General Discussion

MineralMan

(151,571 posts)

202. Yup. It's not the food. It's the stereotype.

Mon Feb 10, 2014, 11:22 AM

Feb 2014

For that school to tie that food to Black History Month was clearly based on that negative stereotype. Those who aren't getting that aren't getting much of anything.

All of those foods are part of the American diet. Everyone eats them, pretty much. A school cafeteria could serve fried chicken, cornbread, and watermelon any time, and it would just be lunch. But, for Black History Month, some moron decided that that was the meal to serve because it was Black History Month. The stereotype was the reason. The moron who made that decision asked, "Well, what food do black people eat?" That's where the menu came from.

Whoever made this decision is a really stupid person. It's not "the food black people eat." It's just food. Calling up the stereotype is the boneheaded mistake.

I'm amazed that people don't recognize the issue.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

217 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Here's Why Your Fried Chicken and Watermelon Lunch Is Racist [View all] MrScorpio Feb 2014 OP

I've lived all over America newfie11 Feb 2014 #1

How soon people forget Fuzzy Zoeller. MADem Feb 2014 #8

Nah, I remember it well. malthaussen Feb 2014 #147

I think Fuzzy wuzza racist, myself. MADem Feb 2014 #187

Celebrate nothing yeoman6987 Feb 2014 #20

I've known about that since I was a little boy. Rex Feb 2014 #45

I moved a lot, my dad was an IBEW electrician newfie11 Feb 2014 #99

Consider yourself lucky then. Rex Feb 2014 #111

Or super-sheltered, with no access to television or even books... ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #114

Super sheltered lol newfie11 Feb 2014 #142

I had the "advantage" of living in the North, and even I am familiar with this stereotype. ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #143

Ya know I'm thinking your name fits. Nt newfie11 Feb 2014 #145

You know, I'm thinking we can keep it to the topic at hand instead of throwing insults. ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #146

I grew up in Virginia and heard many fried chicken and watermelon jokes about black people arcane1 Feb 2014 #94

I also lived in VA ( northern VA) newfie11 Feb 2014 #103

You're definitely lucky. I was born & raised in Richmond arcane1 Feb 2014 #128

I'm sure your right newfie11 Feb 2014 #137

It plays to old, old stereotypes.Didn't know it was in Birth of a Nation--it no doubt existed before Hekate Feb 2014 #2

I don't really understand this Major Nikon Feb 2014 #3

As somehow who grew up in the South, Art_from_Ark Feb 2014 #10

Its not the food itself pschoeb Feb 2014 #14

Just because you don't understand why it does, doesn't mean it doesn't. Iggo Feb 2014 #27

I've never heard anyone say that sort of thing Art_from_Ark Feb 2014 #32

Then it never happened. Iggo Feb 2014 #46

So, because you never experienced this directly - it must not exist? Rex Feb 2014 #47

There might be 6 billion people on this planet, Art_from_Ark Feb 2014 #154

Try this - type watermelon and fried chicken into google, hit search, then click on images. whopis01 Feb 2014 #138

you will not understand this 1960's cover from Ike and Tina Turner either then! lunasun Feb 2014 #158

Oh, I understand that cover, all right Art_from_Ark Feb 2014 #169

Here--let Dave explain it to you. I mean, come on--no one can be that obtuse. MADem Feb 2014 #188

I knew this at 5. liberalmuse Feb 2014 #84

it's a very common racist thing used against blacks JI7 Feb 2014 #4

If the school wanted to celebrate madaboutharry Feb 2014 #5

Probably a good way to cover ones ass. In my hometown in N. Florida, Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #12

Savannah HockeyMom Feb 2014 #28

Just this morning, the Mexican-American lady next Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #80

were you hung over? TexasProgresive Feb 2014 #121

No, but I've taken the cure before! Mine can be ordered with pig's feet. Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #126

MMMmmm How about some tripas TexasProgresive Feb 2014 #131

Indeed. My Mom bought sacks of stewing hen gizzards Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #149

To me it's all included in a category I've always heard and referred to as "Soul Food" notadmblnd Feb 2014 #100

Better yet, pay local African American owned/managed restaurants Jamastiene Feb 2014 #107

