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A Coke and a Big Mac

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By JIM THOMPSON
HCP columnist

It came out a couple of weeks ago that the International Olympic Committee is in a quandary.

They just don't know if they should let Coca-Cola and McDonald's sponsor the Olympics any longer. Coke has been doing so since the 1920s and McDonald's for several decades. It is not that they don't like their money, it is just the way they earn it.

The problem they see with Coke is sugar and the problem with McDonald's is calories.

Yet, they don't seem to worry that at the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, according to the book, "Secret Olympics" (just out), that 70,000 condoms were passed out in the Olympic Village the first week.

Now, to be fair, it is apparently a joke with the athletes to pocket as many condoms as possible, so it is likely that far less than 70,000 pairings of DNA halves are prevented. However, why are they passing out condoms in the first place? Is this an appropriate message, a more appropriate message than that of Coke or McDonald's?

It is highly interesting to me how society eventually turns on the actions and outcomes that have helped improve life for all down through the ages.

This has been going on for a very long time. Monks in Europe invented accounting (The legend goes that "red ink" was a true indication of the monastery's fortunes that year. If it had been a good growing season, there was a black juiced berry used to produce the ink.

In a poor season only an inferior red juiced berry was available – hence "red ink" came to be associated with poor performance.). We could not function without accounting, but we seem to be comfortable ignoring the monks.

Higher education, indeed all education, came from the churches. Even Sunday School was originally truly secular school, used to give poor working children a rudimentary education on the only day they had off from work – Sunday. There are many famous universities which were founded by churches now despised by their own faculties.

So biting the hand (or Big Mac) that feeds us is common sport among society. Corporations which have provided goods, services and employment beyond anything dreamed about less than 150 years ago are particularly favorite targets. Even the vaunted Apple Inc., whose products are cherished by the technologically elite everywhere, gets scolded for its manufacturing processes. Likewise, Nike and many others.

I think this is wrong, and hypocritical, in so many ways. If you don't like the way someone does business, don't buy their products and don't accept their donations, period. Having it both ways is not really possible if you have a conscience.

As far as Coke and McDonald's go, I think we have the idea completely upside down. When I need to help out someone who is hungry by the side of the road, the first place I head is McDonald's. The reason? I don't know a more economical or efficient way to load up a hungry person with calories faster.

This past winter, I even tried to write a song about it (don't worry, it will never see the light of day). I called it "Feedin' Jesus Big Macs." I will, however, share the chorus: "Feedin' Jesus Big Macs, it's the least that I can do, for when I do it for the least of these, I do it, Lord, for you."

Modern food companies have done an amazing thing – they have managed to stuff tons of calories in small packages. That is really what obesity is about – being able to gulp down oodles of great tasting calories before your stomach can say "full."

Let's work on getting the bulk up and the calories down, not criticizing the companies. I can tell you, when a company can achieve this breakthrough, they will be as popular as any fast-food chain. We can let companies do this themselves, in many areas, if we tell them what we want.

Meanwhile, if you don't like their products, you don't have take their money, International Olympic Committee. What society criticizes and thinks is important just leaves me shaking my head some days.

Jim Thompson, formerly of Marshall, is a graduate of Hillsboro High School and the University of Cincinnati. He resides in Duluth, Ga., following decades of wandering the world, and is a columnist for The Highland County Press.

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