McDonald's CEO dies of apparent heart attack
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/19/bu...ND-MCDONA.html
I'll leave the exercises in irony about how many heart attacks McDonald's food has caused, up to the more adventurous. I wouldn't want to make any jokes that are in poor taste.. oops, no pun intended.... ahhh, never mind.
Anyway, what really makes this a discussion item, is that veterans and others (such as parents of soldiers currently in Iraq) are fairly pissed off because McDonald's has issued orders for all of its restaurants nationwide to fly their American flags at half-staff.
It seems that protocol says a half-mast flag as a memorial for a deceased soldier, a politician, a police or fireman, or someone otherwise involved in public service, is OK, but only if directed by executive order.
http://www.treefort.org/~rgrogan/web/flaglaw.htm
The act of a single company going all half-mast nationwide is unprecedented. Flags going half-staff nationally without a presidential directive is unprecedented. Lastly, giving this particular patriotic honor to someone with no military service and just a lifetime (however successful and distinguished) of climbing the corporate ladder, is unprecedented.
This outcry is apparently a fairly recent development (saw it on local TV news), and it doesn't seem to be on Google News yet. But it was claimed to be fairly widespread, on a national basis.
Especially interesting is the contrast that there has yet to be a single instance of half-staff flag flying for the soldiers coming home from Iraq in body bags. It says a lot about the shift in priorities in the nation. Are we livin in a corporate-ocracy yet?
I'll leave the exercises in irony about how many heart attacks McDonald's food has caused, up to the more adventurous. I wouldn't want to make any jokes that are in poor taste.. oops, no pun intended.... ahhh, never mind.
Anyway, what really makes this a discussion item, is that veterans and others (such as parents of soldiers currently in Iraq) are fairly pissed off because McDonald's has issued orders for all of its restaurants nationwide to fly their American flags at half-staff.
It seems that protocol says a half-mast flag as a memorial for a deceased soldier, a politician, a police or fireman, or someone otherwise involved in public service, is OK, but only if directed by executive order.
http://www.treefort.org/~rgrogan/web/flaglaw.htm
The act of a single company going all half-mast nationwide is unprecedented. Flags going half-staff nationally without a presidential directive is unprecedented. Lastly, giving this particular patriotic honor to someone with no military service and just a lifetime (however successful and distinguished) of climbing the corporate ladder, is unprecedented.
This outcry is apparently a fairly recent development (saw it on local TV news), and it doesn't seem to be on Google News yet. But it was claimed to be fairly widespread, on a national basis.
Especially interesting is the contrast that there has yet to be a single instance of half-staff flag flying for the soldiers coming home from Iraq in body bags. It says a lot about the shift in priorities in the nation. Are we livin in a corporate-ocracy yet?
Comments
Originally posted by torifile
I don't see a problem with it. Really, I'd like to think that if I died in the service of my company (eating their food, whatever....), I'd like for them to commemorate my passing. People get their panties in a wad over nothing sometimes....
You fly a flag to honor the nation you are in, not to feign kinship with the citizens or to make them feel cozy about your company.
You should play by the rules or else take down all the flags everywhere. There is no requirement for them to have them at all anyway. To intentionally go against protocol is in bad taste. And I'd say that if any big company disregarded the local custom of whatever country they are in, it's not a McDonalds/America thing.
What they should have done is flown a secondary flag or some other way to symbolize it. Shut the lights in the double arches off, hows that?
Keith Richards is not.
...I rest my case.
Originally posted by dmz
Jim Fixx is dead.
Keith Richards is not.
...I rest my case.
Do we know if he ever actually ate McDonalds food?
I doubt anyone that rich would eat that crap except when forced to by circumstances/publicity.
(As disclosure I eat McDonalds/Burger King perhaps 1-5 times a year. I don't doubt it's fine in moderation, but few people are moderate).
Public Servants I can see. Rich CEO's I can't.
Originally posted by Kirkland
At my college, we only have one flagpole, which has an American flag on it. We fly it at half staff (not half mast, that's only a seagoing vessel) on days when staff or faculty die.
Right, but there are two differences: 1. Single Pole (Not Nationwide), and 2. College Campus (Not Corporation).
Originally posted by hmurchison
Flying a flag at half mast because of the death of the CEO??? Puhleeze. I don't dispute their right to do it but it's in poor taste IMO.
Public Servants I can see. Rich CEO's I can't.
Personally, I would sooner fly a flag at half mast for McDonalds than I would for a worthless politician. Politicians have been trying to deal with "foreign affairs" for years. They've generally failed. The fact remains that we have never been at war with a country that has a McDonalds in it, and there are some franchises in pretty unstable nations.
America, in my eyes, should commend those who spread the word about our mission. . . that is, to peacefully sell things to anyone who wants to buy them. Of course, politicians since WWII seem to think that our mission is to occupy foreign lands and remove tyrants by military force. McDonalds had a role in ending communism in Russia. That's more than almost any administration since Lincoln's can say they've done as far as making the world a [slightly] more friendly place.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
The fact remains that we have never been at war with a country that has a McDonalds in it, and there are some franchises in pretty unstable nations.