See, that would have been a great idea. cinnabonbon Feb 2014 #213

If they really wanted a authentic African American meal TexasProgresive Feb 2014 #6

I can't think of too many things that bridge cultural gaps better than cuisine Major Nikon Feb 2014 #16

Yes,something is wrong with that picture. Go Vols Feb 2014 #152

Mmmm, collards and sweet potato pie! polichick Feb 2014 #51

Picky-picky I notice you did not go for the whole menu. TexasProgresive Feb 2014 #52

Yeah, no thanks. :) polichick Feb 2014 #54

If they'd served chitterlings and collards, mainer Feb 2014 #63

Actually, the message might be to ASK a question. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #83

What should they have served? mainer Feb 2014 #110

They should have served "lunch." ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #112

So nothing that would in any way relate to the event being celebrated? mainer Feb 2014 #115

Is pig and poi related to Hawaiian's being lazy, shiftless, good-for-nothings? ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #117

Well, I'm learning how angry people are about fried chicken mainer Feb 2014 #118

I believe you are being deliberately obtuse and disingenuous. ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #120

I just admitted I'm getting an education here mainer Feb 2014 #122

You listed quite a few foods in another post. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #123

Back when they cooked real food in school Go Vols Feb 2014 #157

Just don't ask me to cook the chitlins. X_Digger Feb 2014 #156

Thank you. n/t cinnabonbon Feb 2014 #7

This pasty-white Irish-American LOVES fried chicken! Loaded Liberal Dem Feb 2014 #9

I guess there's no way to include Soul Food in a school observance of Black History Month MNBrewer Feb 2014 #11

Try here. antiquie Feb 2014 #29

Fried chicken is on their suggested menus! mainer Feb 2014 #67

What if I add dry white toast and a coke to the order? lumberjack_jeff Feb 2014 #72

I think it works this way: What makes chicken and watermelon racist depends on who cooks it..... marble falls Feb 2014 #13

Do y'all really think we just make this shit up so we can whine about something? M0rpheus Feb 2014 #17

Not what I said. Racism is as bad in this country as it ever was. I thought it was going away. It .. marble falls Feb 2014 #18

I apologize. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #22

I know what you mean. We need to be pay attention, something I started do fail at until the last ... marble falls Feb 2014 #24

Satd the best way mstinamotorcity2 Feb 2014 #57

Not saying there wasn't a racist version in 1916 Fastcars Feb 2014 #41

Let me help ya there... M0rpheus Feb 2014 #42

My apologies.... Fastcars Feb 2014 #70

No apologies needed. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #79

Thanks for the enlightenment. I just learned a lot about the background of the watermelon seaglass Feb 2014 #58

Thank you! gollygee Feb 2014 #75

These foods have a history fasttense Feb 2014 #15

Very good opinion. marble falls Feb 2014 #19

All foods are ethnic and have a history in America Drahthaardogs Feb 2014 #25

I think it's time to get past this. Fried chicken is too good not to just enjoy. badtoworse Feb 2014 #21

Wanda Sykes, the comedian has a bit about black people and watermelon woolldog Feb 2014 #39

She's a scream but I have mixed feelings about the skit badtoworse Feb 2014 #55

hmmm....the way I see it woolldog Feb 2014 #78

That's the way I took the routine. Sykes is phenomenal. Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #129

Would fried rice and wonton be considered racist mainer Feb 2014 #23

That would really depend on which asian population's history you were celebrating. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #37

So what if it was ramen on tuesday, lumpia on wednesday mainer Feb 2014 #59

Can't wait for Thursday. Pho is good stuff! But anyway... M0rpheus Feb 2014 #81

OK, I do see your point mainer Feb 2014 #104

That is exactly, the issue here. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #108

please, no kimchi.. dionysus Feb 2014 #62

Many school cafeterias already have kimchi on the condiments table mainer Feb 2014 #65

ewwww... dionysus Feb 2014 #73

I'm thinking the real question is SheilaT Feb 2014 #26

That has been my "burning question" throughout the whole dust up. TheKentuckian Feb 2014 #50

