Ethnic Food by Larry Meeks on Creators.com

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Ethnic Food

Dear Larry: I work for the government, and the work force consists of almost every ethnic or racial group from around the world. Instead of calling the end of the workweek "Friday," we call it "EFF," which stands for "Ethnic Food Friday."

It is a very special day to sample foods that you otherwise might not consider eating. We have a posted list of who is responsible to bring the dish. When your day comes, you are supposed to bring an ethnic dish that is representative of your heritage. To be honest, some of the food is very tasty, but some is just so-so.

EFF has expanded my taste in foods and inspired me to visit ethnic restaurants that I never would have considered. I recommend this to every place of employment where there is diversity.

This day has opened the door to some interesting discussions. We are a lot freer to ask questions, and we don't fear we will be put down for our ignorance or curiosity.

Larry, I'd like your opinion as to why a black student is upset because his school decided to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day by serving chicken and waffles.

I cannot understand the anger. What did the school do wrong? If this is what blacks eat in the South, what is wrong with serving this dish? — Pam

Dear Pam: There is nothing wrong with the school's serving chicken and waffles. The problem is that the minority person is offended because he feels that the serving of chicken and waffles was demeaning. The issue is in the head of the student, not in the intentions of the school.

If I were invited to your EFF, I would bring a pot of chitterlings, or "chitlins." I know that someone would feel insulted, but that should not stop me or any other person from bringing a food that is commonly eaten by his or her group.

In fact, I actually treated a dozen nonblacks to a chitlin lunch.

I made reservations at a restaurant that specializes in ethnic foods, and we all sat outside with large plates of the food.

I never will forget that special day. For months, I had been bragging around the office about eating chitlins. I would exaggerate about the taste, saying how good they are. After a time, they became curious about the taste and asked me to bring some to work.

I kept promising I would, but I never produced them because I had been lying to my co-workers. In my entire life, I never had tasted chitlins. My mother would cook the food, but I never could get past the smell.

I stopped talking about eating chitlins when my co-workers wanted to taste them. I was hoping they would forget my words, but it didn't happen. They kept asking, until someone said, "Larry, I don't believe you." I knew it was time to do something.

I took the entire group of nine to the restaurant. Each of us had a large plate with a mound of the grayish, squishy innards. They politely sat there staring at me to proceed.

Before I began eating, I bowed my head in prayer. I prayed silently that I would not throw up. With great flourish, I cut a piece and started chewing. To my great surprise, it was good.

This was many years ago. This is also the first time I am confessing to my ruse.

Eating ethnic food is a good thing, and there are also a lot of surprises.

To find out more about Larry G. Meeks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Comments

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I admit that I don't know what would be considered standard fare for black people in the South. But I would also withhold judgment of both the student and the school without further details. Were chicken and waffles Martin Luther King Jr.'s favorite foods? Is it a staple of black people? Or was it a well-intended but misguided assumption that all black people consider chicken and waffles served together to be a delicacy? If it's the latter, I can kind of understand the student taking issue. But it comes back to finding out the reasoning behind the school first. The letter writer didn't seem to know whether or not it's a meal that's commonly eaten by black people in the South, but rather assumed it was so. Case in point, Larry Meeks mentioned he had never eaten chitlins until much later in life. So it would be a stereotype to automatically assume that it would be his favorite dish. Or for another example, someone thinking I would like Barbra Streisand concert tickets for my birthday simply because I'm gay (and yes, I'd find that assumption slightly annoying).
I think these sort of situations call for a little more consideration and nuance than tends to be offered in the letters and responses that appear in this column.

Comment: #1
Posted by: Jon
Sat Jan 29, 2011 3:16 PM

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Yet again Larry just doesn't get it. "Southern" is not equal to black. If I were asked to bring something related to my culture for a pitch in, I'd probably bring something southwestern. It would never occur to me to bring "tradional black" food because I didn't eat it except when visiting relatives in the south. My (black) dad didn't cook those things. (Oddly, my white mom cooks quite a bit of southern food, and she grew up a Hoosier.) Defining American foods by race rather than region is yet another way that black Americans are set aside as the 'other.' Chicken and chitlins are no more black than the Big Mac is white. Where it becomes offensive rather than just inaccurate is the assumption that black people's traditional fare is the food of the poor, organ meats and simple ingredients all deep fried for flavor. Black Americans are as varied in tastes and resources as white Americans, and the concept of black food is part of the perception of blacks as second class citizens. If you ask me to bring African American food, you better be ready to eat some yams. Once the children of freed slaves set up shop, African American became just American.

