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

reply to post by gladtobehere


I think a person offended by this is justified. Black history month is an answer to the fact that our textbooks all but ignore the contribution made by black people throughout American history. Our textbooks marginalize many things that are important to our history simply out of bias from the people who decide the curriculum.

If you take the spirit of the month and mark it with pop-cultural references that hearken back to Jim Crow era stereo types and "black face" comedies, you really remove any nobility of it. It's the same reason we don't use Aunt Jamima or Lawrence Olivier as a mascot for it.

It's not the end of the world nor is it super duper offensive but to pretend it's not tasteless is just another example of willful ignorance.

reply to post by Cuervo


I honestly don't think that less than 10% of a population of people could've contributed very much to justify their own month. In no way am I denying any contributions at all but it seems as though honoring a month towards one specific group of peoples is only catering to satisfy a bunch of whining.

If anything, the Amerindians deserve their own month above all others.

kimish
reply to post by Cuervo

 

I honestly don't think that less than 10% of a population of people could've contributed very much to justify their own month. In no way am I denying any contributions at all but it seems as though honoring a month towards one specific group of peoples is only catering to satisfy a bunch of whining.

If anything, the Amerindians deserve their own month above all others.

I actually think you're right about having a month to celebrate Native American Indians. I did learn a lot in school about Indians during Thanksgiving, when the teachers told us about the (positive) relationship between the Pilgrims and the Indians -- but didn't learn too much about how we basically slaughtered them and forced them off their land. We could learn a lot from their ideologies, and a Native American Indian History Month could help us focus on them.

I think rather than saying that blacks contributed fried chicken, cornbread and watermelon, we should concentrate on the really cool things they did contribute, like Jazz and Blues music and folk art, and focus on some of the noble individuals who overcame insurmountable obstacles, like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Martin Luther King, Jr. We are also celebrating all of us, realizing how far we've come as a nation, from our "slave days", to our "Jim Crow" days, to today. The Black experience is a big part of America's past, so I think it does justify a certain amount of reflection.

reply to post by gladtobehere


The saddest part of this is that I am as white as any white guy can be. I can't even dance, and run a chance of injuring anyone in the room when I even try.

But during the summer I eat watermelon every day. I ate fried chicken last night (and thought about this thread, strangely). I have no problem eating some carp, either (for those who like less well known stereotypes).

Although it may be joked about a lot in stand up, the stereotype is dumb. And the offense at the possibility of its use is even dumber.

Of all those who got offended, how many laughed their ass of while watching Kat Williams or Dave Chappelle? It is asinine to laugh at it when it is a joke, and then empower possible stereotypes by getting offended outside of a comedy. Its called "Having your cake and eating it too".

kimish
reply to post by Cuervo

 

I honestly don't think that less than 10% of a population of people could've contributed very much to justify their own month. In no way am I denying any contributions at all but it seems as though honoring a month towards one specific group of peoples is only catering to satisfy a bunch of whining.

If anything, the Amerindians deserve their own month above all others.

I love you kimish, but no.

No one should be celebrated above others in our country. That is a betrayal to our principals, and might represented the bricks onthe paved road to hell for us.

While our founders may not have meant it when they said "all men are created equal", i sure as hell mean it when I say it. None of us our more equal than the others. And none of us needs additional recognition of how swell our ethnicity is.

It seems like celebrations tend to mark things that are not very joyous. We mark holidays around peoples deaths as an example.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Carp is good it's the bones that are the problem.

Stormdancer777
reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan

 

Carp is good it's the bones that are the problem.

not with a pressure cooker. Cook it in pressure for about 15 minutes. It will leave a fish paste with the bones dissolved (providing you with the calcium). Take that and make patties out of it, like a salmon patty.

kimish
reply to post by Cuervo

 

I honestly don't think that less than 10% of a population of people could've contributed very much to justify their own month. In no way am I denying any contributions at all but it seems as though honoring a month towards one specific group of peoples is only catering to satisfy a bunch of whining.

If anything, the Amerindians deserve their own month above all others.

You are right. 10% of the population does not need a separate month. This is where people get confused. Black history month is a response to the nearly complete lack of it being covered in history books aside from learning about slavery. There are many aspects in American history that was vastly altered by that demographic.

You are also right that there should be a Native American history month. And an Irish immigrant American history month, etc. But an even better solution to these months would be to restructure the way we teach teach the revisionist version of history in schools and take an objective approach that doesn't focus on only one demographic.

sheepslayer247
This is what happens when idiots try to pander to a politically-correct agenda or ideology.

How about we toss "black-history month" out the window and simply observe history as humans...black, white or whatever?

Thank You!!!
Finally, some common sense amongst all this madness. As a side note, I've honestly never understood the misguided opinions and sometimes outright hatred projected towards our fellow man displayed by some of the populace simply because of a difference in levels of melanin.

Just wondering how this menu would have been accepted?



Personally I like them both.

Here's something I've always wanted to ask... there is a Native American heritage month right? At least I'm pretty sure there is. If so, why the hell is black history month talked about more than that? I mean, wouldn't Native Americans be much more deserving of more recognition because they have more history in the USA than anybody else does?

reply to post by MrLimpet

I'm not sure, it looks too blurry to make out what it is. If I was looking at that I'd be more concerned about my glaucoma than I would be with eating.

reply to post by Xaphan


Good point!

reply to post by Xaphan


It's a Mexican food plate.

I just wonder if there would be an outrage had they placed this on the menu rather than fried chicken & watermelon.

Tuff choice for me.

It's all good food.

duesprimusvictorimmortali
The comments on this thread show just how oblivious a lot (not all) of white people are race issues and how they are perceived when they say certain things. Many of these comments are just offensive.

Blah.....Blah.....Blah. I wonder what is holding the black race back more some fried chicken or idiots who make a big deal out of it.



That's right I said it anyone who gets offended over crap like this is actually feeding racism. The people crying are the people causing.

Double

reply to post by gladtobehere


You gotta laugh and wonder what were they thinking when they put together the lunch menu. America has gone along way to clear up racism, why drop the ball now.

MrLimpet
reply to post by Xaphan

 

It's a Mexican food plate.

I just wonder if there would be an outrage had they placed this on the menu rather than fried chicken & watermelon.

Tuff choice for me.

It's all good food.

I know, I was just joking lol

People are getting too sensitive and blowing this all out of proportion. Why don't Jews get offended with Matzah balls or bagels? Why don't Italians get offended with spaghetti or pizza? I think some people just want an excuse to start a ruckus over any little thing.

It's almost a point worthy of it's own thread, to observe society has become so....what? Confused? We don't even recognize a racial stereotype that's almost cliche'.



So well known, it featured in a popular movie at the time for a depiction of the general and casual racism of the late 1960's. I'm not even sure you'd call the depiction and reality mean spirited in all instances, but the nature of what it is to associate Fried Chicken and Watermelon as a 'Black Thing' seemed self evident by simple recalling how many times it's appeared in popular culture.

It's almost cute that kids today would do it, and totally innocent for intent of what that did mean so recently ..and still does mean to so many.

Kinda like someone asking me how many banjos I own or which relative I married, when hearing I live in the Ozarks. It's ...cute..but wouldn't be terribly appreciated, either. Just my outlook, anyway. (both of those stereotypes have truth in them, too...so not entirely apples and oranges at all)

reply to post by Xaphan


It was rather blurry...

I understand what you mean.

Ridiculous it is!