NBC Cafeteria Celebrates Black History Month With Fried Chicken Special

[MadBadger]

This is from the "Are you fucking kidding me???" file

http://www.mediaite.com/online/nbc-cafeteria-celebrates-black-history-month-with-fried-chicken-special/

So who at NBC thought it would be a good idea for the special today to be, among other things, fried chicken, “in honor of Black History Month”?

Because, spoiler alert – it wasn’t a good idea at all. And now NBCU employee Questlove is bringing it to the attention of his 1 million plus Twitter followers.

Questlove, the band leader and drummer for The Roots (the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon) tweeted this picture from the NBC Commissary at 30 Rock, with the comment: “Hmm HR?”




The chef's response: It’s not trying to offend anybody and it’s not trying to suggest that that’s all that African-Americans eat. It’s just a good meal.

The sign has been removed.

[mucifer]

1. people should eat what they want.

[anonymous171]

10. Cook is black. nt

[mucifer]

12. oops

[BrklynLiberal]

2. What??!! No watermelon? Sometimes unawareness goes beyond belief

[KittyWampus]

28. the irony is rich in your post about unawareness.

[OneBlueSky]

30. damn . . . ya beat me to it . . .

can't have a real black folks' meal without watermelon . . . a black friend of mine told me . . .

and some of my best fri-- . . . oh, never mind . . .

[BrklynLiberal]

72. It never occurred tome that I would actually need these my post

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Lorien]

194. I didn't think you needed it

But I guess the sarcasm impaired were out in force tonight. :shrug:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

85. You beat me to it!

[crikkett]

128. It's out of season, dumbbunny. n/t

[Lorien]

193. Dumbbunny? You're the one not catching the obvious

:sarcasm:

[mdmc]

204. ..

..

[tanyev]

3. Did they set up special tables for them at the back of the cafeteria?

[msongs]

4. 7.50 for aquafina? too much nt

[Cirque du So-What]

36. I think that's for the entire meal

but $7.50 for Aquafina was the first thing I thought when I read the sign too.

[The Straight Story]

5. Would it be ok if he was a black chef? (nt)

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. There's a link to a video in the article and, yes, the "culprit" is African American.

The chef let her put up a menu she thought people would enjoy.

[MadBadger]

8. (s)he should know his audience or people he is cooking for.

He clearly doesnt.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

14. Clearly you haven't followed your own link if you don't know the gender of the person involved.

"(s)he should know his audience or people he is cooking for."

[Dr. Strange]

7. Another link.

One person who doesn't understand how offense could be taken: Chef Leslie Calhoun. It was her decision to select the menu items and create the sign. TheGrio caught up with her minutes after the tweet fiasco erupted and she seemed genuinely upset by the whole thing. Calhoun is an African-American and employee of Flick, a catering service that runs the NBC commissary. She said that for the last eight years she's been seeking approval from Flick management for a special Black History Month menu, and had finally been told that every Thursday for the month of February, she could serve whatever she chose.

http://www.thegrio.com/news/nbc-cook-defends-fried-chicken-choice-for-black-history-month.php

I found another link with some actual information.

Edited, 'cause I mixed up links.

[spiritual_gunfighter]

119. She was black and she didnt see what the big deal was n/t

[Botany]

9. I see no problem with this menu

African Americans have cooked and eaten these foods for years.

The French like cream sauces and souffles.

Mexicans like rice, beans, cheese, and tortillas

The english like :puke:

Nothing wrong with Chicken, greens, and cornbread. Lighten up.

What is next a Po' Boy Sandwich from New Orleans makes fun of the under class?



macaroni and cheese .... a very important dish in many black churches, families, and restaurants.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. Clearly, the nice Black Lady who prepared the menu isn't a culture warrior.

[Botany]

37. I don't know if I should point out that I used to visit a friend in Cincinnati ...

... who I went to college w/ .... he was white like me but we went to a Jazz and Blues club called the
Blue Wisp and afterwords he would drop me off in an all black tough neighborhood and I would
go to K & K ribs and put in a carry out order. The African American owner .... a women in her 60s
liked me and called me "honey child" as she put the order together ...... full slab, mac & cheese, hot sauce,
corn bread, and coleslaw ..... she would act angry if I got the food to go so sometimes we would all eat at
at a corner table in the restaurant.

I treasure those memories.

[paulsby]

20. chris rock makes this very point

but he did it years ago.

in re: african americans and fried chicken

[CatWoman]

68. now get your ass in the kitchen

and bring me back my big piece of chicken!!! :rofl:

[Tutankhamun]

86. Bingo! Exactly! The local swap meet here in SoCal

has many different ethnicities, whose mobile, mini-restaurants serve foods that often correspond with their owners' ethnicities. A Japanese woman makes pretty good teriyaki chicken, a Greek man sells wonderful olive dip, hummus, feta cheese, etc. There's also a black woman who sells (very popular) homemade ribs, chicken, corn bread, etc. under a homemade sign reading, "soul food."

Nobody protests. Not a newsvan or picketer in sight. Maybe it's ownership because the food is obviously made and served by the stand's black owners. Maybe it's the marketing -- many consider "soul food" an authentic cuisine, rather than a crude stereotype designed to offend or appease.

Maybe it's a combination of both marketing AND ownership.

[WolverineDG]

89. My mac & cheese recipe comes from this site

http://www.chitterlings.com/maccaroni.html

It's someone's grandma's recipe & it is DA BOMB!! :9

(but I guess I'm racist for making, serving, & eating this stuff, huh?) :eyes:

dg

[dionysus]

127. oh shit i'm printing that out right now

:)

[EOTE]

134. Not racist. But definitely a bit closer to having a heart attack.

I'll admit, though, it looks pretty damned good.

[WolverineDG]

140. It is

Whenever I make it, it disappears in no-time flat. You just can't stop eating it. :9

dg

[BR_Parkway]

115. I'm with you (and hoping I'm not missing something as a clueless white guy)

but if you're going to be talking about Black History - then cultural or ethnic traditions are a part of it. And it's an African American chef who came up with the menu. Seems like she was trying to celebrate soul food as part of that heritage rather than use it to denigrate any particular group with a stereotype.