Comment: #2
Posted by: Nichole
Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:22 PM

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A thought I had afterward, would be to ask a few people what would be considered a respectable fare for celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. I do like the idea of the Ethnic Food Friday, especially since the people are bringing food that they feel represents their heritage. That strikes me as more respectful of the people involved, and as was mentioned in the letter gives everyone a chance to try out different foods.

Comment: #3
Posted by: Jon
Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:20 PM

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Re: Nichole No Nicole, it is you who "just doesn't get it". Of course traditional Black food (soul food) is the food of the poor. It was born from the ingenuity of slaves whose diet consisted of mainly throw away food from the plantation owners. They did a wonderful job with what they had and their cuisine should be praised and celebrated thru out the ages. Oh ... that's right, it has been and is still going strong. The only thing "shameful"
I can think of in connection with soul food is the reasons for its development. Unfortunately there are far too many Blacks in America who do feel shame associated with it and far worse, ashamed of their Black skin. I've been Black a long time (all my 51 years in fact) and have come to recognize that when not only Black people, but people from other ethnic groups in this country get all bent out of shape from so many IMAGINED insults, slights or whatever it is because they truly believe they are inferior. That's right, I said it and to tell you the truth this is something I've been wanting to discuss for awhile lately.
I could no more understand the touchiness of some Black people than most Whites can so I started asking myself what the difference was between those Black people and the ones of us who have a healthy view of ourselves. What I have observed is that too many Black parents have crippled their children by constantly telling them practically from birth how the 'White man' is never going to let them get anywhere in life because they're Black, instead of helping them to be all they could be. Without meaning to, it was those parents who are to blame for the feelings of inferiority in their children. Growing up I never once heard my Father speak that way. I was raised in the Army around mostly White people and was never made to feel inferior to anyone by anyone. People have differences in culture, cuisines, religion, incomes and skin color but not one of them is superior to another because of any of these things. That's why I still refer to myself as a Black woman vs the so called politically correct 'African American'. I have lived thru Black people referring to ourselves as Colored, Negro and then Black when I was about 10. It seems that these changes were brought about by a select group of people who hated themselves. They falsely believed that the negative connotations placed on whatever term they used to describe themselves would disappear with the new term. I don't believe racism and other prejudices will ever be eradicated and that the best we can hope for is that they are effectively managed. I have been referring to myself as a Black woman for 41 years now and think it is ridiculous to re-define myself because of the short comings of others.

Comment: #4
Posted by: Valerie
Thu Feb 3, 2011 4:33 PM

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@Valerie- There is a difference between not feeling connected to one's heritage and not feeling connected to a heritage that is not shared. Just because someone has the same skin color as my father does not mean we share the same taste in food. "Black" food in America is defined as poor southern food, and many black Americans have no connection to it at all (while limited because of my father's personal tastes, ironically enough I do feel some cultural connection to southern food, I just take exception to poor southern culture being defined as black culture when black culture is vastly more diverse and has been since the inception of this country). Black Americans should connect to their own history, not a manufactured image of what black people are supposed to be. THAT, not the sharing of common foods, is that will ease the problem of the race card being pulled for every percieved injustice. As black Americans we have a great deal to be proud of, but every trait of every individual is not connected to race. Because I do not identify with food I seldom eat does not mean I don't "get it" any more than being friendly with Jewish people takes away a person's right to be proud if their German heritage. With all due respect, I take offense to your insinuation that I see an erroneous assumption that the cultural and geneological roots of all black Americans are dirt poor and below the Mason Dixon line as shame in my "black skin." It's classist and makes an awful lot of assumtions that aren't supported by anything I said. I think the acievements of black people who were born in the north or born into privilege are just as valid as those who were born into slavery. Food is part of culture. I do not claim that certain foods aren't more common to black people, I just don't like when a cultural trait that is regional is defined as racial, especially when the attachment of that item to a particular race is so often used as a direct statement that the referenced racial group is locked into a particular economic status, when there are numerous examples (Madame CJ Walker comes to mind) of people in that group rejecting that status. Anyone can like fried chicken (who doesn't like fried chicken?), but don't use it as an example of some people being unable and unwilling to overcome economic barriers. It reinforces the very attitudes you mention amonong blacks and whites.

Comment: #5
Posted by: Nichole
Fri Feb 4, 2011 9:17 AM

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I'm a southern belle living just east of Dallas. (This part of Texas is generally considered both geographically and culturally part of the Deep South.) Just down the street from my high school is Big Mama's Chicken and Waffles - run by yep, a southern black mama. Maybe you can all go picket or something. Waaaa waaaa. As for me, I'll be chowin' down on some of big mama's mmm mmm chicken and waffles!

Comment: #6
Posted by: SQ
Tue Feb 8, 2011 6:43 PM

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Ethnic Food

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