To "celebrate" Black history month, school planned on serving fried chicken, cornbread and waterme

reply to post by AKINOFTHEFIRSSTARS


Yes, African-American came here legitimately through plenty of routes, but this has not been taught. The usual assumption made is that all slaves were African (not true) and that all Africans were slaves (also not true).

On the one hand, it looks stereotypical (not racist to me because it wasn't done with malice or any form of hate- it was just bad judgement - PERHAPS..)

If the students called for this lunch ( both black and white making the choice together), Bravo for them. I have black people in my close immediate family by marriage, (i'm white) a " Sista in law" as we like to call her and my small nephews which we call Tar Babies. It's all in good clean fun and we the white folks can get away with this because we all love each other and are not burdened by silly political correctness. Actually the idea for us white family members calling the kids Tar Babies was the black mothers idea - she thought it would be a cute alternative to " Red headed step child" - You know.. you poke fun at your family because you can. I haven't met a black person, kid or adult that doesn't love fried chicken watermelon and cornbread including my whole family and our black friends.

I'm sure there were lots of kids black and white that were disappointed at NOT getting fried chicken watermelon and cornbread that day.

They should have let it stand! - WHY?

What better way to show how silly racism is than to face these fears and enjoy the lunch together !! To do away with these silly notions that it's somehow wrong to serve black people these wonderful foods. Taking this away hurt both the white and black students more IMO. They continue to learn racism is alive and well because apparently some of them have Racist Parents. Yep.. I said it.. Only the parents who disagreed with this are dumb enough to see this will only reinforce the ideas of racism and segregation - to me, that's racist in itself.

ketsuko


But that's what happens when you start reaching for stereotypes.

Yep, my point exactly. Glad you got it. Moral of the story? Don't reach for stereotypes - you'll just start offending.

Skipping a few pages here. I get what they're trying to do, but it's about as silly as saying "Let's make fortune cookies and egg rolls for Chinese New Year!" (hint: they're American morsels, not Chinese) But to get all uppity about connecting a food to a people is even more stupid. The kids weren't doing it out of malice, they were doing it because in the US, we attach food to culture/ethnicity, and we do it all. the. time. Different regions of the country have different foods linked to them, different countries do, different cultures do. We like to meld food & identity, big time. No malice here, just a little on the dopey side.

And while I'm no fan of black eyed peas (food or music group) I love me some good fried chicken. Mmmm, fried chicken < insert Homer Simpson drool noise > It's definitely a southern thing, and having a cornbread side is a prerequisite, especially in a restaurant. Collard greens, mashed potatoes, corn, corn bread, fried chicken and a soda. OMG, yum. Comfort food dinner win. Add watermelon for a desert, and I'm sold. That's my kind of summertime dinner!

Incidentally, the above is essentially what my neighbors make for Thanksgiving. There's cornbread, fried chicken, fried catfish, collard greens, fried okra, sweet potato casserole and mashed potatoes. The years my family has made Thanksgiving dinner, we've traded plates of home cookin' with our neighbors when their elderly mother is in town. She's a fabulous cook, and as much as I've begged and begged, she won't give up the collard greens family recipe (it's sooooo good) We're more stereotypical Thanksgiving when we do do the holiday, but theirs is always so much better IMO.
Now, to place a bet. How much does anyone want to bet that one of our more uptight PC members will either have a cow or suck a lemon to know my neighbors are black and cook southern comfort food for their Thanksgiving? Wanna scream racism & stereotypes now? That's just stupid, it's food. And damn good food at that, I look very forward to the dinner plate trades.

reply to post by kaylaluv


I'm a hillbilly. Wasn't offended at all. Go figure.

JayinAR
reply to post by kaylaluv

 

I'm a hillbilly. Wasn't offended at all. Go figure.

