'We don't sell junk food': McDonald's CEO's comment sparks backlash against 9-year-old

'We don't sell junk food,' McDonald's CEO told 9-year-old Hannah Robertson, but now Hannah's also a target of toxic comments. Hannah's mother and McDonald's discuss the controversy that occurred when the 'We don't sell junk food' comment hit the Internet.

By Lisa Suhay,?Correspondent / May 30, 2013

Hannah Robertson

Courtesy of Corporate Accountability International

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The mother of a nine-year-old girl who addressed McDonald's CEO Don Thompson at a shareholder?s meeting about the corporate practice of using toys included in meals as a means of getting kids to eat unhealthy food says there has been an enormous backlash in comments against her child from the brand?s supporters. The fast food corporate giant also says the comments are unacceptable, stating that it hopes its supporters would show courtesy to those who have dissenting views like Hannah rather than bashing a child for her opinion.

Skip to next paragraph Lisa Suhay

Lisa Suhay, who has four sons at home in Norfolk, Va., is a children?s book author and founder of the Norfolk (Va.) Initiative for Chess Excellence (NICE) , a nonprofit organization serving at-risk youth via mentoring and teaching the game of chess for critical thinking and life strategies.

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This story has become both a civics lesson and a cautionary tale for parents who want to raise brave children who stand by their beliefs. The problem with helping our kids stand up for their beliefs is that we also have to teach them to weather the storm of criticism from online trolls (those who post nastygrams just to cause upset and hostility), bullies, and meanies.

As a parent of four sons, one of them nine years old, I regularly encourage my boys to express their beliefs, so I can understand why Kia Robertson agreed to accept the offer of the activist group Corporate Accountability of Boston and fly with her child from Kelowna, Canada to Hamburger University in Illinois so her daughter could formally address the CEO and shareholders during a scheduled meeting of the minds.

I also share her shock at the outpouring of toxic comments directed at a little girl by people more committed to an eatery than humanity.

Margaret Meade once said, ?It is easier to change a man's religion than to change his diet.? Amen to that, sister!

After reading some of the comments on stories about this event, I see it?s considered by some akin to treason and flag-burning to suggest that the fast food chain outed in the documentary film "Super Size Me" is anything other than ideal.

What did Hannah say to Thompson in that fateful meeting that has the McMob enraged?

She read from a written statement her mom helped her prepare, according to The Raw Story.

?Something I don?t think is fair is when big companies try to trick kids into eating food that isn?t good for them by using toys and cartoon characters," Hannah read. "If parents haven?t taught their kids about healthy eating, then the kids probably believe that junk food is good for them because it might taste good.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/iefJa5_2RTQ/We-don-t-sell-junk-food-McDonald-s-CEO-s-comment-sparks-backlash-against-9-year-old

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