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There is a history in our country of mocking black people, stereotyping and associating them with the food in the menu, particularly watermelon and fried chicken. It’s not as simple as comparing it to having tacos for cinco de Mayo. I’m surprised that so many don’t realize how this could be offensive. I thought everyone knew that this was offensive.
Regardless of how you feel about this, you have to admit that this company, in this hyper sensitive social media age of ours, should have known better than to do this. It's just the world we live in, better to be safe and keep things simple and low key really. They should maybe have only had a simple company wide e-mail acknowledging the holiday. This way they can check the boxes that they are down with the program, and left it at that.
It is a bit insensitive on IKEA's part but not in a mean way. Those foods are popular in the South not just with Blacks. It's more a lack of understanding I think than anything. They didn't mean any harm. People getting upset over this need to get over it. People also breathed, drank water, ate meat in those days. Should we all stop doing those things?
There is a history in our country of mocking black people, stereotyping and associating them with the food in the menu, particularly watermelon and fried chicken. It’s not as simple as comparing it to having tacos for cinco de Mayo. I’m surprised that so many don’t realize how this could be offensive. I thought everyone knew that this was offensive.
No one in Ikea is associating the menu with the physical stereotypes of the Jim Crow left. People like you are the ones perpetuating stereotypes by making an issue over this.
At the end of the day, it's food. Southern food if you want to get right down too it.
No one in Ikea is associating the menu with the physical stereotypes of the Jim Crow left. People like you are the ones perpetuating stereotypes by making an issue over this.
At the end of the day, it's food. Southern food if you want to get right down too it.
They were ignorant. I don’t think they meant any harm whatsoever but there is a history and being aware and sensitive of that is not hard or wrong. Defending it rather than gaining greater perspective seems stubborn and pointless to me.
There is a history in our country of mocking black people, stereotyping and associating them with the food in the menu, particularly watermelon and fried chicken. It’s not as simple as comparing it to having tacos for cinco de Mayo. I’m surprised that so many don’t realize how this could be offensive. I thought everyone knew that this was offensive.
IKEA is a Swedish/Dutch company, and I’m sure they meant well. But this is where non blacks should part ways with their ideas about ways to honor black folks.
The normal IKEA menu is perfectly fine, thank you very much. If you wanna do something for Juneteenth, ask a black person for ideas. I mean...it’s Atlanta! Black folks are everywhere. Just pick a few out and ask a few questions before putting watermelon on the menu. SMH.
Geez.
pretty much. Should have asked the employees what might be appropriate. If they said those items, you're good to go. If they wanted something else, do something else.
But outrage over watermelons because "they used to feed them to slaves" .... I've never seen a summer party that didn't have watermelons devoured by folks of all races.
then there's this, from "Oprah Daily" written/provided by a Black woman ...
Quote:
Red foods are the most prominent feature on the Juneteenth menu.
Red Juneteenth Foods: Soda, punch, hibiscus tea, red velvet cake, red beans and rice, hot sauce, fruits (strawberry, watermelon)
Ask anyone familiar with the traditions of Juneteenth, and they'll mention the color red. Culinary historian and writer Michael Twitty tells Oprah Daily that the historical importance of red food traces back to the times of enslavement. Because many of the more common foods of the day were white, green, or brown, there was an excitement that came with the rarity of eating red colored treats.
pretty much. Should have asked the employees what might be appropriate. If they said those items, you're good to go. If they wanted something else, do something else.
But outrage over watermelons because "they used to feed them to slaves" .... I've never seen a summer party that didn't have watermelons devoured by folks of all races.
then there's this, from "Oprah Daily" written/provided by a Black woman ...
The hurt feelings are not just because they used to feed these foods to slaves. There were a lot of mocking caricatures over the years associating black people with these foods in very derogatory ways.
Geez people get a life. I hope no one had to seek a safe space to cry out this latest assault on decency??
As one poster wrote, "damned if they do and damned if they don't" . Ikea should have just left it alone instead of trying to cater to and please their employees of color.
I did think this excerpt was funny
"You cannot say serving watermelon on Juneteenth is a soul food menu when you don't even know the history -- they used to feed slaves watermelon during the slavery time," one employee said."
Okay, and in my neck of the woods they used to serve Lobster to prisoners but you don't see too many people complaining about being served lobster today.
oh well. there is no pleasing the angry and "fluid" SJW's of the world so Ikea as well as the rest of us are better off not even trying.
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