Day 186 - 10 Nov 95 - Page 15
1 expected to read this document twice if there was any
2 confusion in their mind about any of it.
3
4 The law, as far as we understand it, does distinguish
5 between the type of document that is being read. Of
6 course, we would say that however many times we read it the
7 same message comes out quite clearly, in any event.
8
9 Just to go through the actual -- if people have a copy of
10 it in front of them -- London Greenpeace fact sheet.
11 Obviously, the front page refers to McDonald's. The entire
12 text of the leaflet is about a whole industry and a whole
13 type of mass production and the effects it is having on
14 society, but McDonald's is clearly the focus or a symbol;
15 McDonald's is a symbol of a way of life or a way of
16 organising food or promoting food.
17
18 If we go through the leaflet: obviously, on the front, the
19 front refers to a clown covering up a dollar sign in the
20 eyes.
21
22 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes. I have read it several times now, so
23 you just pick out for me the ---
24
25 MR. MORRIS: Yes, the specific things.
26
27 MR. JUSTICE BELL: -- particular bits you rely on as part of
28 your argument.
29
30 MR. MORRIS: The very introductory parts, the third
31 paragraph: "We're all subject to the pressures of stupid
32 advertising, consumerist hype and the fast pace of big city
33 life." So here we have a conflict straightaway,
34 criticising a type of society or a type of industry
35 practice. As we go down: "What's the connection between
36 McDonald's and starvation in the Third World?" All the
37 headings are questions, to encourage people to think for
38 themselves and to look, to see the connections.
39
40 The very first paragraph, the last sentence, talks about:
41 "...does nothing to challenge the power of multinational
42 corporations." Here we have a theme that runs throughout
43 the leaflet.
44
45 "Hungry for Dollars. McDonald's is one of several giant
46 corporations with investments in vast tracts of poor
47 countries."
48
49 The next paragraph: "The power of the US dollar means",
50 etcetera; and then in the bottom of that paragraph: "Out
51 of 40 of the world's poorest countries, 36 export food to
52 the USA - the wealthiest." So here we have -----
53
54 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I have that point. But how does that help me
55 in relation to the meaning in the respect we are dealing
56 with?
57
58 MR. MORRIS: Mr. Rampton went through the leaflet, picking out
59 sections which he claimed gave the context; and I think
60 that if people are going to read a section and you feel the
