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Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu[W:250]

Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

You obviously didn't see a previous post I did defending the person. I said that there is no doubt in my mind that this person has a good heart. The thing that they should have done is consulted someone who is black. I personally thought their ignorance is actually funny. But there are many who don't think the same.

Right. Consult someone who is black. Brilliant. So they could put up signs that read "Food selections for Black History Month culturally and racially cleared by Joe, who is Black".

Rediculous.
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Fritters have existed in Europe since the middle ages.[3] The Scots, and later Scottish immigrants to the southern United States, had a tradition of deep frying chicken in fat, unlike their English counterparts who baked or boiled chicken.[4][5]

A number of West African cuisines featured dishes where chicken was fried, typically in palm oil, sometimes having been battered before. These would be served on special occasions in some areas, or sometimes sold in the streets as snacks in others.[6][7][8] This provided some means of independent economy for enslaved and segregated African American women, who became noted sellers of poultry (live or cooked) as early as the 1730s. Because of this and the expensive nature of the ingredients, it was, despite popular perception, a rare and special dish in the African-American community.[9]

After the development of larger and faster-growing hogs (due to crosses between European and Asian breeds) in the 18th and 19th century, in the United States, backyard and small-scale hog production provided an inexpensive means of converting waste food, crop waste, and garbage into calories (in a relatively small space and in a relatively short period of time). Many of those calories came in the form of fat and rendered lard. Lard was used for almost all cooking and was a fundamental component in many common homestead foods (many that today are still regarded as holiday and comfort foods) like biscuits and pies. The economic/caloric necessity of consuming lard and other saved fats may have led to the popularity of fried foods, not only in the US, but worldwide. In the 19th century cast iron became widely available for use in cooking. The combination of flour, lard, a chicken and a heavy pan placed over a relatively controllable flame became the beginning of today's fried chicken.

When it was introduced to the American South, fried chicken became a common staple. Later, as the slave trade led to Africans being brought to work on southern plantations, the slaves who became cooks incorporated seasonings and spices that were absent in traditional Scottish cuisine, enriching the flavor.[10] Since most slaves were unable to raise expensive meats, but generally allowed to keep chickens, frying chicken on special occasions continued in the African American communities of the South. It endured the fall of slavery and gradually passed into common use as a general Southern dish. Since fried chicken traveled well in hot weather before refrigeration was commonplace, it gained further favor in the periods of American history when segregation closed off most restaurants to the black population. Fried chicken continues to be among this region's top choices for "Sunday dinner" among both blacks and whites. Holidays such as Independence Day and other gatherings often feature this dish.[11]

Fried chicken - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Right. Consult someone who is black. Brilliant. So they could put up signs that read "Food selections for Black History Month culturally and racially cleared by Joe, who is Black".

Rediculous.

Lol

That would be hilarious
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Who said you couldn't?

I go to numerous black food and jazz festivals all the time where it is multicultural and everyone is having a great time.

Am I to assume that there is no outrage over those events?
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Lol

That would be hilarious

"our official black friend joe" sounds more professional
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Right. Consult someone who is black. Brilliant. So they could put up signs that read "Food selections for Black History Month culturally and racially cleared by Joe, who is Black".

Rediculous.

Although, to be fair, if you actually ask if serving fried chicken and watermelon on Black History Month is a good idea, Delroy Lindo will walk into the room and just look at you until you stop having the idea. Fact.

images.jpg
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

It's a staple at every soul food restaurant I ever been to




ugh, soul food has evolved since then, mate. Also, chicken is a easy meat producing animal to raise and doesn't require much in resources or room. hence, why it is favored by economically disadvantaged groups, like african american slaves and poor african americans after emancipation

Chicken Archives | Soul Food Cookbook, Soul Food Recipes

Morrison's Soul Food Kitchen

http://sylviasrestaurant.com/menus/

Chuckles. I agree that soul food has evolved, but you can't deny that 90% of the menu items originated from the slavery time. My mom still cook chittlings( can't stand that nasty ****), she still cook hog mogs, pig feet, hog head cheese, greens, etc. True we enjoy fried chicken but so do most Americans.