Is there this same sort of uproar when they serve corned beef on St Paddy's Day? Or the number of restaurants that focus on fish on Friday's (mostly from areas that had large Catholic populations)

[spiritual_gunfighter]

120. Exactly

The black chef that chose this menu didn't know what was so wrong about it. It is cultural for sure, I grew up in Louisiana and Mississippi and this is what we ate all throughout my childhood. Sounds like a great meal to me.

[Progressive_In_NC]

117. African American's nothing, I'm a white boy from the South

And that sounds down right delicious to me. Bad as possible for me I guess, but that's the food I grew up on since my grandparents were share croppers and that was the food that they grew up on.

[BOSSHOG]

11. A different perspective

I'm a white guy and I'd love to sit down with black employees of NBC and celebrate Black History Month with that meal. I'd like to add fried okra. I'd like to hear from black DUers whether this is offensive or not, because that is some real good eating.

[Kalyke]

40. I'd much rather have the okra than the black-eyed peas.

:hi:

[blondeatlast]

62. Hot okra pickles--oh, yeah! nt

[Shell Beau]

46. That is southern "soul" food as it is called by black and white people

alike. I would also like to have that meal. Mmm mmm good! And yes fried okra could only make it better.

[blondeatlast]

64. And peach cobbler... nt

[Shell Beau]

66. My fave is blackberry cobbler, but I haven't met a cobbler that

I didn't devour. Mmm!! This thread is just making me so hungry for grandma's cookin'.

[WolverineDG]

and hush puppies & fried catfish

but you can have my share of the okra.

dg

[dogday]

107. Add some home-made chow-chow

and I will be there for that dinner... Sounds good to me..

[undeterred]

222. How do you cook chow-chow?

[crikkett]

130. I don't think it's offensive. n/t

[mkultra]

179. im not offended. sounds like soul food to me.

except i personally don't like the greens.

[Mixopterus]

13. So...

Are those things not part of southern African-American cooking? I don't think it's inherently racist.

As I said in the other thread, I wouldn't be offended if people served Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine on special occasions dealing with Jewish culture and heritage.

We had some kind of Cape Verdean awareness stuff some time ago, and they served monchoup and jag and some other staples. I wasn't offended in the slightest (my father's family are some weird Jewish creole mishmash hailing from Cape Verde).

Hey wait, I have some African lineage because of that, and my people were at one the hubs of the slave trade, so I'll give my opinion as a person with recent African-ish heritage:

It's delicious and only as offensive as you (mistakingly) make it.

[Canuckistanian]

22. That's right. It's not a negative stereotype, it's popular food

Would we denigrate Jambalaya or Chitlins for a Cajun-themed dinner? Would that be insulting to Cajuns?

[Mixopterus]

27. Oh jesus no

An enemy of jambalaya is an enemy of mankind.

[Botany]

41. muffaletta .... now there is a sandwich worth dying for

[Shell Beau]

49. Wish I liked olives because my husband orders that at several

places, and it looks so good, but it is ruined by the olive crap they put on it. Of course that is what makes it, or so I am told.

[Canuckistanian]

52. I've never heard of those

Where could one purchase such Ambrosia or is it reserved for the Gods?

[Botany]

58. It is very much a New Orleans / Delta sandwich

The bread to make it is very limited. I have heard of Canjun place in Columbus, OH
that is supposed to make 'em .... .BTW it is in an all black area too. :rofl:

Goes well w/ Zydeco Music and beer ....... need friends too ..... big ass sandwich.

[HeeBGBz]

114. Mmm, big giant Muffaletta

Haven't had one of those in a while.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

33. Caveat: it can be used as a negative stereotype.

Context is everything.

[Canuckistanian]

50. Well, that's true

But only if you let it.

[Raineyb]

210. Generally the group being stereotyped doesn't have much of a choice in the matter.

I see no reason why this particular mean must be featured merely because it's black history month. It wouldn't have caused an eye to bat if it's something that served occasionally on other occasions. The food itself isn't offensive. Tying it to black history month on the other hand makes it suspect. I don't give a damn who is pushing it.

[farmout rightarm]

71. Most anything can be perceived as negative if one's willing to look hard enough.

...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

80. You don't have to look that hard.

[KamaAina]

147. Chitlins wouldn't belong in a Cajun dinner

they're basic non-Louisiana southern soul food.

[Shell Beau]

151. Blech blech blech!! They are southern, but I can only guess they are nasty!

The smell of them cooking is enough to gag me.

[tammywammy]

150. I'm Cajun, and have never had chitlins

I think you're mixing up soul and cajun food there.

[The Straight Story]

15. People should have seen our cinco de mayo menu at Verizon when I worked there, tacos, burritos...

:rofl:

[doc03]

16. Looks like a damn good meal to me, I think people are too

PC today and besides that the cook is African American.

[lynne]

17. I love this menu and it's very appropriate for Black History Month -

- as its "soul food". Soul Food is a huge part of Black American history and culture not to mention its just GOOD EATS!

[KingFlorez]

19. That is the cuisine of the black diaspora here

Every culture has it's cuisine, this is ours. I'm black and don't see a problem with it, I think it's good to see culture embraced.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. Are people unfamiliar with the entire genre of soul food?

Seems like it's a good reason for the continuation of Black History Month.

[supernova]

25. In the south, we just call it food

:D

[Kalyke]

42. LOL... I just said the same thing and hadn't read your post!

:hi:

[Shell Beau]

51. Well I call it southern food or soul food or yes, just supper, and I am as southern

as you can almost get. But it is some good food, no question about that!! :)

[Dappleganger]

77. Good Lord, thank you!

[Dr. Strange]

29. Questlove was quoted as saying...

"i think I need a twitter break. i done started something. and now I must put out fire."

[Kievan Rus]

23. Political correctness gone wild again

This is just going to give Freepers a reason to laugh at us.

[Cirque du So-What]

39. For what? Have any of these posts set off your PC radar?

God forbid we should say anything that sets off the freepers!

