never thought I'd say this, but they're actually worse than the "big three" here...

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[Leto]

This guy's got a little Tin Foil in his Turban I'd wager.

[mabelkitty]

If we give them a Spongebob book, will they jump in the ocean?

Just asking...

[headsonpikes]

"Hey, Abdul, eat this non-McD 'Happy Meal' from Raytheon!"