Junk food and bad manners
These clowns, had they done any homework, should have known from the outset that we make no distinction between the many peoples who live here. That is the Kiwi way.
We have become accustomed to the antics of international junk food outlets as they attempt to attract customers on to the latest fast track to obesity and illhealth.
We have had cheap plastic toys included in boxes of fried chicken, balloons, free sugar-loaded fizzy drinks and even accommodation for families of children in hospital – some of whom were no doubt suffering from conditions caused by fast food.
Most fast food outlets, including Krispy Kreme, the latest to invade these once healthy shores, have also used the outdated celebrity endorsement tack. National Basketball Association superstar Shaquille O’Neal had a message for New Zealand, encouraging everyone to head to Krispy Kreme on opening day for a free glazed doughnut.
A video clip shows an overweight O’Neal eating one of the sugar-coated creations. If he is supposed to be the doughnut company’s global ambassador, he needs to shed a few kilos to make it work.
In reality, he is just another sad, overthe-hill so-called celebrity sportsman selling junk food to gullible people. We’ve seen them trying to sell almost everything from diluted bleach as a cancer cure to shares in finance companies which eventually went belly up.
The latest ill-mannered stunt from Krispy Kreme, however, sets an all-time low from many points of view.
It seems the international doughnut franchise wanted to celebrate the opening of its first outlet in New Zealand in Manukau City with free samples in some form of pseudo competition, but it was open only to New Zealanders. Why the distinction no one has yet been able to explain, but when a young Hamilton couple arrived after starting out in the early hours of the morning, the man was allowed into the event, but his girlfriend from the Philippines was turned away because she was not a New Zealander.
An outraged Philippine ambassador, Jesus Domingo, labelled the rules of the so-called competition racist, but it is much more than that. It is an insult to all New Zealanders and was an unforgivably arrogant assumption that the antiforeigner rules Krispy Kreme applies in its doughnut stalls in other countries could be applied here. They can’t be. We outlawed such ridiculous rules and discrimination a very long time ago.
These clowns, had they done any homework, should have known from the outset that we make no distinction between the many peoples who live here, either as temporary or permanent residents. They become part of us and who and what we are. That is the Kiwi way.
We even allow foreign-based fast-food outlets to become established here when we know the damage caused to the health of so many people. For foreign companies to come here and make a distinction between us suggests they belong in Louisiana of the 1950s, not 21st century New Zealand.
To offend our visitors is to offend all of us.
When the incident was brought to the attention of the company, managers replied it was unfortunate, but it was simply the rules of the competition. They later said the young woman was turned away because of a ‘‘tired and overzealous’’ security guard. Humbug! Why on earth does anyone need a security guard at the opening of yet another junk food shop?
Perhaps we should have appointed our own security guards to turn away our vulnerable youngsters who should not be eating this unhealthy stuff. The security guard was, without doubt, enforcing the company’s anti-foreigner policy as he had been instructed to do.
If the conduct of the fast-food franchise was unbelievably stupid, and it was, the conduct of the Hamilton man whose lady friend was turned away from the event was many times more so.
Most men would not leave a dog waiting in a vehicle for five hours for any reason. To leave a young woman waiting for that length of time while he stood in line to collect free doughnuts, as has been reported, is one of the worst cases of selfish bad manners I have heard in a very long time.
Most men I know would have either called loudly for the boss and demanded an explanation or walked out, inviting others to follow him. He was very fortunate his lady friend, and the car, were still there when he returned.
Many other young women would have driven off, leaving him to find his own way back to Hamilton … and an empty house.
And all for a sugar- and fat-loaded doughnut he and the rest of the country would be much healthier without.