Awww, that's just cuz you knew I was just making a point and didn't really mean what I was saying.

reply to post by kaylaluv


That a broad stereotype.
Do you know that the people you are describing in such an insidious way were struggling european immigrants from Scottish decent that single handedly fought off the Redcoats when others had failed.
You must have had a bad expeirence with someone from the maby the hills of Appalachia or West Va.
I usually find that people with such demonsterous statements such as yours, say these things thru fears and haven't taken the time to get to know the people they slander .

reply to post by kaylaluv


Even if you weren't just making a point. Haha
We hillbillies have accumulated our fair share of stereotypes as well. Its pretty dang funny actually. I am a bit of a refined hillbilly as I have actually been out and seen the world outside the "holler", as it was termed earlier.

But boy howdy (authentic Arkansas jibberish right there), you should see some of the characters I know. The opposum thing isn't too far off track, although I don't think people actually eat opposum.

Anyways, even if people are being dead serious with their hillbilly stereotypes I just laugh because most of those stereotypes are pretty well deserved.


ETA: around here we don't call it moonshine, we call it corn whiskey.


ETA: Authentic Frontier Gibberish: m.youtube.com...

overanocean
reply to post by kaylaluv

 

That a broad stereotype.
Do you know that the people you are describing in such an insidious way were struggling european immigrants from Scottish decent that single handedly fought off the Redcoats when others had failed.
You must have had a bad expeirence with someone from the maby the hills of Appalachia or West Va.
I usually find that people with such demonsterous statements such as yours, say these things thru fears and haven't taken the time to get to know the people they slander .

It's all good - I know that not all blacks eat watermelon, and not all hillbillies eat roadkill. Just making a point.

reply to post by gladtobehere


Asian and Pacific Islander Month always have Asian foods and noone is calling it racist...

Also didn't know that only a certain race can eat certain foods..

People need to grow up sometimes and just have fun.

What I am bothered about is WHY is there a Black history month?

What is the purpose?

Why do they get their own month?

IS it guilt?

Does every ethnic origin have their own month?

I bet white people don't get a full month of celebration? Do they?


I sure as hell do not celebrate it!!!

Okay, now I understand everyone here like's food.

But I think the thing that's considered racist was that this school was pandering to the stereotype that most black people eat KFC, watermelon, etc. That's what upset most people. Not the food but the way they tried to market it as though we all eat and love the aforementioned food's. Which isn't always correct, I usually see more white people at KFC.

That's why we consider it racist not the food, the way it was presented. Some of us put up with racist joke's like at work, school, friends sometimes when in truth we just feel like punching you in the face. What? you don't like it when we start using stereotype's against white people, because let's face it you'll have the same reaction. So the way I see it, treat someone the way you want to be treated. This goes for everyone regardless of race.

Now play nice.

reply to post by yeahright




The thing here is yes this is a marginally offensive event. The fact that people here are oblivious to it is amazing. It isn't about the menu you could serve chicken cornbread and watermelon and it never raise a single eyebrow. The fact is these are well known widely circulated stereotypes. It doesn't take much to see that these children were blatantly trying to provoke here under the guise of "celebrating". Oh it was the children's idea so it must be innocent enough right?

These parents must be so proud when tasked with the ability to decide a lunch menu to celebrate Black History month (an observance I personally disagree with) their child is incapable of thinking beyond the stereotype. And I completely disagree these kids knew exactly what they were doing when they did this. A 16 year old may be the vision of purity to many, but the truth is they are the most petty, conniving, divisive and most deceptive people on the planet. And most are usually that way because when confronted with their inexcusably bad behavior their parents refuse to believe their little Susie could possibly be that way.

reply to post by KeliOnyx


Search for racism and that is all you will ever find. You will see it in everything.

reply to post by Christian Voice


Please don't try to patronize me. The fact you see nothing wrong with this is all that one needs to see you are steeped in your own ignorance. The fact is a minimal effort and thought put in to this exercise would have resulted in any number of dishes that Black Americans contributed to many tables across this country without having to resort to stereotypes. What will these little darlings come up with for Cinco De Mayo? Taco Bell?