Now that something to explode some teaheads. TexasProgresive Feb 2014 #125

Fried chicken and watermelon were summer picnic favorites FarCenter Feb 2014 #30

what silly shit people waist their brains thinking about. GeorgeGist Feb 2014 #31

I love fried chicken and watermelon, LWolf Feb 2014 #33

Your explanation is backwards, in my opinion. Fawke Em Feb 2014 #40

It's not an explanation of anything. LWolf Feb 2014 #43

Thank you for the history lesson! hedgehog Feb 2014 #34

Every month should be black history month. roody Feb 2014 #35

"Everybody" loves fried chicken DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2014 #36

That meal simply sounds "Southern" to me. Fawke Em Feb 2014 #38

+1 Go Vols Feb 2014 #159

Out of all Jamaal510 Feb 2014 #44

You know who stereotypically LOVE watermelon? The Chinese mainer Feb 2014 #60

And yet, you don't see depictions of the chinese loving watermelon in the US... M0rpheus Feb 2014 #106

Expressing yourself about issues like this poses difficulties. bigmonkey Feb 2014 #48

Manufactured outrage. goldent Feb 2014 #49

here is why this was a racist thing to propose lapfog_1 Feb 2014 #53

When is that from? badtoworse Feb 2014 #56

30s or 40s looney tunes is my guess. dionysus Feb 2014 #64

I doubt it's aired in decades. Time to let it go. badtoworse Feb 2014 #109

You're right, those stopped airing decades ago, and yet we get new digital versions. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #116

Or this... this happened a month ago... ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #119

Exactly. It's not as if the stereotype has gone anywhere. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #127

As long as it continues to be a hot button, some "people" will continue to push it. badtoworse Feb 2014 #150

I don't have another 50 years to ignore. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #151

The only thing you have any control over is how you react to it. badtoworse Feb 2014 #181

There are something like 40 million African Americans in the US gollygee Feb 2014 #191

That's not what I said. Reread the thread. badtoworse Feb 2014 #192

What I read gollygee Feb 2014 #193

That's your interpretation. badtoworse Feb 2014 #194

No doubt ... i am wondering about the mental gymnastics those denying ... etherealtruth Feb 2014 #85

There are better examples Major Nikon Feb 2014 #165

It doesn't matter what they served mainer Feb 2014 #61

You're just determined not to learn a damned thing. M0rpheus Feb 2014 #96

next month is March, and I'm Irish, yorgatron Feb 2014 #66

That makes you racist against yourself. mainer Feb 2014 #69

I thought the national dish was a potato & a sixpack. Eleanors38 Feb 2014 #133

it's such a stupid and outdated stereo type by now, i bet the racists making those jokes eat plenty dionysus Feb 2014 #68

So is this "soul-food advisor" website racist? mainer Feb 2014 #71

I really find your reaction to this thread fascinating. MrScorpio Feb 2014 #82

No, I'm not angry, just very sad that the cafeteria people got slammed mainer Feb 2014 #105

because of a film almost nobody saw? hfojvt Feb 2014 #74

Yes, it is because of the way that some people think now MrScorpio Feb 2014 #89

I had to google it hfojvt Feb 2014 #93

You weren't aware that Aunt Jemima was black? MrScorpio Feb 2014 #101

Well done MrScorpio well done JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #140

no one? hfojvt Feb 2014 #170

Oh fiddle dee! JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #179

that was kinda my point hfojvt Feb 2014 #168

Well, it seems to me that you are bothered when people are offended about these things MrScorpio Feb 2014 #172

Ditto this JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #178

Just butting in here to say cinnabonbon Feb 2014 #214

Fried Chicken and Watermelon are two of my favorite foods. Shoulders of Giants Feb 2014 #76

it would behoove you handmade34 Feb 2014 #186

I think you misunderstood my point. Shoulders of Giants Feb 2014 #204

An example of why fried chicken is racist... TeeYiYi Feb 2014 #77

Why it most certainly is not racist: KittyWampus Feb 2014 #95

Unless you're black... TeeYiYi Feb 2014 #98

Thanks. bravenak Feb 2014 #175

... TeeYiYi Feb 2014 #210

After reading so many of the responses in this thread (well, "I" like watermelon, too), ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #86

