McDonald's Lawsuit

[Guest guest]

This just came to me via another list. It seemed timely ;=)

 

best,

pat

 

> McDonald's Attacks Vegetarian Leaders

> in cahoots with copycat lawyers

> by Jeff Nelson

> Monday, Dec. 6, 2003

>

> http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/mcdonalds_lawsuit2.htm

>

> LOS ANGELES -- Vegetarians sued McDonald's for not disclosing that

> their " vegetarian " French fries actually contained beef. In response,

> McDonald's apologized and agreed to make a $6 million donation to

> non-profit vegetarian organizations. At least that's what McDonald's

> said and agreed in writing it would do.

>

> Now McDonald's has filed a brief asking the judge in the matter not

> to hold them to their promise, but to instead allow them to give the

> money to non-vegetarian and anti-vegetarian organizations -- and to

> " vegetarian organizations " whose nutritionists recommend meat,

> chicken, fish and shrimp.

>

> And in response to the many beloved bestselling vegetarian authors,

> medical doctors and leaders who have petitioned the court not to

> permit McDonald's to subvert the settlement agreement, McDonald's --

> along with the lawyers supposedly representing vegetarians -- attack

> these esteemed individuals, telling the judge they are all

> disgruntled " zealous radicals " motivated by " greed. "

>

> In our original article called Sleeping With the Enemy, VegSource

> previously covered this scandal in detail. In short, McDonald's --

> with the support of the " copycat " plaintiff attorneys who were fired

> by their vegetarian clients -- is attempting to steer much of the

> settlement money they explicitly agreed would go to " vegetarian

> organizations . . . dedicated to the values of vegetarianism " --

> instead to organizations which are hostile to vegetarianism.

>

> The most recent developments show McDonald's and the copycat

> attorneys filing large briefs full of personal insults and

> name-calling against esteemed vegetarian leaders like John Robbins,

> Michael Klaper MD, John McDougall MD, T. Colin Campbell PhD, Alex

> Hershaft PhD, Mark Epstein, Joanne Stepaniak, Jack Norris, Matt Ball,

> Gene and Lorri Bauston, Stanley Sapon PhD and many others.

>

> First McDonald's lied by saying their fries contained no beef, now

> they're trying to betray vegetarians a second time, by reneging on

> their promise to donate money to vegetarian groups. They argue to the

> court they should be able to give this money instead to

> non-vegetarian and even anti-vegetarian organizations, so long as

> those organizations merely promise to do " vegetarian research " with

> the money.

>

> The only support in the vegetarian community that McDonald's and the

> copycat lawyers were able to present to the court comes from the

> Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG). VRG submitted the only declaration

> in support of the proposal, even endorsing the money earmarked to go

> to the anti-vegetarian animal researcher at University of North

> Carolina -- a researcher who seeks to prove his personal hypothesis

> that the vegan diet is very unsafe for pregnant women, who need to

> eat eggs when pregnant in order to get sufficient choline. (This is

> the same animal researcher who usually does research supported by the

> Egg Board -- who VRG supports.)

>

> Elie Wiesel is often quoted as saying, " Take sides, neutrality helps

> the oppressor, never the victim. " Another oft' repeated line is:

> " Silence is consent. " Unfortunately, the North American Vegetarian

> Society (NAVS) -- which stands to receive $1 million if this corrupt

> McDonald's allocation goes through -- decided to remain silent and

> not use their special position in the matter to raise questions, or

> to educate the judge to help prevent a miscarriage of justice. NAVS

> is well aware that anti-vegetarian groups will benefit if this

> proposal goes through. I guess for some it's easier to look the other

> way when vegetarianism is getting mugged -- especially when the

> mugger is giving you a share.

>

> It's one thing to claim to be an " ethical " vegetarian; but actions

> speak far louder than words. Let us hope that McDonald's and VRG --

> as well as NAVS and any other organization with special position

> which chose silence over ethics -- do not succeed in deceiving the

> judge into approving this corrupt proposal.

>

>

--

PAT (In London, Ontario)

Email List: townhounds-

(townhounds/)

Personal Email: SANTBROWN

Personal Webpage: http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/

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* " Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man

will not himself find peace. " - Albert Schweitzer

* " Don't be afraid. Just start the tape. " - Anne Rice

* " I don't do pawprints. " -- Snoopy

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