We love BBQ as well. Is BBQ a black cultural cuisine?
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Ridiculous as this is, it does highlight the undeniable fact that some people will be offended by pretty much anything.

Never have understood what is so insulting about fried chicken and watermelon. Both are yummy.
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

That's got to be the funniest thing I've read in quite some time. Watermelon, corn bread, and fried chicken to celebrate black history! I wonder what nimrod thought that would be a good idea?

Maybe, a mexican immigrant on the cooking staff who served hispanic food for hispanic heritage month, thought it would be natural to serve black foods for African American month and was not aware of the negative stereotype associated with blacks and those foods?
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Chuckles. I agree that soul food has evolved, but you can't deny that 90% of the menu items originated from the slavery time. My mom still cook chittlings( can't stand that nasty ****), she still cook hog mogs, pig feet, hog head cheese, greens, etc. True we enjoy fried chicken but so do most Americans.

We love BBQ as well. Is BBQ a black cultural cuisine?

Who said it was soul food because African Americans simply enjoy it? I pointed to the fact that chicken is easy to raise on limited resources, like pigs, and is seen as distinctly part of soul food and provided citations to support that
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Right. Consult someone who is black. Brilliant. So they could put up signs that read "Food selections for Black History Month culturally and racially cleared by Joe, who is Black".

Rediculous.

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Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Am I to assume that there is no outrage over those events?

If it is then that's their bad. I take my White, Mexican, and Asian friends there all the time. If someone has a problem with that then I am not hard to find standing at 6'4".

I don't tolerate racism regardless who it is coming from.
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu


I'm admittedly from the wrong country when it comes to this topic, but why is this such an insult? Here in Canada, and I assume many other places, people of various nationalities open up restaurants and simple eateries that serve what they call traditional, ethnic foods - foods that many people associate with certain cultures. Are Indians outraged when people immediately think of them when they smell curry? Do Italians become apoplectic when pasta and meatballs are associated with them?

I find it odd that what would be considered basic menu highlights at any Popeye's Louisiana Chicken restaurant, admittedly without the watermelon, is such a racial slur.

Doesn't America need to get past its need to navel gaze and manufacture racism everywhere? I think the people who immediately took offense to this menu are the ones with the racism problems, not the people who thought creating such a menu would be a way to honour and show respect to black history month.
 
Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Ridiculous as this is, it does highlight the undeniable fact that some people will be offended by pretty much anything.

Never have understood what is so insulting about fried chicken and watermelon. Both are yummy.

Am offended because the watermelon made the chicken all soggy!
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Well then, by all means, let the central committee publish a list of culturally acceptable foods that can be served throughout the year.

How about dropping the whole "XYZ History Month" concept all together, and just get back to the concept of educating all?

Would such a thing be possible, or would the mere suggestion smack of Eurocentrism?

Eventually it does get back to Eurocentric. We had a whole chapter and unit about English and Scottish history and who Jethro Tull was (actual guy, not the band). Not that I remember or gave a **** about it then. The history of our dominant culture being an offshoot of European culture...

Example: Who discovered America? You usually hear either Christopher Columbus or the Vikings. But not the people who were already living there, which if it's true that they came over from Asia, wouldn't you think that's a "discovery?"

While the history of white folks here is important, we tend to pretend that it's all there was. History is written by the winners, but we sure know a lot about who lost WWI, right?

We could just followup every lesson about George Washington with watching "Ask a Slave" on youtube.

 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Ridiculous as this is, it does highlight the undeniable fact that some people will be offended by pretty much anything.

Never have understood what is so insulting about fried chicken and watermelon. Both are yummy.

The issue is not whether foods associated with black people are considered "yummy" but over reducing black history month to cartoon stereotypes.

Let's bring it closer to home (at least for me): during a month remembering the Holocaust, a school cafeteria serves gefilte fish and matzo ball soup. I would look at that and think, "You know, I sort of feel like they're missing the point here."
 
