On December 23, a pro-government Imedi TV company’s main news program, “Kronika,” aired a report alleging that a brochure of McDonald’s Georgia discusses various forms of protest to influence children’s emotions. According to the report, following universities and schools, catering establishments have also joined in “yet another psychological operations campaign” by distributing brochures to young children along with Happy Meals, which discuss fighting for change and participating in protests. The report also accused McDonald’s of inciting protest sentiment and encouraging violence.
Based on the Imedi’s report, on December 23, this information was also disseminated by Tako Mamaiashvili, host of the “TakShow” program on the ad hoc · ედ ჰოკი online TV, the website of the online agency tia.ge, and Facebook pages (TIA.GE, The best page in the world•). A report of similar content was also produced by Sezoni TV.
The claim that McDonald’s Georgia created a brochure discussing various forms of protest to influence children’s emotions is manipulative. In reality, the brochure, titled “I Can Champion Change,” is about the fight for women’s voting rights and social justice. It has been distributed since January 2024 and has no connection to ongoing protests.
One of the books from McDonald’s “Little People, BIG DREAMS” series, titled “I Can Champion Change,” focuses on the lives of Emmeline Pankhurst and Wilma Mankiller. The book’s main theme is not forms of protest but the fight for social justice, illustrated through the examples of women who proved that determination can bring about significant change in society.
Emmeline Pankhurst was a British suffragist who played a significant role in securing women’s right to vote. Suffragists were activists who fought for women’s voting rights in the 19th and 20th centuries. Their name derives from the word suffrage, meaning the right to vote. Suffragist movements were particularly active in Britain and the United States, though similar movements existed in other parts of the world. The tactics of suffragists were bold and diverse. They began their activity with peaceful protests and petition campaigns, but due to a lack of results, they moved to more radical actions. It could be said that it was their relentless tactics that ultimately proved decisive in achieving voting rights for women.
As for Wilma Mankiller, she was a human rights advocate and activist who fought for the protection of Native American rights and the improvement of their living conditions. Wilma was the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. Under her leadership, the Cherokee Nation achieved significant social and economic progress.
The struggles and dedication of Emmeline Pankhurst and Wilma Mankiller have become sources of inspiration for many generations, especially for young girls aspiring to bring about change in society.
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What does, in particular, the brochure “I Can Champion Change” say?
According to Imedi’s report, the brochure distributed along with Happy Meal discusses the fight for change and involvement in protest rallies:
“They gave speeches in the streets and organized marches in cities, disrupted meetings, and chained themselves to railings. When the government tried to stop them, they showed even greater resolve. Some suffragists were even arrested. Despite this, more women joined Emmeline’s group. Together, they demonstrated incredible bravery.”
Based on this fragment, the TV report portrays the book as romanticizing protests, serving as a tool for psychological influence on minors, and accuses McDonald’s of inciting protest sentiment and spreading propaganda. However, in reality, the section about Emmeline Pankhurst begins with her love for reading stories about brave and heroic figures as a little English girl, dreaming about who she might become. In the days of Emmeline’s childhood, girls had no choice, and her father regretted that she was not a boy. Unlike her brothers, Emmeline’s family did not support her ambitions to attend university or pursue a career. She also did not have the right to vote and could not understand why. Emmeline asked her mother to take her to meetings where women’s rights were discussed, and she read extensively about women’s rights. It was precisely at such meetings that Emmeline learned that women, both in England and other countries, were treated unequally and that they needed to obtain voting rights to make significant changes. After finishing school, Emmeline dedicated herself to serving the cause of women’s rights. Initially, her husband, who was a lawyer, supported her in this fight, but their protests yielded no results. After her husband’s death, Emmeline, along with her children and other women, initiated various types of protest campaigns. The book also highlights that when the war broke out in Europe and men went off to fight, suffragists took on the work that was previously done only by men. After the war ended, women secured the right to vote. This section of the book concludes with the following sentence: “Fighting for others turned this little girl into something no one could have imagined: a hero.”
Accordingly, the fragment from the book featured in Imedi TV’s report, which describes the ways suffragists expressed their protest, reflects the forms of protest used by these activists and does not serve to incite protest sentiment or encourage violence. The TV report’s coverage of only one passage from the book, which concerns the suffragists’ methods of protest and the deliberate linking of this passage to ongoing protests, makes it much more difficult for viewers to grasp the overall theme and purpose of the book.
It is also noteworthy that the book “I Can Champion Change” from the “Little People, BIG DREAMS” series has been distributed since January 2024, and, therefore, it is not related to the ongoing protests in Georgia, which were triggered by the government’s decision not to put the opening of negotiations on EU membership on the agenda until 2028.
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What Do We Know About the “Little People, BIG DREAMS” Series?
McDonald’s book series “Little People, BIG DREAMS” tells the stories of individuals from various professions, such as actors, singers, athletes, inventors, mountaineers, and more. They all share one thing in common: a dream and a goal they set for themselves as children. The books narrate the journey these individuals undertook to achieve their dreams and goals. Through these stories, McDonald’s aims to show children that, regardless of their age, it is possible to set big goals and achieve them. The company’s objective with this initiative is to inspire children that with hard work and determination, they can make the world a better place.
It is worth noting that the “Little People, BIG DREAMS” series is translated into various languages and is available in countries where McDonald’s operates. This initiative promotes children’s education and introduces them to important historical figures, which, in turn, strengthens their motivation and self-confidence.
About the Source
Facebook user Tako Mamaiashvili, who shared manipulative information about the brochure based on Imedi TV’s report, is the host of the “TakShow” program on the ad hoc · ედ ჰოკი online TV and the administrator of the Facebook group “Anti-Maidan!” that was created in opposition to the ongoing protests in Georgia.
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