Disgusting restaurant experience

[Ricki]

Cindi.. Way to go i am not in favor of biggotry or racism..
the restaurant guy is a jerk.. sadly enough you heard the conversation so you knew his intentions were unjust and biggoted..
More sadly enough a lot of restuarants actually try to run "african amercian foods (or at least their ignorant versions) on Martin Luther king day.....
But the holiday is not a food holiday and its an insult to most african american folks in the first place.  its well I'm not sure if its religious at all for the African amercian movement but its a rememberance day for the things he tried to do and change.
sadly.... even more so- some african amercians are just as ignorant to Martin luther king.. at work we have black employees that are offended if we do not change the menu and feature something native?  how twisted around can this get??
I generally add / offer something in memorial like advertise butter crumb chicken a favorite dish of Doctor Kings, then offer greens and maybe jumbalaya or a chicken or southern style of a soup.. Keeps the mini masseas at work happy and keeps me politically correct food wise!
As far as i know its not a food holiday or one enammered with the awful southern black dishes that people mention fried chicken, watermelon, greens, etc...
How sad.. Do people even realize those are native southern dishes not "black dishes"....
But because of such biggotry and racism in this country things like fried chicken get turned into a labelled item? Shame i love fried chicken and greens and grits and black beans and pinto beans and black eyed peas!
Emeril does a good job of educating on his cooking show he is from the south and a lot of his dishes are southern or creole not that mistaken "african amercian food"....
anyway sorry you had to hear and even be exposed to this?  California no less i thought there was not much of the race issues existing there anymore???
Ricki

[Shana A]

Way to go Cindi for telling it like it is! Sometimes I can't believe the attitudes that some people still have, it's the 21st century...

zythyra

[kaelin]

Great job, Cindi.  That was beautiful!

[Cindi Jones]

As a follow up....

My letter to the editor was published in the local paper.  I've received numerous calls and emails from many people.  I've heard nothing but support from locals.  Everyone I've heard from is ashamed that this sort of thing exists here. 

Cindi

[Ricki]

career opportunity..
cindi the food critic with her weekly column! hehe.....
ricki

[Sylvia]

Oh wow, you were really great, Cindy... They really deserve that.

Sylvia

[passiflora]

I instantly became incensed.  Most of you know me as very calm and thoughtful. But it is not good to discriminate or show bigotry in front of Cindi.  I loudly told off the owner in front of a packed house.

"How dare you show such bigotry? What makes you think you can protest this holiday which remembers a man who fought for personal rights and freedoms for ALL people by serving fried chicken and watermelon? How can you, an owner of a restaurant in our community that depends on tourism, do something so blatantly stupid?  What makes you think that MLK did nothing for this country?

You sort of answered your own question to him.

Although I complelty agree with you and think this guy is a disgusting bigot, it is his right to be a bigot, its his business, and his right to run the place the way he wants. Just as it was Martian Luther Kings right to fight for personal rights and freedom for all. This right to freedom, means everyone's rights, even the bigot. We live in a Republic that respects the opions of everyone and we have many freedoms, but they do come with a price, it means that we have to take the bad with the good.

As enlightened people we have the right to rail against stupidity like this, but at the same time this guy has the right to be stupid. It was right to stand up and say what you did, and it was good, because you belive in being fair and accepting, but he did have the right to serve whatever food he wanted and he had a right to think however he wanted to think. This is America and this is what its all about. As long as we have the rights and freedoms that we have, there is always going to be someone's beliefs that don't agree with ours, but its all of our right to think the way we think, and thats why we are a Republic, and thats what makes us great even if we have to have good and bad.

-pass-   

[Melissa]

Although I complelty agree with you and think this guy is a disgusting bigot, it is his right to be a bigot, its his business, and his right to run the place the way he wants. Just as it was Martian Luther Kings right to fight for personal rights and freedom for all. This right to freedom, means everyone's rights, even the bigot. We live in a Republic that respects the opions of everyone and we have many freedoms, but they do come with a price, it means that we have to take the bad with the good.

