Dear Larry: Have you seen the newest McDonald's commercial? If you haven't seen it, it goes like this: There is a black family, a mom and two kids, at McDonald's. The two kids can't be more than 5 and 8.

The older child asks the worker whether they are hiring. The worker tells the child that they are. The child goes into this spiel about how great it would be to work at McDonald's. He adds that he has this great master plan about someday working there.

The child is all excited, as if it's the best thing ever, and his little brother agrees. The mother is just standing there smiling, as if to say: "Yeah, aren't my kids great? They are going to work at McDonald's someday!"

I actually find this commercial to be a little offensive. Don't you feel the media/society/big companies should be encouraging young black kids to aspire to something better for themselves than working at McDonald's? Not that there's anything wrong with it; it's better than no job or doing drugs or committing crimes.

I just don't think a real career goal should be a job at McDonald's. And the fact that it is black kids makes it seem as if they are trying to say black people are only good enough to work at fast-food places.

What do you think? — Jen

Dear Jen: I did an unofficial survey of 10 black people. I asked them to read your letter and give me their opinions. Only one person agreed with your opinion.

It's interesting how most of the people I surveyed think the little boy is on the right track because they know people with McDonald's franchises, and the fast-food owners are all millionaires.

I see your point, but I think you are being too sensitive.

Dear Larry: I must respond to Lacy, who had friends who poked fun at her boyfriend because of his poor table manners.

Lacy's boyfriend's family sounds a lot like my family.

I come from a large Jewish-American family, and meals together are loud. I don't know which is louder, the yelling or the munching. We reach across the table, eat with our hands, take huge bites, and tear parts off turkeys instead of cutting them.

At restaurants, we're a bit more refined, but we only go to deli restaurants where you can wear what you like. If the meal is not a jacket-and-tie affair, it's a free-for-all feeding frenzy!

Some of us like to enjoy ourselves when we eat. Why put on airs? As long as you're not having a food fight or making sexist comments, who cares if you resemble the Mongol hordes when you eat?

Refinement? Leave that to the Kennedys or the British royal family.

If she doesn't have a problem with his family's eating habits, what's the fuss? She can meet her friends WITHOUT him and make it a girls' night out!

If God wanted us to use forks, why did he invent fried chicken? — Enjoyable Eating

Dear Enjoyable: It sounds as if your family knows how to have a good time. Bon appétit.

To find out more about Larry G. Meeks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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