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I stopped looking at watermelons the same way when I found out the stereotypes behind them.
Why do you give stereotypes so much power? Why care what some people think? Believe me, not many white people think twice about black people eating watermelon or fried chicken. I speak from experience as a white person. Would it infuriate you to know that a mostly black town in Texas has a Watermelon Festival every year? They grow it there, and love it. No one cares because we love it too.
If you want to live a happy life, don't worry about what others think unless they actually love you and care about you. Strangers don't owe you respect, nor do you need it from strangers. If you want respect, do something respectful.
you know what's truly hilarious about all the outraged huffing and puffing we see on this thead?
the menu was planned by students members of the Black Student Union
Quote:
Originally Posted by green_mariner
Then said students should have known better than to feature watermelon. I sure wouldn't do that. I don't want to attract ANY kind of ridicule, period. I feel like one way to invalidate a stereotype is to not play into it or put it on display.
Uh; it's like some Black people are "secure enough" at heart today to poke some fun in the "mirror". God knows that many hood rats; mostly "Black", but sometimes even anglo white, call each other the N word with an A all the time it seems.
I recall one of the few pleasant conversations with Young Turk type black militant wannabes at work circa 1992. We were making up our ideal meals. We were all Southern and we were in agreement until I mentioned Aunt Jemima pancakes. I was just salivating over the idea of panckaes, real syrup, bacon, black coffee and the other fellows thought I was taunting them. AJ is all we had as kids regarding french toast or pancakes.
Hilarious. Of course I did not apologize. Nothing to apologize for. Another person's neurosis is not my problem.
I feel like I'm the only one who understands what the outrage is about. I am going to put this supinely. As a Black person, I would never eat watermelon in public, ever. Too many stereotypes tied to it. I don't like being stereotyped. Bad enough that stereotypes are used. I don't want to feed into it. I can understand the stereotypes because it is looked at from the perspective of "there are already stereotypes out there about us. We don't need this feeding into it".
But it's not a bad stereotype. It's just food! :-)
I am Nigerian and I never understood the whole deal with American blacks being associated with fried chicken, cornbread, and watermelon. Fried chicken and watermelon are not exclusive to only black Americans as lots of people from various ethnic origins eat these same foods. Personally I eat neither of these. Chicken is not my favourite protein. I prefer turkey and beef and do not eat fried foods. I was raised eating Nigerian food ( pounded yam, egusi soup, okra soup, bitter leaf soup) just to name a few. I think Americans are very close minded and are always stereotyping people. For example, Americans refer to Africa as a country instead of a continent and always show the negative parts of various African countries giving their citizens a false idea of Africa as a whole. There are beautiful places in Nigeria but they choose to only focus on the negative so Americans can feel so much better that they live here. Lol, there are so many amazing places other than america, but only few Americans travel abroad.
Case in point stop stereotyping people and educate yourself.
Someone wrote that they wouldn't get offended if it was Italian month and they served spaghetti. Why would you? That's the staple food. So many people have gone to Italian restaurants and know the cuisine. There are hardly any blk American restaurants I've seen, most are Caribbean, and fried chicken and watermelon are not on the menu.
I see why people judge Americans.
You tell Americans to stop stereotyping people right after you stereotype them as being close minded. Brilliant.
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