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  PEPSI SHIRT AT COKE DAY REVISITED

     Frankly Editorial Commentary
           by Dave Moorman


    OK, I realize this is old news.
The incident happened in March of
1998. Even if Mike Cameron's day of
suspension remained on his "permanent
record" (which it did not; the school
wised up) it would matter not at all
in the larger scheme of things.

    And yet this silly episode does
matter in the larger scheme of things.
As you read the article (stolen and
edited from numerous sources), did you
notice what was not mentioned? Like
what in the world is Coca Cola doing
in Education? What values are being
taught to youngsters being required to
become a living COKE sign in a parking
lot? Perhaps they are learning that
Coca Cola signs are used to build
ramshack lean-to housing in the slums
of most poverty stricken countries!

    The Superintendent says that
school districts in his county have
business partnerships with hundreds of
companies, and failed to mention the
exclusive contract with Coke (or
Pepsi, had PepsiCo arrived first).
Does this bother you?

    The only sense I can make of "Coke
in Education" is the enormous amount
of empty calories being pumped into
young bodies -- and the no-holds-
barred war for brand loyalty being
waged on America and the World.

    Contrary to denials by the school
officials, this WAS a First Amendment
issue. Not over yelling "Fire" in a
crowded theater. Not over an obscene
gesture in a class picture. Not even
over inappropriate attire. Mr.
Cameron's shirt garnered no notice
until he was cajoled into being a
human pixel for a wealthy,
multi-national corn-syrup vendor.

    This was a kid protesting the
obscene lack of integrity of the
school which, on one hand teaches
"value free" science while on the
other competes for corporate largess.
Does it bother you that five schools
were clamoring for a measley $500? In
effect, four of those schools were
giving Coca Cola free advertising. The
pressure to procure the needed money
turned the principal into a real fool,
and the Superintendent into a mindless
pawn of corporate values.

    Since 90% of the media is
controlled by about a dozen mega-
conglomerates, we don't hear about
important things which could matter to
the rest of us. We certainly don't see
anything close to investigative
reporting or in depth coverage of the
news behind the news. We hear about
every merger, celebrity, media
hype-fest, political sex offense,
crime, drug bust, and kitten saved
from a tree. We do not hear about
waste in military spending -- but
follow every nickel spent by schools
or welfare. We are worried constantly
about bin Laden, but never told about
anything to do with the CIA.

    In short, we get exactly what huge
business wants us to get, which is not
enough to allow us to make intelligent
guesses at the polls. The 2000
Presidential Election was between Mr.
Intelligent and Mr. Charming. Charming
won by a chad.

    LOADSTAR is not owned or
controlled by a major corporate
entity. We do not run corporate
advertising. We are so small, we don't
even make a blip on their "give a
spit" meter. So here in the midst of
so-called obsolescent software, we can
be a voice for people. Real people.
About real problems.

    You may or may not agree with me
-- but here, you will have a say.
Please be creative when you need to be
profane. Otherwise, your piece will
appear exactly as you wrote it.

    We will also be scanning more
recent news from truly alternative
channels to bring to your notice the
stuff you are not supposed to hear.

 DMM