[blondeatlast]

They are such sensitive souls, bless their hearts... nt

[KittyWampus]

24. It was Martin Luther King's favorite meal. Oh, and here's Obama & Rev Sharpton enjoying that meal

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XLsmYse0MCw/Sd3hm6J9OSI/AAAAAAAAAtk/a-7OS2964zw/s400/obama+sharpton.jpg

[crikkett]

131. Very nice!

:thumbsup:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

162. OH MY GOD THEY'RE BLACK!!!

THE SHAME! THE HORROR!

[Throd]

26. This looks like a good opportunity for some white people to be offended on behalf of black people.

All I see is what looks like a damn good meal.

[proteus_lives]

31. +1 On both points.

[Fridays Child]

185. Agreed.

[blondeatlast]

67. Yup. nt

[Zywiec]

81. +1

[Robb]

83. +Lots. nt

[SidDithers]

121. Well said...nt

Sid

[izzybeans]

169. Exactly.

[mkultra]

180. and let me say thanks white folks, but i think this one is fine.

i feel warm and protected by my white brothers and sisters.

[MellowDem]

196. Wanda Sykes brought it up last night on Leno...

so I guess that makes at least one black person who was offended by it. It's a good opportunity for whites and blacks with no real understanding of race or racism to show their ignorance.

[Behind the Aegis]

201. Was she really offended?

http://www.timesoftheinternet.com/briefs/wanda-sykes-enjoys-nbcs-black-history-month-menu/

She is a comedienne.

[MellowDem]

217. I think so...

comedians often will make fun of what they consider to be offensive. You can probably find the clip and decide for yourself. I don't think she was incredibly offended, but the idea was that it was improper.

[Raineyb]

211. Pot meet kettle.

So now you're saying that black people who may be offended by it have no interest in racism and YOU are going to school them? How bloody privileged of you.

Of course you have no bloody understanding of racism but you're going to lecture someone on what it is?

Your slip is showing.

[MellowDem]

218. I don't know where you got that idea...

I was pointing out that it isn't just whites who were offended by this, that's all. You may want to refer to the post I was responding to for context. The idea was that generally only whites would be offended by this, because they are race ignorant, and feel like they must always get easily offended at anything remotely race related on behalf of blacks. I was just pointing out that some blacks were offended by this also, so I guess, according that that argument, they would have to be ignorant too.

Really though, I'm sick of all posts that call out a generic "whites" or "blacks". I think the vast majority are incredibly poorly thought out, to say the least.

[WildEyedLiberal]

225. +10000

[emilyg]

32. Nothing wrong with it. Delicious.

[anonymous171]

34. Black people are not allowed to serve or eat fried chicken because that is racist

[Mixopterus]

35. Lol

The SO says that if we had some awareness month for Pacific Native Americans and they served frybread and people got pissed she would, and I quote:

"Tell people to back off my frybread".

[supernova]

48. And how come we don't have an Eat Poi Month!

[Kalyke]

38. How is this offensive?

That is classic soul food, enjoyed by both black and white Southerners on a regular basis... well except for the Jalapeno corn bread. In the South, our cornbread doesn't contain hot crap OR sugar. Cornbread is supposed to be bland to sop up juices.

I'm a fairly picky eater and would eat everything on this menu except for the fake cornbread and the black-eyed peas (never been much of a fan of their aftertaste).

I'm white and rejoice in the gifts that my black brethren bestowed upon us in terms of flavor and diversity. Even if I can't eat pork (allergic), I still see the inherit thriftiness (failure to waste) and originality (turning every-day foods into something tasty) that is soul food.

I realize this may seem offensive to my Northern DU friends, but I can assure you it's not. The South, despite many on this board's best efforts to make us all seem racist, has integrated black-American cuisine into our our everyday lives, which is a testament to our actual diversity down here. You think it's racist... we Southerners just call it food.

[supernova]

45. GMTA!

:rofl:

[Botany]

47. Great Post

But I still don't get grits.



BTW Black eyes slow cooked w/ ham hocks :9

[Kalyke]

53. You're in Ohio, right?

You've probably only had instant. The real ones that take FOREVER to cook (see "My Cousin Vinnie") are delicious.

Nothing like old corn dried out with lye. :rofl:

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

199. Hey, I'm from Ohio and i LOVE grits.

None of that instant shit either. Some butter, salt and a dash of pepper. Shrimp is acceptable.
and grits take just long enough to cook to make an omlette while they're simmering :?

[Shell Beau]

63. Grits are oh so yummy. And IMO, sugar doesn't belong in them either.

Butter, salt and pepper. Cheese can be added. And garlic. Mmmm! So many things to do with grits too. Shrimp-n-grits!!! OMG! My mouth is watering.

[glowing]

75. Shrimp n grits.. low country food. My husband and I make the best.

Real grits w/ the cheese... We use the cast iron skillet that you never "wash" that continues to flavor everytime you cook in it.. Now that you said shrimp n' grits, we are going to have to make them. (We moved to FL and couldn't find it anywhere that tasted good.. so we only cook it ourselves). Where we were from, it was every where and soooo good.

[Shell Beau]

82. It is easy to find around here in mid Mississippi, but you are so

right about the skillet. You season it and leave it. Sounds nasty I guess, but I think us southerners know what we are doing when it comes to yummy food!! Send some of your shrimp and grits my way please!!! ;)

[glowing]

94. My sis n law has her Grandmother's cast iron skillet.. 3 generations of seasoning.

I'm sure mine will be passed down when I'm dead too.

[Mamacrat]

171. Use a whisk.

Use a whisk to whip some air into those grits!

[WolverineDG]

92. Fried grits, with syrup & butter

mmmmmm.......you don't know what you're missing, Bot....

dg

[Shell Beau]

55. Oh no no no!!!! In the south the cornbread can and often does

contain hot crap. Sugar? Hell no! But jalapenos,corn, and cheese make an already delicious cornbread even yummier!!! But yes to the rest of your post!!

[Kalyke]

56. I've seen it that way (with the heat and corn and cheese), but I

still consider that a relatively new recipe.

