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December 17, 2004
Spurlock's Super Sized Propaganda in Our Schools?
First, let me point out that I loathe trial lawyers who make all their money from suing companies and the like based on lack of personal responsibility and especially psuedoscience which has caused numerous industries that could have done the world a lot of good to shy away from advancing technology, science, medicine, etc. out of fear of these crazy lawsuits and these money-hungry lawyers (Paging John Edwards, the girl you 'channeled' in your bogus trial years ago is back and she's pissed.) I also cannot stand so-called filmmakers who spend their time making propaganda pieces that work to kill the notion that taking responsibility for your own actions is an old fashioned idea that needs to be done away with and that all of your problems are really caused by someone else (in this case, big bad evil McDonald's who, if we're to buy into Spurlock's theory, clearly shoves big macs down the throats of innocent obese people everywhere.)
With that out of the way...
When Spurlock's piece of propaganda first came out, it was clear to me it was nothing but distorted nonsense meant as a propaganda tool, almost surely against corporate America (the companies that have helped the poorest nations in the world become richer and richer thanks to their products and the workforce needed to produce these products). I've never seen the film myself, but I have seen Spurlock numerous times in interviews where he claims the film in no way specifically attacks McDonalds, which is nonsense- considering it's called SUPER SIZE ME which is a take on the popular McDonald's meal slogan. Plus, one of the film's posters has a fat Ronald McDonald on it, and the "filmmaker" eats ONLY McDonalds...yet, he claims he's not attacking McDonalds at all, and that company is in no way a target of the film.
Those facts along with the common sense that anyone who eats the equivalent of at least 4 meals a day (the story below says 6 meals), and al those meals being super sized fast food meals, will get fat. It's not about McDonald's or fast food in general...it's about a man's quest to BECOME fat on PURPOSE, which is not how the world works. People don't usually gain weight because they choose to do so, so the so-called experiment was flawed from the start. This plus he stopped ALL exercise. Of course that is not a good idea, so this film makes no big news breaking revelations.
The film reads just like a Michael Moore script, complete with distorted facts, bad math, and people, places, events, and facts taken out of context for the sole purpose of pushing forward an extreme agenda.
With all of this in mind, I would suggest you skip the film, and you surely protect your kids from being brainwashed with this nonsense. Glad to see that the Center for Individual Freedom is warning parents about this propaganda and I hope I can keep passing the word along like this...
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Super Size Me NOT for Kids
Dear Friends,
We have learned that Morgan Spurlock, the director and protagonist of the propaganda documentary Super Size Me, is working overtime to bring his movie into schools as a "health education" tool. But this film's message and messenger are simply not appropriate for schools and young children. We need to act now before this offensive, Michael Moore-style attack film comes to your community's schools for viewing by kids.
There are three key reasons why you should be concerned about his movie being shown in schools:
This Film is Entertainment for Adults, NOT Education for Kids
· Super Size Me repeatedly shows Spurlock stuffing himself with extreme amounts of food and drastically curbing his physical activity. Spurlock has no background or expertise in education, nutrition, health or medical science.
· Super Size Me contains innumerable instances of graphic sexual language and innuendo. The film also includes profane language. Graphic footage of an actual gastric bypass surgery, a rectal exam, and vomiting are included. Along the way, the film and Spurlock himself mock obese people and individuals afflicted with eating disorders.
· The film offers no solutions for obesity. Instead it encourages rude behavior toward overweight people and sends a message that irresponsible behavior is okay.
The Facts Don't Add Up; This Film is Simply a Distortion of Reality
· Kids should seek the truth at school, but they won't find it in Super Size Me. Spurlock serves up heaping portions of exaggeration and bad math in his movie.
· He ate the equivalent of approximately 6 meals per day.
· He stuffed himself full of more than 5,000 calories per day.
· He spent $26.26 every day, just to feed himself at McDonald's.
· Throughout the making of his movie, Spurlock intentionally limited his physical activity.
Messengers are Important. Morgan Spurlock is a Shock-Entertainer, NOT an Educator for Kids.
· Morgan Spurlock has a history of making waves. The previous project from his New York City-based production company, "The Con," was a "reality" gross-out show on MTV called "I Bet You Will." The show’s premise was for Spurlock to goad unsuspecting people into doing disgusting things on camera for money. Some of the highlights include paying a woman $100 to eat a cockroach, paying $200 for a student to eat a burrito made of earth worms, and paying $250 to a woman for shaving her head, mixing the hair with butter and eating the perverse concoction.
· On his campus tour promoting Super Size Me, Spurlock's lectures are laced with profanity, and unsuspecting parents often bring their young children to these events.
· Spurlock, in his movie and in his lectures, liberally uses veiled and overt references to drug abuse. Drug innuendo is pervasive in his lectures.
Spurlock claims to be making a "family friendly" version of the film for use in schools. But merely editing out the some of the vulgar footage does not fix this film. Its premise undermines the key principle of personal responsibility in nutritional choice. This film pushes a "blame everyone else" attitude, promotes more government regulation of what we eat and drink, and encourages baseless lawsuits against restaurants. These aren't the values that our children should be learning in school. Further, Spurlock himself says on his website, “I personally believe high schools should show the theatrical version of the film, sexual references and foul language are nothing new to them."
To be effective in this fight, we need your help!
Please contact your local school officials today to urge them to keep this movie out of our schools. In addition, please write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper urging that this film not be shown to children in schools.
It's critical that you help spread the word by forwarding this action alert to your friends, family and fellow activists as well. Thanks for your help!
Yours in Freedom,
Jeff Mazzella
President
Center for Individual Freedom
www.cfif.org
To learn more about Morgan Spurlock's super sized distortion, please check out these articles on our website:
Kids won’t find the truth in Super Size Me
Super Size Me Reality Check
The Release of Morgan Spurlock's Propaganda Film Super Size Me
Posted by Josh at December 17, 2004 04:33 AM