You'd think that in producing a remake of Dr. Seuss's "The Lorax," Universal Pictures had fulfilled its liberal propaganda obligations for at least this fiscal quarter. After all, "The Lorax" is an environmentalist classic.
Alas, "Mr. Wells' 4th Grade Class" of Brookline, Mass., wasn't satisfied, and thousands of left-wing zealots agreed, signing on to the kids' change.org petition. The petition went after Universal Pictures because the movie trailer and website didn't preach enough about the environment. The movie's website has already been changed to incorporate green tips.
Wells wrote that the website needed to be improved and a "Lorax Tips" button needed to be added with environmental tips. Wells had his little activists post the petition and a video where the children state "their" concerns. One student decried in the video, "It can inspire more people to treat the Earth with the same care and respect you give a child." Left to Wells and other left-wing activists, that "care and respect" too often means using children to promote an agenda.
The petition has made its way around the blogosphere. Huffington Post Green encouraged readers to sign the petition. (Change.org and Huffington Post are both part of the liberal echo-chamber funded by left-wing financier George Soros.)
Universal Pictures has already changed the film's website with the addition of "Go Green!" tips link in the shape of a Truffula seed, which is "what the kids wanted." (The Truffula is the fictitious tree the Dr. Suess' story revolves around.) There, visitors "get tips from the Lorax on how to be more friendly to the environment!"
"The Lorax Project" asks visitors to join the cause. There is a pledge, printable certificate and a list of actions to help the environment. There is also a Lorax letter factory where people can go send green e-cards to their friends, letting them know orange (the color of the Lorax) is the new green.
No word on whether Universal will acquiesce to some of the petition's other suggestions to "make Dr. Seuss proud," like handing out tree seeds after movie showings. Simply remaking "The Lorax" should be enough to make the greenies happy. Instead, they ask for green in print and TV advertisements as well as in the movie credits.
*****Update: Wells updated his petition on Jan. 26 to declare victory. He proudly described, "Universal Studios changed 'The Lorax' webpage almost exactly as my class requested!" An executive at Universal Studios reportedly told Wells they have "environmental partnerships coming out soon" with groups to include Scholastic, Whole Foods, and Seventh Generation.
