The author of "Fast Food Nation: the Darker Side of the American Meal" told a packed house at Emens Auditorium Thursday night why everyone's rights need to be protected, along with the negatives of the fast food industry.
"Fast Food Nation," by Eric Schlosser, was the official assigned reading material for the Freshman Connections program this year, and Schlosser said he was honored that students were forced to read his work.
"It's the first book I ever wrote, and I didn't even know if anyone would want to read it," Schlosser said. "For you freshmen who didn't read the book, I'm honored to be the first college assignment you blew off."
Schlosser centered his speech around his motto: Dare to think for yourself.
"I believe in the freedom of expression and academic freedom," Schlosser said, "and if you value freedom, you protect the rights of the people who you disagree with."
Both sides of the political spectrum - the left and the right - need humility and the ability to accept the fact that they might be wrong, Schlosser said.
Sophomore Matt Holland said he went to hear Schlosser speak for extra credit.
"It was rather enlightening," Holland said. "In a way, he came across in his book like he hated the meat packing industry, but when I heard the man talk, he explained himself. His motive was never to persecute McDonald's. He gave another look at his morals and what type of journalist he is."
Schlosser's views did not come without criticism.
The Wall Street Journal was the first publication to review Fast Food Nation, and they gave it a horrible review, Schlosser said.
"Not everyone likes it," Schlosser said. "The Wall Street Journal didn't like it, the meat packing industry didn't like it very much, and the fast food industry didn't like it much."
Schlosser said criticism of his book was legitimate, but most of the attacks he received were personal. He said his critics have accused him of being un-American and have called him a socialist and a communist.
"The attacks bother me because of the level of political discourse in this country," Schlosser said. "I'm not trying to write propaganda; I wanted to write something complex to produce free thinking and debate."
Ball State student and Students for Academic Freedom member Amanda Carpenter protested outside Emens Auditorium Thursday night before Schlosser's speech.
"I'm protesting the biased speaking lineup for the Freshman Connections program," Carpenter said.
Carpenter said she looked at the program as a whole and decided it should have been more balanced.
"They could have brought people in from the farming or fast food industries," Carpenter said. "Look at the regulations they have to comply with and the good things that come from fast food, like the number of people McDonald's employs."
Schlosser said the lives of fast food employees have not gotten better but have worsened since he wrote "Fast Food Nation."
"Workers are being paid less than they've ever been paid in the fast food industry," Schlosser said. "Minimum wage continues to go down. Ninety percent of fast food workers don't receive any benefits."
Schlosser also discussed what he thought to be the pitfalls of factory farming; among his concerns were working conditions for meat packing employees.
Meat packing workers in one Texas factory did not receive worker's compensation for injuries and were often fired after sustaining injuries on the job, Schlosser said. He also addressed the treatment of animals.
"We've stopped regarding animals as sentient creatures and started treating them like industrial commodities," Schlosser said. "I still eat meat, but if this meat packing industry doesn't get it together, I may just have to stop."
Dean of Students Randy Hyman said Schlosser's presentation went better than he expected.
"I was reassured by what he said in the beginning - why opportunities like this are critically important," Hyman said. "We grow, develop and mature by gaining exposure to different points of view. He said that as clearly, powerfully and eloquently as anyone could."
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