If I can stop laughing for just one itty bitty second to write this blog post, then I promise I’ll have a point*. In the meantime - I’m sorry, but I don’t understand the worth (or time and energy) in getting angry about a reference to adoption in a McDonald’s fast food commercial. Seriously.
Letter writing campaigns? Boycotting your kid’s favorite place to eat? All because of a WORD?
Google “mcdonald adoption commercial” and you will get a plethora of anger about one tiny adoption reference. Instead of falling prey to all this stupidity, here’s my take:
(Scene: McDonald’s food in a meeting. They are sitting and talking at a round table)
Chicken nuggets: We’re related? Get out. (rural American accent)
Chicken Sandwich: Yeah, third cousins. Too bad you have to leave so soon. (Hispanic accent)
Parfait: You know fries and I are related. (French accent)
Fries: Just because I am French fries doesn’t mean we’re related Parfait. We look nothing alike. (Common Midwest American accent)
Chicken nuggets: Maybe you’re adopted (rural American accent)
(Long silence)
Chicken nuggets: or not (rural American accent)
During the “Long silence” (and as I picture in my mind, with the cartoons my thoughts have become at this stage of ridiculousness) both Chicken Nuggets and French Fries turn their attention away from each other and are now eying Parfait (off camera, of course).
At that very moment Chicken Nuggets begins wondering why in the heck Parfait is at the table, claiming to be related, when he is clearly not - After all, Parfait is the only McTalking Food not made of chicken, fried or speaking with a commonly heard accent in America.
Then Chicken Nuggets figures out that it’s not French Fries that is adopted, it’s Parfait - Poor little Parfait is just trying to fit in with his McFamily and French Fries covered for him (remember the long silence? French Fries was only respecting Parfait’s space he is still coming to terms with the fact that no McReunion is in site) until Chicken Nuggets came to his senses to say “… or not”.
Instead of getting angry at the McIndustry as a whole, let’s get angry about the baby-stealing McAgency who sent Agent Hamburgler to smuggle baby Parfait across international borders, without regard to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in order to make lots and lots of money for his ninty-nine cent sale of Parfait to insecure adoptive mother, Vanilla Shake (who only believes McBirthmothers are drug dealing whores).
Because this should be about the McBabies, darn it, and not about all you mere human McPatrons who don’t understand McAdoption in the least. Shame on you ‘average’ human watchers of a McMercial who can’t even begin to understand the McFeelings involved. Stay out of it.
——
* McDiculous was my point, BTW… Just in case you didn’t catch that…
On that note, I’ll be removing you from my reader.
Do I find the commercial funny? Yes. Do I “get” why someone else (namely - an adoptee who’s spent their entire life being called “different”) might be bothered by it? Of course.
If you don’t agree… fine. But I’m not sure where your smug superiority comes from that makes you think it’s ok to ridicule someone else’s feelings just because YOU don’t understand what THEY are seeing. No one told you to boycott McDonalds. Why do you feel the need to make fun of someone else? I’m fairly certain that you have causes that you take way more seriously than anyone else.
I think you missed the ’satire’ in my post. Next time I’ll add that tag. :)
“Why do you feel the need to make fun of someone else?”
Um… I’m making fun of talking fast food! I’m making fun of those who are getting worked up over talking fast food! I find it ridiculous to blog about talking fast food… really, really, ridiculous (note, satire again as I am blogging about talking fast food.)
IMHO it’s a HUGE reach for the particular commercial in question to be offensive in any way… but even if someone else is offended, they can go right ahead and blog about it… and I’m going to blog about the ridiculousness of those getting offended. Their/my prerogative.
And, I think Alan (comment above) said it best when he said,
“Making a huge thing about this seems to be just the insanity of our overly sensitive to everything society.”
If you can’t recognize that… well… *gives up*
On a personal note - I feel we’re you’re still stuck on the last issue between us. I’m not getting worked up over you again because I just can’t waste the additional emotional time. I feel as if you trying to antagonize me into feeling inferior or hostile toward you, but I don’t. I’m a ‘take it or leave it’ kinda gal (I am who I am)… I just want the insane bipolar comments/emails between us to cease.
OK, I normally don’t get involved in the over sensitivity, and what offends who and when and where….but, I have to jump in here.
I *suppose* if I reached, I could see the offense in that. But, well, to be honest, I laughed. It struck me as funny. And, I can almost bet that just about any commercial on TV could be found to offensive to some group of people somewhere.
Of course, I do not want to offend adoptees and if some were offended by the commercial I am sorry for that. I also know adoptees who weren’t offended at all (and who have said so publicly).
“Of course, I do not want to offend adoptees and if some were offended by the commercial I am sorry for that.”