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Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

I'm admittedly from the wrong country when it comes to this topic, but why is this such an insult? Here in Canada, and I assume many other places, people of various nationalities open up restaurants and simple eateries that serve what they call traditional, ethnic foods - foods that many people associate with certain cultures. Are Indians outraged when people immediately think of them when they smell curry? Do Italians become apoplectic when pasta and meatballs are associated with them?

I find it odd that what would be considered basic menu highlights at any Popeye's Louisiana Chicken restaurant, admittedly without the watermelon, is such a racial slur.

Doesn't America need to get past its need to navel gaze and manufacture racism everywhere? I think the people who immediately took offense to this menu are the ones with the racism problems, not the people who thought creating such a menu would be a way to honour and show respect to black history month.

Hey John

To save you some time reading through our crap, here is a link about why it is offensive...

Watermelon stereotype - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also, again I'm myself don't think the person who put this together is racist. I think they are just naive to African American culture.
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

The issue is not whether foods associated with black people are considered "yummy" but over reducing black history month to cartoon stereotypes.

Are they really stereotypes if they're true? And for gawd's sake what's wrong with a "sterotype" that says you eat a lot of fried chicken and watermelon? I fail to see the insult in that.

Hispanics eat a lot of tortillas. Asians love their rice. Where's the problem?
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

I'm admittedly from the wrong country when it comes to this topic, but why is this such an insult? Here in Canada, and I assume many other places, people of various nationalities open up restaurants and simple eateries that serve what they call traditional, ethnic foods - foods that many people associate with certain cultures. Are Indians outraged when people immediately think of them when they smell curry? Do Italians become apoplectic when pasta and meatballs are associated with them?

I find it odd that what would be considered basic menu highlights at any Popeye's Louisiana Chicken restaurant, admittedly without the watermelon, is such a racial slur.

Doesn't America need to get past its need to navel gaze and manufacture racism everywhere? I think the people who immediately took offense to this menu are the ones with the racism problems, not the people who thought creating such a menu would be a way to honour and show respect to black history month.

I don't necessarily think it's a racist thing serving fried chicken. I think it's stupid that someone thought this would fly. Did we need to have a black history themed lunch? Could have made it peanut butter sandwiches to celebrate George Washington Carver if you REALLY needed to do that.

We should have Canadian heritage day. We can all say "EH," eat Tim Hortons, and talk about the Habs. :mrgreen: "Oh that Patrick Roy, eh? Give me Terry Sawchuk, now there was a goalie."
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Are they really stereotypes if they're true? And for gawd's sake what's wrong with a "sterotype" that says you eat a lot of fried chicken and watermelon? I fail to see the insult in that.

Hispanics eat a lot of tortillas. Asians love their rice. Where's the problem?

see edit
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

If it is then that's their bad. I take my White, Mexican, and Asian friends there all the time. If someone has a problem with that then I am not hard to find standing at 6'4".

I don't tolerate racism regardless who it is coming from.

So if blacks host a black cultural event you wouldn't expect any outrage but what if a white group hosts such an event or celebrates in the same manner?
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

Hey John

To save you some time reading through our crap, here is a link about why it is offensive...

Watermelon stereotype - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also, again I'm myself don't think the person who put this together is racist. I think they are just naive to African American culture.

Thanks for that, and I appreciate that, but maybe people need to just get over themselves. I happen to love watermelon - I can't get enough of it in the summer and feel awful when the fall arrives and the prices skyrocket and the supply dwindles to almost nothing. I never look at a watermelon as being a symbol of racism. And I'll bet most young people wouldn't look at watermelon as a symbol of racism if self-important **** disturbers didn't insist on pointing it out and screaming racism every single time.

Non-Americans just don't get your constant need to rip open old wounds.
 
Re: Calif. school apologizes for black history lunch menu

So if blacks host a black cultural event you wouldn't expect any outrage but what if a white group hosts such an event or celebrates in the same manner?


You do. It called 4th of July
 
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