It is both shocking and amazing to read through this thread etherealtruth Feb 2014 #88

It's almost unbelievable. ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #90

I wish I could say I was shocked or amazed etherealtruth Feb 2014 #92

Maybe it's time to outgrow some of your own preconceived notions about what is racist KittyWampus Feb 2014 #97

Maybe you should be a bit more sensitive to other races... ScreamingMeemie Feb 2014 #102

Wtf uponit7771 Feb 2014 #166

I don't think you know the background of soul food. bravenak Feb 2014 #176

+1 redqueen Feb 2014 #135

+1 fishwax Feb 2014 #148

Response by Carondelet HS Gormy Cuss Feb 2014 #87

Just a few images to remind folks - Hell Hath No Fury Feb 2014 #91

Breathtaking in their... 3catwoman3 Feb 2014 #134

I remember that stuff... TreasonousBastard Feb 2014 #164

Having lived for many years in Hawaii mainer Feb 2014 #113

Google "obama watermelon" and check out the images pinboy3niner Feb 2014 #124

To me it's really simple steve2470 Feb 2014 #130

+1 gollygee Feb 2014 #132

Indeed. It's not very complicated BainsBane Feb 2014 #136

Exactly. I don't get why that's so hard to understand. (nt) scarletwoman Feb 2014 #160

+1 cinnabonbon Feb 2014 #215

Does the race of the cook matter? mainer Feb 2014 #139

Check out post 91 JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #141

Mr Scorpio JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #144

To tell you the truth... MrScorpio Feb 2014 #155

That this needs explaining Matariki Feb 2014 #153

hey Diane Fedele, didn�t understand the charges of racism either............ lunasun Feb 2014 #161

Oh, for fuck's sake! And I've been seeing the watermelon imagery regarding the White House garden freshwest Feb 2014 #173

did not want to post this- sorry if offensive- but all these people on this thread lunasun Feb 2014 #209

Thanks for sharing this. Vashta Nerada Feb 2014 #162

Thank you for this thread. scarletwoman Feb 2014 #163

K&R Solly Mack Feb 2014 #167

Thank you, MrS. Heidi Feb 2014 #171

+1 freshwest Feb 2014 #174

+1 In_The_Wind Feb 2014 #183

+1000 JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #195

Great thread. bravenak Feb 2014 #177

So what is your opinion of African American business owners who open "Soul Food restaurants" ProudToBeBlueInRhody Feb 2014 #180

Again, it's not the food, it's the stereotyping... MrScorpio Feb 2014 #182

But do you think the owners of said restaurants are playing to a stereotype? ProudToBeBlueInRhody Feb 2014 #184

The dishes are about as stereotypical as you can get. MrScorpio Feb 2014 #190

You rather deftly avoided my main question again. ProudToBeBlueInRhody Feb 2014 #200

Context is everything. MrScorpio Feb 2014 #212

The watermelon really was out of left field ProudToBeBlueInRhody Feb 2014 #217

Some of the responses surrounding this issue are just jaw dropping. demmiblue Feb 2014 #185

SMH Mr Dixon Feb 2014 #189

MrScorpio, non-black DUers truly DON'T get it mainer Feb 2014 #196

I can't speak for MrScorpio JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #198

I could go into detail on why I think this is happening MrScorpio Feb 2014 #216

An obvious JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #197

That would be nice. bravenak Feb 2014 #203

I've lived in the South my entire life and had never heard about the watermelon thing... Hosnon Feb 2014 #199

Thanks for the thread, Mr. Scorpio. nt ZombieHorde Feb 2014 #201

Yup. It's not the food. It's the stereotype. MineralMan Feb 2014 #202

Ahem JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #205

"I can't wait until St. Patrick's Day. Turn about is fair play." ProudToBeBlueInRhody Feb 2014 #206

Who me? Little old me? Fiddle Dee! JustAnotherGen Feb 2014 #207

Why would I alert? ProudToBeBlueInRhody Feb 2014 #208

someone up-thread mentioned chitlins ("chitterlings") CitizenLeft Feb 2014 #211