While I would never intentionally hurt someone’s feelings, I fully realize that what I have to say isn’t going to make everyone happy. Like Denise (comment above) said -
“[You] Can’t please everyone.”
Krissi
P.S. The one comment on this post expressing upset is not by someone who is an adoptee. Maybe she makes a blanket assumption in regards to anyone touched by adoption that the commercial should be offensive. I don’t know…??
1. Learn about what bipolarism is before you use it again and make yourself look like an idiot. Even in a far reaching view, you’ve used it wrong. Rapid mood swings are not a symptom of bipolar disorder, but other issues, like borderline.
2. It only further proves how insensitive you are that you would throw a mental disability around as an insult. What’s next? Retarded? Again, using such things as an insult merely points out that you ARE insensitive and basically, well, a moron. Nice people don’t make fun of someone else’s illness.
3. No, I’m not an adoptee. But I am the mother of a biracial daughter, adopted by very caucasian parents with a very caucasian sister. She doesn’t look *anything* like her family. You might feel differently when YOUR son comes home one day crying because someone says to him, “what are you, adopted?” as an insult. Of course, I’m sure you’ll be no more understanding. I’m also the exwife and daughter of bipolar sufferers whose children might also fight the disease. So there - you’ve offended me twice now.
Like I said, I find the commercial funny. However, being that I realize that there are others out there who feel differently than I do (as evidenced by people you know… speaking out), I can respect others who feel differently and understand why it would bother them. Will I be boycotting McD’s? No (well - I don’t really go there - we avoid fast food). Will I ridicule others who it IS important to? NEVER. It’s just wrong and bullyish behaviour.
Which is made clear by your own admitance: “I’m going to blog about the ridiculousness of those getting offended. ”
You have no right to dictate that people are silly for FEELING anyway. You can do it, but it just makes you… well… I think I’ve made it clear.
Maybe if you had something to do all day, like I dunno…. WORK, you might not have so much time on your hands to surf around finding people to make fun of.
1. Get a dictionary. Might I suggest the one I use often, Dictionary.com?
bi·po·lar /ba??po?l?r/ Pronunciation[bahy-poh-ler] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –adjective
1. having two poles, as the earth.
2. of, pertaining to, or found at both polar regions.
3. characterized by opposite extremes, as two conflicting political philosophies.
I suppose I could’ve used the words ‘manic’, ‘crazy’, ‘raving’, ‘conflicting’ or ‘rabid’ to describe how I feel about our comm (one moment you’re civil, inviting me to birthday parties, and the next you’re cursing at me with words to make a sailor blush) so next time I’ll consult my thesaurus for a word that is more… interesting?
Somehow I know that you will pick any one word I write and find some way to define it by the dictionary of Nikki Jo.
If you’re making what I SAID (remember you want me to acknowledge what I say not what I ’say I mean’?) into something different, that’s on you, not me.
2. Yes, RETARDED. This conversation is RETARDED and for either of us to continue it makes us RETARDED. This comment is RETARDED as was the RETARDED comment that necessitated this RETARDED reply.
3. Blah, blah, blah, BLAH. We all have issues. We all deal with them differently. I dealt with talking fast food with satire. But I get it - the satire passed right by.
When my son comes home crying because someone insulted him (even if non-specifically) sure I’ll feel bad, but don’t we all have to learn to deal with criticism at some point?
When that moment comes I won’t march in with my cronies to defend him. I can’t coddle him and prevent his feelings from being hurt. As much as I wish I could, I’ll never be able to shelter him from life. I will listen to him, talk with him, discuss how he feels, give him suggestions on how to handle and express his emotions positively… but I will also teach him that no matter how ‘nice’ he is, even to the worst bully, not everyone will agree with him (or say they’re sorry)
“Will I ridicule others who it IS important to? NEVER. It’s just wrong and bullyish behaviour.”
I will ridicule a shallowly defined group of ‘others’ who are not specifically named that are being RETARDED. And I most certainly ridicule a group of talking fast food.
“Maybe if you had something to do all day, like I dunno…. WORK, you might not have so much time on your hands to surf around finding people to make fun of.”
Honestly, this made me laugh out loud for two reasons: One, because I’m totally at peace with my decisions (and the reasons behind them… oh and the whole kidney failure for 4 years and the complicated kidney transplant not even 10 months ago thing… but nevermind that..) for staying at home and not working in an office. I’m so at peace, in fact, that the idea that someone would try to use my not working as an insult toward me seems obscure and… well, odd. Really odd.
Two, because I don’t expect anything more of you, especially after your recent personal stabs at me that served no reason other than the aforementioned ‘I’ll-add-it-in-for-effect’. But, again, I get it - you claim innocence, no need to apologize.