Originally posted by FormerLurker
It says a lot about the shift in priorities in the nation. Are we livin in a corporate-ocracy yet?
Connect the dots on your own...
Originally posted by Splinemodel
McDonalds had a role in ending communism in Russia. That's more than almost any administration since Lincoln's can say they've done as far as making the world a [slightly] more friendly place.
I won't argue with this at all. And, if our esteemed President had pointed out the contributions of McDonald's to spreading Freedom, Democracy, and Capitalism, and ask that flags be flown half-staff in honor of the CEO, then I think this might have been appropriate. Otherwise, it's an exercise in corporate arrogance.
Again, I do not mean to belittle the man, his accomplishments, and most importantly, the grief of his family and friends.
But it's pretty plain here that flying the flag half-staff is not something to be taken lightly...Direct from the U.S.C., aka the FEDERAL LAW:
By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff.
The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty days from the death of the President or a former President; ten days from the death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until internment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day.
I'm interested that you don't agree with me about McDonalds's extremely valuable contribution in showing millions of people that, just maybe, there are Americans out there who are interested in peacefully making money rather than going to war about it.
Anyway, please list what you consider to be big devlopments in American foreign diplomacy. I can think of some good ones, but most administrations haven't really been effective. I'm no historian, so if you have an amazing amount of contradictory supporting material, feel free to make me a fool. Otherwise, here's it in a nutshell.
FDR/Truman were around for WWII and had the insight not to screw up like Wilson when reparations were the issue, but in the end just started the UN, which was like an international AO for the whole cold war. Nixon/Reagan finally realized that trading makes friends, not conversion by the sword, and not stupid international organizations. The other administrations of the 20th century, other than Teddy R's eccentric one perhaps, either were inconsequential or thoroughly misguided. In the 19th century the focus was more domestic.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
You have an article that outlines the government's policy for half-staffing a flag. This is McDonalds, not the government. It's McDonald's right to do whatever they want on their property. That's freedom of expression.
Of course it is. If it was done by a government employee, it would be a violation of Federal law. The direct quote of the relevant law (not an article outlining governmental policy) was presented to demonstrate that flying the American flag at half-staff is not something to be taken lightly, especially when done by a corporation whose stockholders expect it to avoid major PR gaffes. Not that this will turn into one though... I expect to see the mainstream media ignore it, not because of any liberal bias, but because of the "this company spends billions of dollars a year on advertising" bias.
McDonalds arguably has a greater direct impact on most American's lives than does the government. (which is the way our founding fathers want it)
I'm interested that you don't agree with me about McDonalds's extremely valuable contribution in showing millions of people that, just maybe, there are Americans out there who are interested in peacefully making money rather than going to war about it.
Sorry, I may have been unclear. Change "I won't argue with this at all" to "I would have to agree with that" in my post you are responding to. Yes, McDonalds has done much to spread the American version of capitalism worldwide.
Anyway, please list what you consider to be big devlopments in American foreign diplomacy. I can think of some good ones, but most administrations haven't really been effective. I'm no historian, so if you have an amazing amount of contradictory supporting material, feel free to make me a fool. Otherwise, here's it in a nutshell.
FDR/Truman were around for WWII and had the insight not to screw up like Wilson when reparations were the issue, but in the end just started the UN, which was like an international AO for the whole cold war. Nixon/Reagan finally realized that trading makes friends, not conversion by the sword, and not stupid international organizations. The other administrations of the 20th century, other than Teddy R's eccentric one perhaps, either were inconsequential or thoroughly misguided. In the 19th century the focus was more domestic.
Ya lost me here... I'm not arguing the effectiveness of governmental foreign diplomacy vs. McDonald's contributions to Americanizing the globe, or your nutshell of American diplomacy.
I'm just saying that a lot of people are finding McDonald's flag action to be inappropriate and in poor taste. It's unprecedented on three completely different levels, in case you missed it in the first post.
digress: It was actually so freak that it was picked up in major news. A lacrosse ball hit him in the chest during a microsecond when the heart is getting electrical impulses or something. No damage. Just a weird nerve thing. Just a few weeks from graduating from Cornell, a shame indeed.
All I can say ..is you will all be eating Lizard , Snake, Goanna or Kangaroo steaks washed down with MacDonalds Beer...
Crickeys mates
Seriously, if McDonalds came out with a Kangaroo burger tomarrow, I would have to try one.
Just one.8)
FYI, Box hill is an outpost town in the middle of the australian desert, and it's where Mad Max was filmed. . . there's not a hill anywhere.
Originally posted by johnq
You fly a flag to honor the nation you are in, not to feign kinship with the citizens or to make them feel cozy about your company.
Well said.
Originally posted by Splinemodel
You have an article that outlines the government's policy for half-staffing a flag. This is McDonalds, not the government. It's McDonald's right to do whatever they want on their property.
Of course it is. It's also their responsibility to take the heat for their actions. That's part of freedom of expression too.