值得深思：在美國喊錯口號的故事

傑森是佛州海灣郡衛生部門的負責人。他的主要工作是教育公眾養成良好的衛生習慣。為了降低肥胖症，他發明了很多口號並打在衛生局前麵的電子顯示牌上。例如：

Television ( 多看電視 ) = Obese Child （肥胖兒童）

Sweet Tea （甜味涼茶） = Liquid Sugar （液體蔗糖）

Hamburger （漢堡肉包） = Spare Tire （滿腰肥膘）

French Fries （油炸薯條） = Thunder Thighs （響肉肥腿）

傑森的口號簡單直接，起到了給民眾警示的效果。 傑森的口號有時還直接點著名快餐店的名，如KFC，但未有糾紛。

傑森再接再厲，又創造了一條新口號：America Dies on Dunkin. （美國亡於Dunkin甜麵圈）。這與Dunkin麵圈店的廣告詞（America Runs on Dunkin，Dunkin甜麵圈驅動美國）相反。Dunkin麵圈店的甜麵圈以又甜又油在美國家喻戶曉（我家小孩可喜歡呢）。

傑森的這條標語在當地引起了反應。Dunkin麵圈店是當地為數頗多的連鎖店，每年都為縣裏創造不少稅收和工作機會。更不妙的是，有一位縣專員和兩位有勢力的律師也開甜麵圈店，他們揚言要和衛生局打官司。在各方麵的壓力下， 傑森不得不撤下電子標語。

又過不久， 傑森的上司找了個理由把傑森解雇了。 傑森失去了年薪140，000美元的工作。

傑森為了公益，不小心惹了縣裏的shareholders (大股東），最後丟了工作。做工益口號，也得小心。

奧巴馬搞醫改，是否也有點得罪大股東了？

Reference：The Washington Examiner
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[billinmon]

Fla. doctor fired over 'doughnuts=death' sign
By: Melissa Nelson
The Associated Press
August 14, 2009 PENSACOLA, FLA. — Dr. Jason Newsom railed against burgers, french fries, fried chicken and sweet tea in his campaign to promote better eating in a part of the country known as the Redneck Riviera. He might still be leading the charge if he had only left the doughnuts alone.

A 38-year-old former Army doctor who served in Iraq, Newsom returned home to Panama City a few years ago to run the Bay County Health Department and launched a one-man war on obesity by posting sardonic warnings on an electronic sign outside:

"Sweet Tea Liquid Sugar."

"Hamburger Spare Tire."

"French Fries Thunder Thighs."

He also called out KFC by name to make people think twice about fried chicken.

Then he parodied "America Runs on Dunkin'," the doughnut chain's slogan, with: "America Dies on Dunkin'."

Some power players in the Gulf Coast tourist town decided they had had their fill.

A county commissioner who owns a doughnut shop and two lawyers who own a new Dunkin' Donuts on Panama City Beach turned against him, along with some of his own employees, Newsom says. After the lawyers threatened to sue, his bosses at the Florida Health Department made him remove the anti-fried dough rants and eventually forced him to resign, he says.

"I picked on doughnuts because those things are ubiquitous in this county. Everywhere I went, there were two dozen doughnuts on the back table. At church, there were always doughnuts on the back table at Sunday school. It is social expectation thing," says Newsom, a lean 6-foot, 167-pounder in a county where 39 percent of all adults were overweight in 2007 and one in four was considered obese.

Newsom was hired by the state Health Department to direct the county agency. His $140,000-a-year salary is paid jointly by the state and the county. His job primarily involves educating the public about health issues — swine flu, AIDS and the like — but he also decided to address the dangers of glazed, sprinkled and jelly-filled treats.

He angered staff members by barring doughnuts from department meetings and announcing he would throw the fat-laden sweets away if he saw them in the break room. He also banned candy bars in the vending machines, putting in peanuts instead.

In May, lawyers Bo Rivard and Michael Duncan, co-owners of a new Dunkin' Donuts, asked Newsom to take down the "America Dies on Dunkin'" message. Newsom already had run other anti-doughnut warnings, including "Doughnuts Diabetes," and "Dunkin' Donuts Death."

The businessmen had the backing of County Commissioner Mike Thomas, who owns a diner and a doughnut shop. Thomas called for Newsom's ouster, saying the doctor shouldn't have named businesses on the message board.

"I think he was somewhat of a zealot," Thomas says. "I don't have a problem with him pushing an agenda, it's the way he did it. People borrowed money to go into business and they are being attacked by the government."

A short time after Newsom's meeting with Rivard and Duncan, Newsom says, his bosses at the state Health Department told him that his leadership wasn't wanted and that he could be fired or resign. He chose to resign May 8 but has reapplied for the job.

"I have never been known for my subtlety. I don't have a knack for it. I speak the truth to people and just assume that that my data and purpose are so real and true that everyone will see the value of what I'm doing," says Newsom, who now works at a prison, doing exams of inmates.

Rivard and Duncan did not return numerous calls to their offices.

"Dunkin' Donuts is pleased that the signs have been removed," Andrew Mastrangelo, a spokesman for Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin' Donuts said in an e-mail.

The Florida Health Department has refused to talk about Newsom since he is considered a job applicant. "We will be happy to talk to you after the position has been filled," department spokeswoman Susan Smith said in an e-mail.

Newsom is hoping to get his job back so that he can resume his campaign against overeating.

"My method was a little provocative and controversial," he says, "but there wasn't a person in Bay County who wasn't talking about health and healthy eating."