“see, how does that feel?”
I know you are, but what am I?! I know you are, but what am I? I know you are, but what am I?! I know you are, but what am I?! *echo echo echo echo*
P.S. If you’re gonna threaten to stop reading my feed, then for godsakes, can you PLEASE just follow through, already? Geezus. What a pain in my ass…
[...] taken, the fact that I actually (and legitimately) drew the letters from the pile to spell “M-C-S-T-I-N-K” seemed appropriate, especially after the riots I’d predicted in my post [...]
[...] (not other blog posts). Yes, I might disagree, I might not like what someone says, I might even callout something I find irritating, (and I might even suggest blogs I like!) Why? Because the opinions you have on your blog belong [...]
I'm sorry when I do those things
That make you roll your eyes.
You know how I usually am,
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2008/03/30 19:41
Ok.. People are WACK JOBS!
This is a stupid commercial.. and one I (who watch hours of TV a day) have not even seen till U tube.
Making a huge thing about this seems to be just the insanity of our overly sensitive to everything society.
If you want to boycott McDonald’s… do it cause the food is really bad for you.. not cause the commercial was poor.
Alan
2008/03/31 11:48
On that note, I’ll be removing you from my reader.
Do I find the commercial funny? Yes. Do I “get” why someone else (namely - an adoptee who’s spent their entire life being called “different”) might be bothered by it? Of course.
If you don’t agree… fine. But I’m not sure where your smug superiority comes from that makes you think it’s ok to ridicule someone else’s feelings just because YOU don’t understand what THEY are seeing. No one told you to boycott McDonalds. Why do you feel the need to make fun of someone else? I’m fairly certain that you have causes that you take way more seriously than anyone else.
Seriously, get over yourself.
2008/03/31 14:47
Nikki Jo -
I think you missed the ’satire’ in my post. Next time I’ll add that tag. :)
“Why do you feel the need to make fun of someone else?”
Um… I’m making fun of talking fast food! I’m making fun of those who are getting worked up over talking fast food! I find it ridiculous to blog about talking fast food… really, really, ridiculous (note, satire again as I am blogging about talking fast food.)
IMHO it’s a HUGE reach for the particular commercial in question to be offensive in any way… but even if someone else is offended, they can go right ahead and blog about it… and I’m going to blog about the ridiculousness of those getting offended. Their/my prerogative.
And, I think Alan (comment above) said it best when he said,
If you can’t recognize that… well… *gives up*
On a personal note - I feel
we’reyou’re still stuck on the last issue between us. I’m not getting worked up over you again because I just can’t waste the additional emotional time. I feel as if you trying to antagonize me into feeling inferior or hostile toward you, but I don’t. I’m a ‘take it or leave it’ kinda gal (I am who I am)… I just want the insane bipolar comments/emails between us to cease.K
2008/03/31 14:53
Alan -
“Making a huge thing about this seems to be just the insanity of our overly sensitive to everything society.”
Thank you for making my point for me… and making it much easier for me to reply to the comment that came after yours :)
K
2008/03/31 15:30
OK, I normally don’t get involved in the over sensitivity, and what offends who and when and where….but, I have to jump in here.
I *suppose* if I reached, I could see the offense in that. But, well, to be honest, I laughed. It struck me as funny. And, I can almost bet that just about any commercial on TV could be found to offensive to some group of people somewhere.
Can’t please everyone.
2008/03/31 15:42
I’ll say it. Your satire cracked me up.
Of course, I do not want to offend adoptees and if some were offended by the commercial I am sorry for that. I also know adoptees who weren’t offended at all (and who have said so publicly).
2008/03/31 15:52
Denise -
“Can’t please everyone.”
You sure can’t please everyone… No kidding!!
Krissi
2008/03/31 15:56
Thanksgivingmom -
“I’ll say it. Your satire cracked me up.”
Why thank you :) *takes a bow*
“Of course, I do not want to offend adoptees and if some were offended by the commercial I am sorry for that.”
While I would never intentionally hurt someone’s feelings, I fully realize that what I have to say isn’t going to make everyone happy. Like Denise (comment above) said -
Krissi
P.S. The one comment on this post expressing upset is not by someone who is an adoptee. Maybe she makes a blanket assumption in regards to anyone touched by adoption that the commercial should be offensive. I don’t know…??
2008/04/01 9:55
1. Learn about what bipolarism is before you use it again and make yourself look like an idiot. Even in a far reaching view, you’ve used it wrong. Rapid mood swings are not a symptom of bipolar disorder, but other issues, like borderline.
