Running racism in America thread

“The man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.”

― Muhammad Ali


I'm re-reading The Sun Also Rises.
It's copyright is 1926, making it 97 years old, and I am a firm believer in not judging historical ideals by modern standards.
But dang.
At the start of chapter 8, it drops the n-word 14 times on one page.
I'm sure the 20-something me that read it the first time probably gave some sort of Beavis and Butt-Head chuckle.
Now, sitting alone in the dark in my living room reading it, the 50-something me is thinking "Oh gosh." "Oh my" Cringe. "That's bad."

 

Racist stereotypes are just more stupid than racist. Black people like fried chicken. So do white people. Chicken and waffles is just a 21st-century take on the same stupid stereotype.

Nobody has mentioned Red Kool-Aid yet. Not strawberry or cherry or punch flavor. Just Red.

Or "welfare burgers." Only Black comedians like Eddie Murphy have brought those up before.

 

Well, I wouldn't necessarily assume everybody likes fried chicken, but...

Honestly, it's kind of stupid that people would connect fried chicken, or watermelon, with black people, or anybody, for any particular reason other than that they happen to like it. I admit that I have not had much experience of it happening, either, and I doubt I'm the only one, especially nowadays, in more modern times.

Myself? I love, love, love both chicken and watermelon. Chicken -- sometimes fried -- is virtually the only meat I eat besides ground turkey. And, I've probably eaten more watermelon than most people in the world, of any ethnicity. I practically live on it when it's in season. Seriously, it's not unusual for me to eat two of them every 10 days -- and not the personal-size ones, either.

 

Money/capitalism is a bigger issue than racism these days. I'm certain that's how businesses see it.

Whatever divides there still are in this country today, there are also plenty of people who do not make everything about race -- and, in fact, don't think of some things as connected to racism at all. It's not out of stupidity, but because they just don't go there/haven't gone there, etc., have not heard of or had experiences of some things ever/anymore/whatever.

For all the problems we have, there has been progress made between people of different races, and their relationships, since the days of slavery when these stereotypical connections began as derogatory references.

 

Or you could educate yourself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon_stereotype

 

Oh, if only that Cas Walker "Thumpin' Good" commercial from the 1960s were available on the interwebs.

 

My late grandmother could fry some chicken like nobody's business. My dad and his siblings hated it because that was all they ate as kids probably, but I loved it and her fried potatoes too.

I hate watermelon, even as a Jolly Rancher flavor. My grandparents grew those too.

 

And you live/lived in the LA area?

 

(Sorry I’m getting caught up on this thread) It’s true Southern? Honest question because I thought it was an LA thing.

I first saw it 20 years ago when my dorm cafeteria served it as a post-dinner meal option. You could tell who was from Southern California because they were all over it.

 

As much as I need to, I've done so. I try not to post without knowing something. But my points stand. Not everyone will make connections between fried chicken and black people, or watermelon and black people, or care about them if they do. And I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. It shouldn't be.

 

I've never eaten Chicken And Waffles ever in my life.
Separately, I like chicken fine and waffles fine too, so I suppose I'd eat it.

 

Love a good threadjack, but only this place could turn a discussion about racism into foodie talk!