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I think the OP should read the social media post of the student. The issue wasn't so much the centerpiece but the fact that they felt that the event was a charade and that they were lied to then had to eat uncomfortably (said there were no chairs for them to sit in) a stereotypical meal.
I found it odd that the day before the Latino students got "tacos" which is stereotypical and then they give black students greens, mac and cheese, and cornbread. It is pretty ridiculously funny to me, but I honestly wouldn't have considered it racist and I don't think the student who wrote that post did.
Note the OP link had a quote as follows from one of the black students:
See the blue. That seems to have been the issue - that they were there under false pretenses and the other stuff was basically icing on the cake. But you all will focus on the centerpiece and the southern meal and act like blacks get offended about them instead.
Here's the thing, if I'm white and don't really know black people well what would I base their food preferences on? I could in theory just ask them or I could look around at popular culture. If I look at popular culture I'd find a movies, TV shows and overwhelming references to soul food. I'd find that blacks themselves rave about collard greens and the like. So I decide to serve it. You know serving the ethnic cuisine of your house guests is standard fare around the world. When there's a state dinner the White House will serve American food and have some items from the country of the visiting dignitary. In most normal places it shows you took the time to care.
However since black Americans have been conditioned to be victims and offended over every and any possible slight. This man;'s attempt at hospitality fell flat.
Honestly white folks should not even bother any more. The real issue is that African Americans are ashamed of their heritage and their ancestors. That's the real pity here.
Here's the thing, if I'm white and don't really know black people well what would I base their food preferences on? I could in theory just ask them or I could look around at popular culture. If I look at popular culture I'd find a movies, TV shows and overwhelming references to soul food. I'd find that blacks themselves rave about collard greens and the like. So I decide to serve it. You know serving the ethnic cuisine of your house guests is standard fare around the world. When there's a state dinner the White House will serve American food and have some items from the country of the visiting dignitary. In most normal places it shows you took the time to care.
However since black Americans have been conditioned to be victims and offended over every and any possible slight. This man;'s attempt at hospitality fell flat.
Honestly white folks should not even bother any more. The real issue is that African Americans are ashamed of their heritage and their ancestors. That's the real pity here.
Valiant try, but no. Just no.
Serving black students mac n' cheese, collard greens, and corn bread with cotton boll centerpieces is beyond ridiculous. Watermelon for dessert, by any chance?
I'm surprised it wasn't served by children dressed up like pickaninnies.
Serving black students mac n' cheese, collard greens, and corn bread with cotton boll centerpieces is beyond ridiculous. Watermelon for dessert, by any chance?
I'm surprised it wasn't served by children dressed up like pickaninnies.
The vast majority of college kids....of any color.....wouldn't know a cotton stalk or a collard green if you hit them over the head with it.
Personally I think the centerpiece is attractive. But of course my great great great great great great great grandparents weren't field hands on a plantation picking cotton.
Here's the thing, if I'm white and don't really know black people well what would I base their food preferences on? I could in theory just ask them or I could look around at popular culture. If I look at popular culture I'd find a movies, TV shows and overwhelming references to soul food. I'd find that blacks themselves rave about collard greens and the like. So I decide to serve it. You know serving the ethnic cuisine of your house guests is standard fare around the world. When there's a state dinner the White House will serve American food and have some items from the country of the visiting dignitary. In most normal places it shows you took the time to care.
However since black Americans have been conditioned to be victims and offended over every and any possible slight. This man;'s attempt at hospitality fell flat.
Honestly white folks should not even bother any more. The real issue is that African Americans are ashamed of their heritage and their ancestors. That's the real pity here.
First will note, look at my other post. I don't believe these people were racist at all but on the bold above, I'll note that white people should think that black people like whatever food they like.
I'm black. I like Italian food, I like pot pies, I like all sorts of Asian cuisine, I LOVE me some Mediterranean cuisine, I especially love Middle Eastern food. I also like mac and cheese and collard green lol.
As I stated earlier, on the food/decor, I think they overthought it. They could have served chips and sandwiches. I don't think about what "white people" like to eat when I have thrown events for a majority or all white group. I don't think about what "black people" like to eat when I throw events for them either. I think about what is good to eat, what the reason for the event is, what the time period is for the event, etc.
I think they were too much focused on the students being "black" and overlooked the fact that they are just regular students who eat all sorts of food. Same as they did with the Latino students.
But again, the issue for the students was that they did not get to ask any questions. They also had to hear about the life story of the president, his wife, and how the person who the college is named after was "good to slaves." If they went to an event intending it to be a Q/A sessions, they would be disappointed that it wasn't and then to boot they endured a stereotypical meal. It was like they were seen as foreigners in their own school and country.
Again, I've had to endure similar meals before. I always think it is both funny and sad that some whites don't get that black people don't always have to eat soul food lol or that we need to hear them talk about slavery all the time. It is condescending and I'll admit, even though its funny, it makes me sigh and shake my head.
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