But putting sugar in cornbread is just.. it's just... wrong. It's sac-religious! It's EVIL!! :evilgrin:

[Shell Beau]

59. Sugar belongs in cake not cornbread!!! At least good cornbread!!

:)

[Zomby Woof]

60. Amen!

Buttermilk, white corn meal, eggs, bacon fat, and just a little bit of vegetable oil... in a CAST IRON SKILLET.

[Shell Beau]

61. The only way!!!!

:) Or at least the best way!

[Zomby Woof]

69. Don't look now

But I think some "high-minded" Yankees just got pwned in this thread. ;-)

[blondeatlast]

84. Bless their dear little hearts... nt

[WolverineDG]

141. It is new

My mom made corn bread her whole life, but only in the 70's, after we moved to South Texas, did she start adding jalepenos to the recipe. So jalepeno cornbread is essentially soul food meeting Tex-Mex. :)

dg

[tammywammy]

90. I was making cornbread the other day and a friend asked me if I put honey in the batter

My reply "HELL NO I don't put no honey in my cornbread. Damn Yankees"

He said his family did that and they lived in Oklahoma (he lives in California) and I said "well they sure had hell had some yankee in them, cause no true southerner does sweet cornbread."


I do like jalapeno cornbread or as some say "Mexican cornbread."

[blondeatlast]

206. Kansas here--sweet in cornbread? HELL NO. nt

[crikkett]

132. .

(dupe)

[slutticus]

43. Just some good Soul Food.

Probably should have thought this one through a bit more, but I don't see any malice here.

[Socal31]

44. I dont see a real problem*

Not all stereotypes are negative. Some are just there. I'm white and I love some damn hot fresh fried chicken.

A segment of society likes to paint any cultural identifiers as somehow racist or negative. Some obviously are, but not all.


*if it is some asshat in the back with a white sheet on, then I would have a problem with it

[seabeyond]

54. black people are allowed to eat fried chicken, surely we havent gone that far. it is a southern meal

fried chicken about has to be on the menu

[Coyote_Bandit]

57. Yuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I grew up eating that kind of food. Good stuff. I have the palest of pale lilly white skin. I don't see anything offensive about the sign but then I grew up in a culture where everyone regardless of race pretty much ate that kind of food. Seems to me that some folks are either (1) ignorant of the fact that many non-black folks eat this kind of food and/or (2) projecting their own sterotypes onto this menu.

[mainer]

65. If they served tacos for Cinco de Mayo? Won ton for Chinese New Year?

I don't think that would offend anyone, would it?

[Spokker]

112. Brown people!

I attended Cinco de Mayo a few times on Olvera Street in Los Angeles and there were many Hispanic stereotypes on display. But you know what stereotypes you didn't see? You didn't see people killing each other. You didn't see people stealing from each other. You didn't see people fighting. You saw good music, good food and people having fun in peace.

When I see stereotypes about tacos and sombreros and mariachis, I say big fucking deal. All of those things can be found on Olvera Street. It's the stereotype that I can't work at your company because you think I'm lazy based solely on my background even though I'm clearly qualified that bothers me.

Though I am pretty lazy. But you'd have to hire me to figure that one out!

[farmout rightarm]

70. The chef is right, it's just a (DAMN) good meal.

:shrug:

[goldcanyonaz]

73. Fuckers, they shoulda served waffles with em.

Only white people get upset about stupid shit like this.

[Quantess]

74. I'm so glad this is the biggest outrage happening right now.

Thank god we don't have swelling ranks of unemployed workers, millions of Americans without health insurance, or Haitians dying slowly in rubble.

What a relief that a tasty southern style meal is all people have to be upset about.

[mzteris]

76. idiot -

it should have been cracklin' cornbread!

Seriously - I'm surprised he didn't put f'ing watermelon on there!

:banghead:

How f'ing ignorant can some people be?? Did he think he was being funny or what?

[Zomby Woof]

78. Um

You should have read this thread before replying. The identity of the chef has been revealed, and she is neither a "he" nor white.

[mzteris]

88. it still seems a bit

"racist" to me.

I wouldn't allow my black employees to use the "n" word, either.

[WolverineDG]

99. Only on DU would a black woman be called a racist

because of a menu she selected & prepared.

:eyes:

dg

[mzteris]

101. obviously she's not a "racist"

but "internalized racism" (bell hooks) definitely plays a role in perpetuating racism.

[WolverineDG]

103. How white of you

to go tell a black woman she's "perpetuating" racism...bet she doesn't know she's "internalized" it...why don't you go tell her?

FFS, this has got to be the stupidest crap I've ever heard.

You might also want to clue in Wanda Sykes, who thinks it's now okay for her to go buy a whole watermelon at the grocery store.

dg

[mzteris]

122. have you ever read bell hooks?

obviously not...

[WolverineDG]

135. Why don't you go teach this black chef about just how racist she is

since you know everything about it & this poor woman doesn't know she's a perpetrator. :eyes:


dg

[mzteris]

154. "internalized racism" is

a real problem in the black community. Again, don't take my word for it - there are plenty of African American's who have written a whole damn lot on the subject...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

158. Huh.

What else do you think the problems with black people are?

[mzteris]

161. idiot white people. n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

163. How ironic.

[ieoeja]

170. While I believe you missed the mark with this sub-thread in general...

... *this* post had me laughing out loud.

:)


Come St Patty's Day everyone will break out the corned beef and drink like a fish. Back when "Irish need not apply", stereotypes like these were used to reinforce the notion that "they're different" (which was really just a version of anti-Catholicism). Today, they are used to celebrate the contributions of that particular ethnicity to our society.

That, and as an excuse to get drunk.

Yes, fried chicken and watermelon style humor can probably still be found out there somewhere. But for the most part that particular bigotry has gone the way of the dinosaur. The last dozen times I've heard some idjit try that everyone responded, "I love fried chicken too. So what's your point?" As an attempt to reinforce the notion that "they're different", it completely and totally backfired. It actually points out how blacks and whites are more alike than different.

