We Americans seem to have a knack for arguing issues that really do not matter in the large scheme of things. We debate the mundane and cosmetic while ignoring the really important matters.
One of the best examples in bygone days was the silly battles in Congress 18 years ago about calling French fries freedom fries in the cafeteria in Washington D. C. Mercifully, the debate was retired to the dust bin of history and these days is essentially forgotten.
The French refused to join us in our foolish foray into Iraq, so we retaliated with freedom fries. Apparently our comeback didn’t ruffle their feathers, and France did not lose any of its citizens to a useless and pointless military adventure.
Fast forward to today and we’re still getting bogged down in debates over cosmetic issues.
Just about everybody is aware of the controversy over Aunt Jemima, the longtime pancake syrup that featured the black woman, inspired by a real person who make a lot of money from branding.
The pancake maker’s corporate parent, Quaker, decided that in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s no longer a good marketing tool to feature a motherly black woman.
Meanwhile, longtime black depictions such as Uncle Ben’s rice and Cream of Wheat hot cereal, have followed suit. Uncle Ben’s might be too close to concepts such as Uncle Tom, and Cream of Wheat supposedly promotes the idea of “the servant Negro” from long ago.
The one development I find saddest, however, is the news that the old Warner Brothers cartoon depictions of Elmer Fudd and Yosemite brandishing firearms will be removed. As one observer put it, this is the only example of the gun control lobby succeeding in removing someone’s rifle or six-shooter. Neither are real people.
So these cultural battles seems to have been moved to the front of the line of very serious problems we are facing as a nation.
I don’t mean to play down our awful history of circulating demeaning images of people of color. Just look at the example in this column. It’s even worse than getting gussied up in blackface to do a Showboat presentation, something of which I was guilty.
My issue is that we continue to ignore substantive debate and exploration of a meaningful dialogue, sacrificing it at the altar of pop culture. I submit this nation, with all of its claims of being the land of the free, the beacon on the hill, has a troubled history of denying rights to too many of its citizens.
I told members of the Tea Party in the 72nd State Representative District in 2012 that the Founding Fathers didn’t just magically get together and create this wonderful bastion of freedom.
I told them, at my peril, that the delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention agreed to adopt the first 10 amendments, the Bill of Rights, which then applied only to free, white, male landowners ages 21 and older. They even insisted that each person of color was regarded as only three-fifths of a human being.
It was only because of grass-root peoples’ movements that the United States evolved into what we are so proud of today. I speak of the anti-slavery and women’s suffrage campaigns. And most recently we’ve seen the long overdue equality for LGBTQ persons.
The real progress made in this country was not the result of lawmakers, not was it the result of seemingly innocuous squabbles over symbols and cartoon characters.
This country is in serious trouble because of it has avoided substantive debates over climate change, racism, bullying, wealth inequality and “the invisible enemy” that is COVID-19.
And we’re not doing a damn thing about it.
Deflection, deflection, deflection. It’s the new song and dance!
As long as we are all offended, maybe we should consider name changes for:
Miss Black America Pageant
The Black College Fund
The United Negro College Fund
NAACP
I could only imagine if you changed the word black to white……….
Cheers!!
To correct your interpretation of “They even insisted that each person of color was regarded as only three-fifths of a human being.” The anti-slavery folks called this a victory as the slavery supporters wanted to count slaves as full citizens in assigning the number of Representatives in the House but not give them the right to vote or any rights, that is were the three-fifths came from.
The changing of names did not start with Freedom Fries remember Sambo’s changing it’s name to Dennys?
To correct your statement: “The changing of names did not start with Freedom Fries remember Sambo’s changing it’s name to Dennys?” I believe that Sambo’s and Denny’s were both in existence at the same time. Denny’s simply bought out some of the Sambo’s restaurants and they then assumed the Denny’s name.
Going back in our history shows name changes have been made due to the times. For example, the little town of Marne just west of Grand Rapids was first known as “Berlin”. The name changed during WWI because of anti-German feelings and Berlin was renamed Marne, after the Battle of the Marne. Of course, the Berlin Raceway is still there. Other WWI name changes were renaming sauerkraut “Liberty Cabbage” and the frankfurter was known as “Liberty Sausage.” We are now back to eating sauerkraut and hot dogs, but still have Marne.
Mr. Wilkens,
Certainly someone as discerning as yourself knows that to substitute “white” in the examples you have given would result in quite the laughter by lots of people.
With respect, you should know that, before the Civil Rights Act (and maybe long after it), there was no need for a National Association for the Advancement of White People, or a United White College Fund. In everything, “white” was implied by past practices and biases.
Affirmative Action, while now under fire for reverse discrimination, was as necessary as air at one time in order for blacks to have anything close to a fair shake.
Name changes are needed not just because they offend an entire demographic, they are needed because they represent plain old disrespect and discourtesy.
The good old stereotypical South prided itself in its hospitality and gentility, but only toward other white people. Now they need to live up to the true intent of said gentility.
As usual, the South is a collection of states to receive the scorn of those thinking nothing has changed. It is so easy to say look at us, we are not racist, only the South remains the bastion of racism.
How ignorant. I spent much of my working career visiting and working with manufacturers in the South and never viewed or experienced any racist tendencies in management or workers. All were proud of their accomplishments with the companies they represented and were well compensated for their efforts.
Most workers were highly educated with a minimum of a technical degree and many with bachelor and masters degrees. There were no “glass ceilings”, as both minorities and women were well represented throughout the organizations.
Your attack on the South is unwarranted and with a myopic and stereotypical Northern viewpoint of the new South because of the Civil War. Grow up and open your eyes.