Center for Consumer Freedom: Not a Valid Source

by: Jill Richardson

Tue Oct 21, 2008 at 14:00:00 PM PDT

From The Boston Herald: Newburyport Bans Junk Food In Schools

The crackdown on sweets has left a sour taste in some mouths.

"It's irresponsible for government to attempt to legislate us into being thinner and healthier," said J. Justin Wilson, senior research analyst at the Center for Consumer Freedom.

Below: More CCF bullshit and my letters to the editor requesting that CCF no longer be quoted. If you want to express a corporate viewpoint, please go straight to McDonald's so everyone understands that it's a corporate viewpoint.

Smith packed her daughter a chocolate Hostess cupcake as part of Linsey's balanced lunch.

Balanced lunch??? No. A lunch with a Hostess cupcake is no longer a balanced lunch. Especially not for a 7 year old. I'm sorry. (By the way, both articles cited this ONE pissed off parent. Where are the supportive parents in the articles?)

Here's the letter I sent in:

I was very upset to see your article "Newburyport bans junk food in schools." As a health care worker, I am saddened daily by the prevalence of diet-related chronic illness in our culture, and I am particularly alarmed by the growing rates of obesity and diet-related illnesses in children. These children are going to grow up into a generation of adults with unprecedented rates of life-ruining diseases. I strongly support the schools of Newburyport teaching children healthy eating by no longer allowing - and therefore condoning - junk food.

Furthermore - and perhaps most importantly - I am upset that you quoted the Center for Consumer Freedom as if it were a legitimate consumer advocacy organization. They are nothing more than corporate shills, founded with money from Philip Morris and supported by the biggest junk food and alcohol peddling companies in America - companies that profit by undermining our children's health.

Here's an AP story about the junk food ban: Mass. City Bans Junk Food In School

J. Justin Wilson of the Center for Consumer Freedom said it's irresponsible for the government to try to legislate better health.

And the letter I sent them:

I just saw the article by AP "Mass. city bans junk food in school" and it made me very upset. I consider AP to be a reputable organization, so you can imagine my shock when I saw that the article quoted the Center for Consumer Freedom as if it were a legitimate organization and its opinion was worthy of consideration. It's well known and well documented that CCF is a corporate front group, funded by the largest junk food and alcohol companies and initially funded by Philip Morris. For more information, you can check this website on them: http://www.sourcewatch.org/ind...

Please do not quote CCF in the future. Instead, if you are looking for a corporate perspective, go straight to companies like Kraft or McDonalds so that readers of your articles understand that the perspective they are reading is one of companies looking to make money by selling more junk food.