The Golden Rule: What Same-Sex Marriage And Kid's Meals Have In Common

The Golden Rule:
What Same-Sex Marriage And Kid’s Meals Have In Common

“Can we all get along?” -Rodney King

Wow, it’s been an interesting week around the Internet. Of course, if you’re one of the millions of people on Facebook you’ve seen the symbol for Marriage Equality. Lots of folks (this writer included) changed profile pictures in a show of solidarity as the Supreme Court takes up the issue.

Much smaller but no less intense (at least in some circles) was the dust-up over fried chicken, or more specifically KFC’s new Kid’s Meals. I’m not going to go into great detail because frankly the entire thing is exhausting and that’s not what I want to focus on. But I do need to give you a bit of detail so you’re not coming in on the middle of the movie.

KFC invited a group of bloggers out to an event in Kentucky to introduce the new, healthier (I did not say healthy; I said HEALTHIER) meal options for kids. They also hosted a Twitter party, with a hashtag, customary for events like these.

The deep-fried fracas happened when said bloggers started tweeting and posting pictures on their Instagram feeds using the company-approved hashtag of #kfckidsmeals.

Social media in general, and Twitter specifically, move fast and sometimes your message can get lost in a fast moving flurry of data. It’s a bit like the Wild West, a great land grab where people can glom on to your stuff and make it their own. This is what happened when some others on Twitter were not about to digest what KFC had on the menu. Their reaction was to tweet their disapproval, using the event’s hashtag. Soon afterward, there was a myriad of back and forth, cries of bullying and so forth.

Now, my take:

I know what it’s like to feel strongly about stuff. You know my stance on breast cancer, abortion, natural hair, parenting and so many other things and this blog is an open book, a peek into my painfully ordinary life.

But the part that didn’t sit right with me about the KFC Kids Meals controversy and the same sex marriage is one ugly, little word that starts with the letter “J”.

Judgment.

Telling people how to live their lives based on how you live yours is just, plain wrong.

I’m not great in the kitchen but Buff is. By and large, we try to feed my kids stuff right from our kitchen; we opt for less processed food for cost and health benefits. But every so often we find ourselves in a pinch, so it’s nice to know there are healthier (again I did not say HEALTHY, I said healthier) choices. I think most everyone knows fast food is not good for us when eaten day in and day out so we don’t consume it that way.

The truth is that we’re all doing the very best we can at this thing called motherhood (and fatherhood). There was no manual that came out with the kid; we’re figuring this stuff out as we go along. I started goodenoughmother.com all those years ago because I have a big tent philosophy, one that it is large enough to hold all kinds of people; gay, straight, those who feed their kids fast food, those who opt for organic only and so many more. I also believe, if we stop pointing fingers and talking, long enough to listen, we might actually learn a thing or two. GASP!

So with regard to the KFC kerfluffle and the gay marriage debate (and a thousand other topics), here is my very, over-simplified assessment (for which some, no doubt, will call me an uninformed rube):

If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t marry a gay person.

If you don’t like fast food, don’t eat it.

But for God’s sake, please.. let’s harness the judgment.

That’s how I feel.. what about you? Do you think the Internet is a wide open playground that breeds this type of behavior? Does it cause people to become more coarse? Do you eat fast food? (random… I know..)

Lemme hear ya!