Celebrate Black History Month!

If we forbid the preparation and serving of fried chicken and waffles, watermelon — or any other dish remotely historically associated with Black Southern culture — from being served as a dignifying celebratory moment and honorific during Black History Month, we will be unwittingly playing into the hands of racists, to help them accomplish their ultimate objective — exterminating the people they hate, and erasing the associated culture.

That MUST NOT HAPPEN.

Fried Chicken ‘n Waffles with Watermelon, a traditional Southern dish

It was with scornful disdain that I read a few news items about Nyack Middle School in Rockland County, New York, nearby NYC, where food vendor, Aramark, served fried chicken and waffles with watermelon on February 1, the first day of Black History Month. Writing for The Hill, Stephen Neukam wrote that “chicken and waffles with watermelon [are] foods stereotypically associated with Black people,” and that unidentified school administrators had said that Aramark “changed the menu items without telling the school.” The menu had earlier been posted online as being Philly cheese steak, with broccoli, and fresh fruit.

Apparently, some folks got up in arms about that substitution, even after Aramark had apparently asked students if they’d prefer those items. Student Honore Santiago said, “They were asking people if they want watermelon, and I remember being confused because it’s not in season.”

And the now-global 24/7/365 mass media, being what they are — gluttons who thrive on strife and dissention, ever searching for reportage of anything bad or controversial, including inane he-said-she-said tripe, often as so-and-so-Tweeted this, that, or the other, which has no genuine news value, while simultaneously blowing almost all things out of proportion, regardless of their, or the organization’s ideological bent — took that fumbled ball and ran with it.

It doesn’t yet appear that they scored a touchdown, however.

The school’s Principal, David A. Johnson, a Black gentleman, wrote a letter to parents, which stated in part that,

“The offering of chicken & waffles as an entree with watermelon as a dessert on the first day of
Black History Month was inexcusably insensitive and reflected a lack of understanding of our
district’s vision to address racial bias.

“Nyack Public Schools administrators contacted Aramark officials to insist on a mechanism to
avoid a repeat of yesterday’s mistake. The vendor has agreed to plan future menu offerings to
align with our values and our long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion.

“We are extremely disappointed by this regrettable situation and apologize to the entire Nyack
community for the cultural insensitivity displayed by our food service provider.”

Perhaps that now means when National Heritage Week comes again for Jamaicans — who state that “heritage is one of the most crucial parts of our identity as Jamaicans. Heritage celebrations help to preserve this identity and our culture, which sets us apart from all other countries” — Jamaica Jerk Chicken with Beans and Rice cannot be served.

And when Chinese New Year arrives again, Wonton Soup, Kung Pao Chicken, Szechwan Shrimp, Spicy Crispy Beef, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Chinese Fried Rice are all out of the question.

And heaven forbid that, a few days from now, on February 11, when National Foundation Day (kenkoku kinenbi) is celebrated — which, according to the earliest Japanese historical records, was on that day in 660 BC that the first Japanese emperor was crowned — meaning that no sushi, no sashimi, no soy sauce, no chopsticks, no soba noodles, no miso soup with rice, and no sukiyaki may be served.

Which also means no kimchi for our Korean brothers and sisters… no matter how much they may protest, and regardless of the fact that it’s their national dish.

Hopping John is a simple, traditional Southern dish which is made with rice, black-eyed peas, and greens. The first known recipe of Hopping John appeared in an early cookbook entitled “The Carolina housewife, or House and home: by a lady of Charleston” was first published in 1847 and was authored by Sarah Rutledge, who was the daughter of Edward Rutledge, a fellow who signed the Declaration of Independence, though little else is known about her. While the book is widely lauded, even today, and can be downloaded from various sites free of charge, one can expect significant differences in culinary style, from then to now.
Regarding the name of the dish – “Hopping John” – there’s no known etymology for the origin, or derivation of the name, although there’s no shortage of speculation, however absurd. And finally… the original recipe calls for red beans – which are NOT kidney beans. But as any cook worth their salt knows, innovation and change are the name of the game when it comes to the creative aspects of cooking, and over the years, black-eyed peas have become the preferred pea/bean for the dish.

Nope, NO ONE can have any of that.

And HELL TO THE NO for tacos, burritos, salsa, guacamole, margaritas, fajitas, Chili Rellenos, carne asada, quesadillas, Red Pork Pozole, or Enchilada Sauce on Cinco de Mayo.

Do you see how asinine that is?

None of those people groups get up in arms about their culture’s foods, though at one time, or another, they’ve all been subjected to vile racist tropes.

“Stereotypical” food?

Oh, come on!

What kind of cockamamie nonsense is THAT!?!

A food CANNOT be either stereotypical, or racist.

Last February (2022), Boston Globe Columnist Renée Graham wrote about a similarly-related dustup at Xaverian Brothers High School where students — at the suggestion of a Black cafeteria employee — were served fried chicken as part of a Black History Month celebration, and wrote in part that,

Bittersweet

Perhaps you know that I read, and do so widely.

Yesterday, I read something that I found utterly BRILLIANT!

This is but one thought from it.

“To avoid being mistaken for gay, these days many self-proclaimed straight people—men especially—settle for superficial associations with their comrades and reserve the sort of costly intimacy that once characterized such chaste same-sex relationships for their romantic partners alone. Their ostensibly normal sexual orientation cheats them out of an essential aspect of human flourishing: deep friendship.”

As I am now writing these words, another thought came to mind, and it was that I learned a new word recently.

The word is “alexithymia,” and refers to the inability to describe emotions.

The word it self is a fairly new one having emerged circa 1970’s, and examining its component parts, tells us something about its meaning. The prefix “a” means the negation or absence of something, “lexi” means speech, and by extension communication, and “thymia” refers to a noun form meaning a condition being related to the mind and will.

I learned that word after viewing a brief TEDx presentation given by a gent who was presenting the case against the social, colloquial phrase “be a man” – and most all ideas associated with it, which also flow from it – and which as he shared, has significantly contributed to the alienation and isolation of emotions from boys, and the social retardation of the full development of personality and character which otherwise might be more fully developed were they “in tune with” their emotions, and able to describe them.

He made a much better case for emotional support than I’m able to explain here in a few words, but suffice it to say, that the impetus of his idea was that boys’ emotional development is largely (or, at least has been historically, most notably in modernity) socially squelched, and they have not been encouraged to express their emotions, save perhaps, except in sports, which itself is a very narrow expression.

But it was the story and motion picture “Brian’s Song,” about