2. It only further proves how insensitive you are that you would throw a mental disability around as an insult. What’s next? Retarded? Again, using such things as an insult merely points out that you ARE insensitive and basically, well, a moron. Nice people don’t make fun of someone else’s illness.
3. No, I’m not an adoptee. But I am the mother of a biracial daughter, adopted by very caucasian parents with a very caucasian sister. She doesn’t look *anything* like her family. You might feel differently when YOUR son comes home one day crying because someone says to him, “what are you, adopted?” as an insult. Of course, I’m sure you’ll be no more understanding. I’m also the exwife and daughter of bipolar sufferers whose children might also fight the disease. So there - you’ve offended me twice now.
Like I said, I find the commercial funny. However, being that I realize that there are others out there who feel differently than I do (as evidenced by people you know… speaking out), I can respect others who feel differently and understand why it would bother them. Will I be boycotting McD’s? No (well - I don’t really go there - we avoid fast food). Will I ridicule others who it IS important to? NEVER. It’s just wrong and bullyish behaviour.
Which is made clear by your own admitance: “I’m going to blog about the ridiculousness of those getting offended. ”
You have no right to dictate that people are silly for FEELING anyway. You can do it, but it just makes you… well… I think I’ve made it clear.
Maybe if you had something to do all day, like I dunno…. WORK, you might not have so much time on your hands to surf around finding people to make fun of.
see, how does that feel?
2008/04/01 12:58
Nikki -
1. Get a dictionary. Might I suggest the one I use often, Dictionary.com?
I suppose I could’ve used the words ‘manic’, ‘crazy’, ‘raving’, ‘conflicting’ or ‘rabid’ to describe how I feel about our comm (one moment you’re civil, inviting me to birthday parties, and the next you’re cursing at me with words to make a sailor blush) so next time I’ll consult my thesaurus for a word that is more… interesting?
Somehow I know that you will pick any one word I write and find some way to define it by the dictionary of Nikki Jo.
If you’re making what I SAID (remember you want me to acknowledge what I say not what I ’say I mean’?) into something different, that’s on you, not me.
2. Yes, RETARDED. This conversation is RETARDED and for either of us to continue it makes us RETARDED. This comment is RETARDED as was the RETARDED comment that necessitated this RETARDED reply.
3. Blah, blah, blah, BLAH. We all have issues. We all deal with them differently. I dealt with talking fast food with satire. But I get it - the satire passed right by.
When my son comes home crying because someone insulted him (even if non-specifically) sure I’ll feel bad, but don’t we all have to learn to deal with criticism at some point?
When that moment comes I won’t march in with my cronies to defend him. I can’t coddle him and prevent his feelings from being hurt. As much as I wish I could, I’ll never be able to shelter him from life. I will listen to him, talk with him, discuss how he feels, give him suggestions on how to handle and express his emotions positively… but I will also teach him that no matter how ‘nice’ he is, even to the worst bully, not everyone will agree with him (or say they’re sorry)
“Will I ridicule others who it IS important to? NEVER. It’s just wrong and bullyish behaviour.”
I will ridicule a shallowly defined group of ‘others’ who are not specifically named that are being RETARDED. And I most certainly ridicule a group of talking fast food.
“Maybe if you had something to do all day, like I dunno…. WORK, you might not have so much time on your hands to surf around finding people to make fun of.”
Honestly, this made me laugh out loud for two reasons: One, because I’m totally at peace with my decisions (and the reasons behind them… oh and the whole kidney failure for 4 years and the complicated kidney transplant not even 10 months ago thing… but nevermind that..) for staying at home and not working in an office. I’m so at peace, in fact, that the idea that someone would try to use my not working as an insult toward me seems obscure and… well, odd. Really odd.
Two, because I don’t expect anything more of you, especially after your recent personal stabs at me that served no reason other than the aforementioned ‘I’ll-add-it-in-for-effect’. But, again, I get it - you claim innocence, no need to apologize.
“see, how does that feel?”
I know you are, but what am I?! I know you are, but what am I? I know you are, but what am I?! I know you are, but what am I?! *echo echo echo echo*
P.S. If you’re gonna threaten to stop reading my feed, then for godsakes, can you PLEASE just follow through, already? Geezus. What a pain in my ass…
2008/04/16 19:55
[...] taken, the fact that I actually (and legitimately) drew the letters from the pile to spell “M-C-S-T-I-N-K” seemed appropriate, especially after the riots I’d predicted in my post [...]
2008/04/25 20:13
[...] (not other blog posts). Yes, I might disagree, I might not like what someone says, I might even callout something I find irritating, (and I might even suggest blogs I like!) Why? Because the opinions you have on your blog belong [...]