The implication that the vast majority of us choose what we eat based solely on advertising is silly. I *don’t* make a very conscientious effort to completely shield my family from advertising, and oddly enough we still have a homemade meal every night. I don’t fight against constant pleas for happy meals. We have a hard time finding pants that don’t fall off my older son because he’s so tall and skinny. Fast food is a rare indulgence, and even then it’s often a local Mexican or BBQ independent using quality ingredients. How is it that I haven’t been drowned by the tsunami? Am I special?

The statement that people can’t afford alternatives is not accurate, either. I can put together a big salad, or some grilled chicken, rice and a veggie at home for way less than the price of a McDonald’s meal. Bottom line is that the parents that allow their kids to overindulge in fatty, high calorie foods are either ignorant or lazy, period. But unlike you, I would rather live in a country where we have the right to make stupid choices, instead of your nanny state utopia.