JayinAR

duesprimusvictorimmortali
reply to post by Christian Voice

 

It's not inherently offensive that they decided to serve this for lunch. Its that they decided this was for black people.

edit on 7-2-2014 by duesprimusvictorimmortali because: (no reason given)

This is exactly the point.
The problem is not the food, but saying that those foods are for black people.

It is an IGNORANT stereotype that many people find highly offensive.

I remember once a friend of mine (black guy from Miami) asked me, "hey, why do so many white guys like cheese so much?" I was taken back by it for a second and I looked at my other buddy (a black guy from Tennessee) and smiled. To which he said "don't do it." Haha. So I go, "I dunno man, but why do so many black guys like fried chicken and watermelon?"

Of course I was just teasing him the same way he teased me about cheese, but he didn't find that crap funny AT ALL.

Also, he was from MIAMI. They have an entirely different cuisine!

Whatever. Point is that it is highly offensive to many people. The idiots at the school should have known better.

If a black guy asked me why white people like cheese so much I'd probably explain the history of dairy in Europe. I wouldn't take the least bit of offense to it. I find it absolutely ridiculous to be offended about such things and refuse to accommodate others with such thin skin.

Refusing to participate in this ideal that everyone should walk around on eggshells all the time is not racist. If manipulators of society want to change the meaning of words they can have fun with that, the meaning of racism is very clear to me and It won't be watered down by whiners in my mind. Racism is a terrible thing where someone would think lesser of another person for their color. Acknowledging general traits of groups of people is not racist. It might be insensitive, but not racist.

Saying white people drive Priuses and shop at whole foods and various other possible stereotypes aren't offensive. They exist because overall they are true. While they don't describe me as a white person in anyway, they are still fairly accurate overall. Where's the problem? Why do you have to be offended about everything?

All cultures have their own traits, acting like they don't, and ignoring them when it's black people seems more offensive than simply acknowledging them. Obviously not all black people fit stereotypes, just like not all white people, or asian people, or young people or old people fit sterotypes about their groups. But enough do, that's why those stereotypes exist in the first place.

Poor people are more likely to smoke than wealthy people. Is that offensive to say poor people like to smoke? Shouldn't be. I'm poor and a smoker. Are people just angry when they fit the stereotype because it ruins some sense of individuality they have or what? Get over it. Seriously.

People aren't here to help you, or anybody with their emotional problems. You need to pay someone for that.

reply to post by ketsuko


TWIT OLYMPICS!!! One of my all time favs! Star. To the OP, my opinion would be that they should have stuck to making the meal and saying thanks at the end of it. Why the need to announce? Almost everyday I eat food that is not indigenous to my heritage, because the peoples of the world are marvelous cooks and make great things to eat. If they had announced that they were having saag and paneer and lentils in observance of the Indian culture would it be an issue? Should I get upset every time people tailgate and cook brats and take offense as a person of German heritage? Silly. Twitish. We should thank each other every time we eat for the abundance of flavors and choices. I love buttermilk soaked fried chicken and nothing beats a cold, juicy slice of watermelon.

reply to post by James1982


Thanks for the lecture, but really, you just wasted effort.

My story lacked context. It wasn't a serious question asking why white people like cheese. In fact, there were a few choice words in there that I can't even repeat here
The question was asked in a joking, trash talking manner. That's why I was taken back. Not offended, but it was out of the blue and I had never heard that one before.

But once I realized what he was doing I dished it back. Things turned negative at that point.

So anyways, thanks again for the lecture. Enjoyed it.

I don't see what the big deal is. If they were going to celebrate an Italian heritage, nobody would complain about having a spaghetti and meatball luncheon. Or how about celebrating Mexican heritage with burritos and a taco luncheon? How about an Asian celebration having Chinese food?

There's nothing wrong with acknowledging a cultures food preferences. Heck, we celebrate a rich diversity of cultures with restaurants that specialize in a countries typical cuisine. I remember the best rib place during my years in college was located in an African American neighborhood. There would be a line of white college kids lined up outside that small take-out kitchen. I would think various cultures should be proud of their contribution to the many types of great tasting food they've given the world over.