When my black in-laws visited my parents' farm the day after the wedding, my mom didn't think anything about serving fried chicken and, yes, watermelon. Because it was Labor Day weekend when we *always* ate fried chicken and watermelon. We and 90% of rural, white people. She did get embarassed when someone pointed out how the in-laws might have taken it. I was assured by my wife that, yes, the thought did cross their minds. But they also knew that this is typical farm food (when it is watermelon season) and figured that was all there was to it given an otherwise absence of assholiness.

[mzteris]

176. "But for the most part that

particular bigotry has gone the way of the dinosaur. "

where do you live? Cause I can assure you that in the deep south, racist jokes have not gone away. Neither has racism and discrimination and segregation. Hell, it's in the North, too - they just do a better job of hiding it.

Yeah, it'll be great when the day comes that food is just food and doesn't carry the baggage, but right now, it does. It really does. At least in some parts of the country. :shrug: YMMV.

[Spokker]

195. But what does that have to do with this woman and *her* food?

Some people are ignoring and insulting the experiences of many of us who grew up in diverse communities and have no hate in their hearts for any race, because they are able to see the follies of their own people as well as the follies of other people.

I would say that people like us are more sensitive to race precisely because we don't call racism at the drop of a hat. We try to learn more before we judge the content of a person's character. At the end of the day, we don't always know what's truly in someone's heart.

Sometimes a joke is just a joke and sometimes it's some racist bullshit. And sometimes a fried chicken wing is just a fried chicken wing. That's the situation here regardless of what is happening in the South or the North.

I've been called a faggot and a spic many times in my life, yet it has not turned me into a bitter old paranoid race-baiting idiot. It does not make sense to put any race on a pedestal, give any race any advantages or disadvantages, especially when the United States is quickly becoming divided not into black and white, but rich and poor with no in between. This country is as full of broke ass white people as it is broke ass blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans. And when we're all out of a job and struggling to pay the bills, will we still be bickering about what an old dickhead on the radio said, what's on the menu at NBC and whether or not Bill Cosby should have made that pound cake speech?

There's a great movie called Blue Collar that I think you should watch. Give a new way of thinking a try. The old way hasn't gotten us that far.

[PVnRT]

209. Well, there's all that music, for one thing

It causes black basketball players to pull guns on each other.

[WolverineDG]

168. Soundfs like this lady needs you to teach her what a victim she is

I guess you think she's too stupid to know she's being racist.

dg

[mzteris]

177. read the book hon -

bell hooks. You might find it enlightening.

[WolverineDG]

181. Get with the program, sugar

It's food, we all eat it, & you're just about the only one who's getting all bent out of shape over it.

dg

[mzteris]

183. at this point -

you aren't talking about food. You're attacking me for my POV. Your inability to comprehend the topic of internalized racism is based on the fact that you truly know nothing about the topic. Again, I suggest you do some studying up on the issue.

[MellowDem]

197. "How white of you"

is a bigoted statement in and of itself. If anything, you were meaning to say how ignorant of you, but since you used that phrase instead, you come across as the bigoted and ignroant one.

[Raineyb]

212. Actually he was making a comment of both ignorance AND privilege.

And privilege has a distinct hue (or lack there of) in this country. But then YOU are not really a good person to point out anything to do with bigotry what with your own issues with privilege and prejudice.

[MellowDem]

216. Ah... so "white"

means you automatically are ignorant and privileged, in this case. It's funny to see you defend these bigoted phrases. If you want to say that someone is ignorant and privileged, you just say it, you don't supplant it with "white", unless you yourself like to be bigoted.

[Hannah Bell]

109. eating fried chicken & greens = "internalized racism"? but only if you're black?

is that what they teach at them charter schools?

[Zomby Woof]

105. Wow, your conscience must be gnawing at you

Equating a culturally/regionally-based choice of cuisine with the usage of a derogatory slur. You put the 'jerk' in 'knee-jerk'.

I bet you're fun at parties.

[mzteris]

123. you are way off base.

My son is black. I have studied and had countless in-depth discussions with African Americans - including a former Black Panther - about Racism and discrimination in America.

Evidently I wasn't the only one to equate same. So if a "white chef" had done it would it still be ok? Really?

[WolverineDG]

137. It's food that everyone eats

Just because YOU think only blacks eat fried chicken & collard greens doesn't make it true. Show this menu to anyone from the South & their first thought would be "Damn, must be some important meal. They're serving TWO meats."

:eyes:

dg

[mzteris]

155. I'm FROM the south, honey

that's how come I knows about all dos damn JOKES about food and African Americans. :eyes:

And I grew up eating all the same foods. It is totally ironic on the part of Southerners to make those jokes, considering their own diet.

You don't understand my point, and, I suspect will make no attempt whatsoever to try and comprehend what I'm saying. . .

[WolverineDG]

175. I'm from the South, too, Sugar

and I *never* heard those jokes when I was growing up because we all were eating the same things. So forgive me for not thinking that fried chicken & collard greens are exclusively black foods.

:eyes: Funny how we didn't know how racist we all were until someone from the outside came & told us how horrible we were for serving & eating the stuff.

And no, I don't understand your point. You are attempting to demonize good food to satisfy some need to feel superior to those of us who look at that meal & only think "Yum."

dg

[mzteris]

178. what part of the south

and how old are you?

Ity's not the "food" per se - it's the OH it's BLACK HISTORY MONTH so we gots to have fried chicken and cornbread.

Now I do understand that the chef didn't MEAN it that way, but heck a lot of people don't mean nuthin' by using the "n" word or or telling a little racist joke - i mean - c'mon - it's just a JOKE!!! right?


Question - why aren't you dogging out the other people who have expressed they are offended by this, eh?

[WolverineDG]

182. I am so done with you

I know I know, only YOU understand racism (because you've read some books & talked to some people) & how it affects black people & how they need you to point it out to them. If you can't see just how patronizing your view is, you are truly out of touch with reality.


dg

[mzteris]

184. oooooooooo - really? loll

So, you didn't answer the question - what part of the south are we talking about? What time period did you grow up in?

The fact that you didn't answer those questions say much.

No, it's not only I that understands racism - a lot of people do. You, however, don't see to be one of them.

[WolverineDG]

186. I'm not the only one who's pointed out how patronizing you are nt

[blondeatlast]

207. Well, bless your heart... nt

[Zomby Woof]

143. Ooo! That's just one step above "some of my best friends are black!"

That being said, so fucking what? If all you have to fall back on is a hypothetical "white chef" scenario and a defense of "my son is black!" and "I've had a lot of discussions with my black friends!" (which you *think* gives you extra-special insight and uber-liberal sensitivity on the black experience in America, but you would be VERY wrong, and in reality it all just makes you a sanctimonious scold), you have already lost the argument.

Extra bonus points for the implication that the chef is a self-hating African American woman who would be lost without your white liberal guilt to enlighten her. Nothing like patronizing white liberals to tell African Americans "their place", eh?

[mzteris]

157. You indicated I was racist.

I'm not - which I think is amply illustrated by the fact that my son is black.

I'm here to tell you that I grew up racist. I grew up in GA and Alabama. I grew up with racism and all it's ugliness.

I overcame my racism. Quite frankly, I worked at it to rid myself of the thoughts that had been pounded into me by my environment.

Yeah - I HAVE spent a great deal of time and study and conversation on blacks in America. On racism. On being a black man.On driving while black. On every single issue that is important to African Americans. This wasn't casual conversation - I wanted - nay, I NEEDED - to learn everything I could. To try and understand everything that African Americans go through, think, feel, etc - so I could help my son grow up proud and cognizant of the issues in the AA community.

I'll say it one more time, I learned of "internalized racism" from a Black Culture class taught by a professor who was a Black Panther and is still a huge activist. bell hooks is a very good source for reading and understanding about this issue. It is a very real issue.

Now, really, I think you are way out of ilne. I am NOT the only one to be leary of the action - in fact, quite a few AA are upset by it as well. Who are YOU to tell them they can't be upset, eh?

[Zomby Woof]

187. You're not racist

But you are one of those patronizing phony "liberals".

[WolverineDG]

100. Get your panties in a bunch much?

:eyes:

or just trying to raise your liberal "street cred" by getting all bent out of shape over food?

dg

[mzteris]

124. my liberal "street cred"?

how so very "civil" of you.

You know nothing about me and my background so please, don't embarrass yourself any further and just - - - hush.

[WolverineDG]

138. Oh yeah, I saw your "I have 1000 black friends" post

Please. Do stop embarrassing yourself & just --- hush.

dg

[mzteris]

160. I'm not embarrassed in the least.

I know who I am and what I stand for and yeah - I think I do know a bit more about racism than YOU do. You are being quite insensitive in my book - bordering on insulting.

[Spokker]

224. Insulting you appears to be the objective.

Whether you know more about racism than anybody here or not, I can't imagine how you could make that determination on an Internet forum.

[bridgit]

79. Soooo you........don't like soul food er'sumpt'em?

http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/soul.html :shrug:

[WolverineDG]

87. Around my house, that's called "Sunday dinner"

Didn't know I was making a racist meal.

Of all the things to bust a gut over.

:eyes:

dg

[tammywammy]

91. I'm not a fan of collard greens

But the rest is yummy. That's some good eating right there.

[WolverineDG]

93. The only thing I want to hear about this meal:

"Tuck in!" :9

dg

[tammywammy]

144. I saved your link for mac & cheese

I've been dying to try this one:

http://www.wchstv.com/gmarecipes/rainbowmacandcheese.shtml

Over-the-Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese
From Patti LaBelle's Labelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Muenster cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup (8 ounces) Velveeta, cut into small cubes
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a deep 2 and a half quart casserole.

2. Bring a large pot of slated water to a boil over high heat. Add the oil, then the elbow macaroni, . and cook until the macaroni is just tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well. Return to the cooking pot.

3. In a small saucepan, melt 8 tablespoons of the butter. Stir into the macaroni. In a large bowl, mix the Muenster, mild and sharp cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheeses. To the macaroni, add the half-and-half, 1 and a half cups of the shredded cheese, the cubed Velveeta, and the eggs. Season with the salt and pepper.

4. Transfer to the buttered casserole. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.

5. Bake until it's bubbling around the edges, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

[Sebastian Doyle]

167. I was with you up until the Velveeta

That shit's not even cheese. More like synthetic orange rubber cheese substitute. :puke:

[tammywammy]

191. Yeah, but it's VELVETTA

it doesn't matter that it's fake cheese, this is the South. :)

[glowing]

95. Those are my favs... Especially when I have the greens fresh out of my own garden.

[Mamacrat]

174. I prefer turnip greens.

I prefer turnip greens maybe with a little mustard greens mixed in. In any case, try some pepper vinegar (like Texas Pete's) on your greens. It's not too hot and tones down the bitter flavor a bit if it has any.

[petronius]

97. A menu like that is exactly the thing to bust a gut over

:9

[WolverineDG]

98. lol

Dig in!

dg

[blondeatlast]

208. Yup. For my family, the best part of the chicken was the gravy 'n biscuits! nt

[Lisa0825]

96. kick.... to top the dup.nt

[OnyxCollie]

102. No waffles? Pfft.

Mmm, collard greens and jalapeno cornbread.

[cbdo2007]

104. Geez, even Michael Jackson liked fried chicken.

[ddeclue]

106. That isn't some photoshop?

OMG...

[LTR]

108. Aquafina??? F*** that -- gimme malt liquor!!!

:sarcasm:

Sorry, but I'm just not that offended by anything anymore. I have given up on mockrage. Once Sarah Palin jumped into the act, I realized that I just don't give a shit anymore.

[Quantess]

110. ...and menthol cigarettes, too.

You aren't the only one tired of "mockrage", as you put it. At a time like this, when so many things in the world are going wrong, few people have any outrage to spare for silly nonsense like this.

[LTR]

133. Newport 100s! In a box!

And give me a couple Black n' Milds too!

[Spokker]

111. White people!

It seems like the people who get most outraged over this stuff are white people who grew up with other white people in the suburbs and the only time they ever saw a non-white person was when they saw the hotel workers when their parents took them to Disney World.

Well, my poor Hispanic family never went to Disney World, we went to KNOTT'S BERRY FARM.

Having grown up in a diverse environment this kind of outrage is so foreign to me. I've spoken to people who I grew up with about this very issue and they just don't care about this trivial shit. We went to public school. Our circle of friends were Hispanic, white, black and Asian. Our neighbors were Hispanic, white, black and Asian.

I think the problem is that these outraged whites grew up in secluded suburbs, gated communities and private schools, and they have no real experience with race. They get out into the real world and somehow get it into their head that "STEREOTYPE = BAD NO MATTER WHAT" and feel compelled to display outrage for us when we never even asked them to. The rest of us have been joking around with stereotypes all our lives and we still got along.

Attacking the "BLACKS EAT FRIED CHICKEN LOL" or the "MEXICANS EAT TACOS LOL" or the "INDIAN HOUSES SMELL FUNNY LOL" stereotypes isn't going to change the world. The real insipid racism out there is an aversion to offering anybody who is different than you a job you earned, a spot in school you earned, or feel some real fear that you'll do something to them just because of what you look like (though if you look like a fucking cholo, expect not to get hired for anything). When an interviewer decides not to consider hiring a person because of the color of their skin, they aren't thinking about stupid stereotypes they heard on a George Lopez special, they are thinking about some kind of fucked up shit I can't or even want to try to understand. It means nothing to me.

Put the fried chicken in my taco and spread around some curry sauce on that bitch and serve it up for White Liberal Guilt Month.

[shondradawson]

149. You and I have a similar background

I was raised in a "multicultural" community and public school as well. I know how trivial the "outrage" behind what foods are attributed to certain races is. Growing up, it was a common joke among friends, the kinds of foods we expected each other to like. When the Mexicans grabbed for fried chicken, Blacks ordered tacos, and the Asians bought corndogs while the Whites ate lo mein, we jabbed at each for being "out of line," or causing a "race war."

I agree with you: there is a sheltered suburban hypersensitivity going on in threads like this. They would be shocked to stupor to encounter what real racism is...

As for the soul food menu, I love the post from the "White boy from the South," who was not the least bit uncomfortable with the OP, only hungry! (laughter) It needs to be remembered (or simply known) that White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian people in the South all eat what is known (outside of the sheltered suburbs) as soul food. It really is simply Southern cooking, and yes, it is delicious!

Your subject heading caught my attention, as well, it does sum up this whole thread in two words...

Thank you for your post.

[MyNameGoesHere]

153. White Liberal Guilt Month. HAHA love it. n/t

[BlueStater]

113. Black people like fried chicken just as white people do.

This nonsense has to stop.

[RedCappedBandit]

159. Seriously - my question is who the hell *doesn't* like fried chicken?

[Mudoria]

116. Looks like the Sunday menu

at any restaurant in the South (or any other day of the week for that matter). And you'll find blacks and whites shoveling it down with a glass of iced tea. Good eating....

[Balbus]

118. Sounds like a fantastic meal.

Nothing wrong with this - I'm in.

[DonCarnage]

125. Have we gotten so insane so fast?

I just came across this thread as I was moving thru the site and had to respond.
I have never posted before so you can guess how strongly I feel about the subject.

If you had done some homework or used some common sense you might realize that the
person who proposed this menu was herself African-American and from the South. She
had been fighting to put this on the menu for Black History Month for years and was
happy that she could share the food she enjoyed in her own childhood. Believe it or
not the menu above is Southern Cooking and, Yes, many Black people do eat it. If you
want to see a similiar menu why don't you go to Sylvia's restaraunt in NYC or any
Southern restaraunt. By similiar thinking should I protest when they portray Italians
eating pasta? Serving corned beef & cabbage on St.Patricks? Relate Curry to India?
Rice to China? Haggis to Scotland? Encheladas to Mexico? Has the Cult of Sensitivity
gotten so out of hand that we cannot simply state the obvious? In the last year I
have seen Midgets protest the use of the word 'Midget', as if "Little People" isn't
even more condescending? "Retarded" and "Cripple" are now being protested. We have gone
through so many changes for refering to African Americans that it borders on the ridiculous.
Are we to become so paralized with the thought of offending the few easily-offened, overly-
cautious people with a tearing desire to be seen by other people as politically sensitive
that we actually have to gut our dictionary and consult lawyers before speaking to each
other? Or can we speak and act with eachother as reasonable human beings who come from
different, and often amazing, cultures forgiving and correcting mis-information as we go?

I am a Brooklyn Italian-American. I have seen my 'People' portrayed as priests and gangsters.
We are shown talking with horrible 3rd-grade accents and vocabularies, scratching ourselves,
drinking wine, eating pasta constantly, and shooting eachother in restaraunts. I cannot say
I like it all (I personally thing Steven Segal should just go away) but I take it with a
grain of salt knowing that no one I have ever met or dealt with has ever treated me any
differently because I order red wine with dinner. There are, of course, stereo-types that
should be squashed. The one where Italian American men cannot keep their hands off their
crotches might be a good start.

But can we please be realistic?

[jobwithout]

126. There is a reason we call it soul food

I am black and it doesn't offend me.

[crikkett]

129. I was beginning to think that nobody remembered it was Black History Month - since

this is the first mention I've seen of it in any news outlet whatsoever.

[EOTE]

136. Seems like a damned good and tasty deal to me.

I'm fairly sure this is in New York City which would make it an even better deal. You're not going to get that much food anywhere else in the city for that price.

[Toucano]

139. How embarrassing for Questlove.

Such an idiotic thing to object to.

[4_TN_TITANS]

142. Fried chicken and greens sound good to me

and I'm not even black!

[rcrush]

145. lol

Thats pretty funny.

[wowimthere]

146. Since when did fried chicken and collard greens become bad representative foods? It's just food.

What is the DEAL? Collard greens are good for you. And I don't know anyone who doesn't like fried chicken. I wish people would stop this.

[msanthrope]

148. Now, I'm hungry. This isn't racist. An AffirmativeAction Bake sale

like James O'Keeffe did is racist.

[MyNameGoesHere]

152. So serving soul food is racist? n/t

[Fire1]

156. Hey!! You forgot the chitlins!!! Get back here!!! n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

164. What, no watermelon???

I mean if you're gonna go with a racist ass sterotype, you might as well go all the way. :eyes:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

165. Well, here we are again.

I'm going to make the same point now that I made the last time this stupidity came up:

IT'S FOOD.

The negative connotations associated with eating this food were created by racists in order to stigmatize African-Americans and make them feel ashamed of their heritage and culture. So you can either let the racists have their fun, freak out and go "OMG! OMG! SO OFFENSIVE!" or you can ignore their stupidity, embrace this food (by eating it - ALL of it) and tell the racist jerks to fuck right off. There isn't a damn thing wrong with this food, there isn't a damn thing wrong with eating it, and honestly there isn't a damn thing wrong with associating it with southern African-American culture. It's just food. And we should ignore the people who want to turn it into something else.

[Rhiannon12866]

166. We used to have theme nights in my college dining hall.

And I remember an African American themed night where they offered similar foods. I remember sitting with an African American professor and his wife on one of those nights who came there just because of what they were serving. They really enjoyed it and I learned a little something about those foods while sitting and talking with them... :-)

[Behind the Aegis]

200. Very good point you make:

"I remember sitting with an African American professor and his wife on one of those nights who came there just because of what they were serving. They really enjoyed it and I learned a little something about those foods while sitting and talking with them..."

Seems this nonsense comes up ever year. Yes, there are those racists that use this food as some "insult" to Black folk (i.e. the watermelon patch in the front yard of the White House cartoon), but in reality, it is "Black" food in some respects; more properly, it is Southern food. I would wager those professors told you the history of those foods and the importance of them to the slaves. It involved the economics and logistics of available food sources for slaves.

I can see how some would find offense. I can even see how it could be used to be offensive. However, this discussion would not really merit much discussion if during Hispanic/Latino history month foods like tacos, burritos, beans and cheese, rice-based meals, and other such dishes were served (though they would more than likely be the Americanized versions).

[Romulox]

172. Not racist, just insensitive and uncreative.

At those prices in NYC, my guess is that the ingredient selection the cooks have to work with is limited.

[Mamacrat]

173. Context.

I think the reason some people think it could be racist is the context, as someone above noted. I'm thinking of groups like those white boys a year or so ago who held a MLK party and served all of these foods (and probably watermelon) and dressed up as black people, meaning in this case rappers and drug dealers. (They lost their chapter or got thrown off of campus, IIRC.) So, in that context the food was offensive. So, I cringe a little when I see something like this. Also, many white people celebrate holidays like Cinco de Mayo for fun and eat Mexican food, but there are a lot of white people who are very offended by the celebration of AA History Month and MLK day. So, in that regard I can see how it's different and more likely to be offensive.

[stlsaxman]

188. I'd LOVE to have a big plate of those Greens w/ smoked turkey!

I don't give a fuck WHAT color i am!

[CoffinEd]

189. Let's see what the chef will be cooking next Thursday

After all, Black History Month lasts for nearly a full month and she was given permission to cook whatever she wants to for the next several Thursdays. And if she decides to cook more of the same fare in "honor" of the month, then I think the Chef needs to take a refresher cooking course to broaden her horizons.

[Forkboy]

190. You can tell I live in New England. I don't even know what collard greens are.

I'm assuming it's a vegetable, which explains my ignorance. :)

And no matter how good that meal may be, I can never forgive the South for scrapple....

:hide:

[Zomby Woof]

192. This thread is now the Greatest Fried Chicken Flame War in DU History

Since, as I have pointed out too many times to count, the Lounge "corn flake fried chicken" war was a phony (I know this because I helped start it, but that's a long story for another time).

[blondeatlast]

221. Someone upthread did mention putting velveeta in mac and cheese...

:evilgrin:

[garethc2009]

198. Humor Fail

It was obviously meant to be funny, but kind of missed the mark. Still I don't think anyone should be fired over this. We should all learn to take ourselves less seriously.

[Bill McBlueState]

202. You know what's interesting about this thread?

Of all the people who have responded, there are one (maybe two) posters who agree that it was racist to serve soul food for Black History Month. Even on a site full of crazy leftists like me. So it's hard to point to this discussion as an example of Misplaced Liberal Outrage™.

[mdmc]

203. All the black churches use the same menu for their take out dinner fundraisers

Every so often one of the local churches has a "take home dinner fundraiser". You order your meal and they deliver it to you for $10.00. I usually give them a $20.oo.

[Stephanie]

205. Here's the menu from Sylvia's, the most famous restaurant in Harlem:

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/sylvias/menus/main.html

[AngryAmish]

213. Notwithstanding the racial overtones, I love fried chicken

Pollo Campenero is half a mile away. A near constant temptation.

[varelse]

214. The food is not what is offensive - it's all actually really good, healthy food

the stereotyping and the label are what offend. It was not necessary, and it obviously was not amusing to enough people that it was removed.

[onager]

215. That's just Southern food, not "black" food.

I'm a Seriously White guy and I grew up eating all that stuff in South Carolina. I wish I had a mess of it right now.

Oh, except for that Aquafina water. I know Southerners are stereotyped as dumb, but we ain't dumb enough to pay for water in a fancy plastic bottle.

Our water came from a well dug by my grandfather, my father...and several of our black neighbors. I helped dig that well, but since I was about 4 years old, my primary jobs were Getting In The Way and Asking Irritating Questions.

This story sure is full of irony. A female African-American cook, who probably put up with a ton of shit to get where she is today, being attacked as "insensitive" by employees of the mainstream media.

Personally, I think this is a northern liberal plot to force-feed us some sort of NooVoo Cuisine crap. Probably a nice healthy dish of boiled seaweed and Long Island Whitefish.

[Name removed]

219. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[randr]

220. Want to bet on what they serve at Columbus Day dinners?

[undeterred]

223. Indians?

American Indians, of course.