Sounds like a paradox there.  If you don't give others the right to take away your rights, then you are taking away their rights, but if you do give them the right to do that, then you lose your own rights.  You got that, right?

Melissa

[passiflora]

  LOL ur right, its a paradox, and thats why I just try and stay out of politics and I try to be open and accepting, and nice to everyone, and I try my best to steer away from closed mindeness.

-pass-

[ChildOfTheLight]

I instantly became incensed.  Most of you know me as very calm and thoughtful. But it is not good to discriminate or show bigotry in front of Cindi.  I loudly told off the owner in front of a packed house.

"How dare you show such bigotry? What makes you think you can protest this holiday which remembers a man who fought for personal rights and freedoms for ALL people by serving fried chicken and watermelon? How can you, an owner of a restaurant in our community that depends on tourism, do something so blatantly stupid?  What makes you think that MLK did nothing for this country?

You sort of answered your own question to him.

Although I complelty agree with you and think this guy is a disgusting bigot, it is his right to be a bigot, its his business, and his right to run the place the way he wants. Just as it was Martian Luther Kings right to fight for personal rights and freedom for all. This right to freedom, means everyone's rights, even the bigot.

Oh yes.  And his customers have the right to bankrupt him by refusing to do business with a racist fool like him.

You have the right to choose your actions, but not to get out of dealing with their consequences.

[Cindi Jones]

We live in a Republic that respects the opions of everyone and we have many freedoms, but they do come with a price, it means that we have to take the bad with the good.

I think I know what you are trying to say.... but just to be clear:

I will respect the right of someone to have an opinion.... I will never say that I respect their opinion unless that respect is earned.

I will always publicly stand up against bigotry and racisim.  Yes, he has the right to do what he wants.  I have the right to express my outrage at his insensitivity.  I really don't care what he thinks to be quite honest.  I just don't want him expressing it to our visitors here in this tourist community.  It reflects poorly on me.

For what it is worth, we have very few white southern Baptists who come to see Yosemite.  Our visitors are from every part of the world.  All of their money is green.

Cindi

edit: Did you fix the quote tag, Cindi, or did I? -Karen

[BeverlyAnn]

Cindi, I just now read this thread and all I can add to what others have already said is is Brava!!!!  (Insert Standing Ovation Here)

If Dr. King was alive today, I would like to think that he would be championing for us as well.

I would like to think so too.  I know that the late Corretta Scott King was a friend of the LGBT community, met with members of Transaction here in Atlanta and, unlike many of the current civil rights leaders, was sympathetic to our struggle for equality

Bev

[Julie Marie]

Cindi, I just learned another thing about that makes me respect you even more.

What you did will have much farther reaching impact than just on this man and his restaurant.  You've affected the entire community and it will spread from there. 

You should be proud for what you did.  I'm proud to call you my friend.

Julie

[Ricki]

I do not think i like the word paradox..
Is that like a big brewing pot of overly cooked hypocricy?

Failing to do what one believes to be right is not hypocrisy
ricki

[Lilly 4 Life]

and i thought we germans were freaky

[HelenW]

and i thought we germans were freaky

I just HAVE to to answer this one...

Having been raised by a pair of them I have to say, yup, Germans ARE freaky! (Some large parts have rubbed off on me even though I'm 'merican all the way )

hugs & smiles
helen

[Lilly 4 Life]

BUT there is one thing americans can't deny, all your ancestors were Europeans... (i'm not talking about the native ones =D)

There was a comedian in TV lately who often visits america and he said that once he tried to buy a gun for actually no reason and the gunshop clerk just asked him if he was a nazi < how stupid is that



btw... "HOORAY I'M HALF-FREAKY"

[BeverlyAnn]

BUT there is one thing americans can't deny, all your ancestors were Europeans

Yep, all my ancestors were either English, Scot or Irish.  I keep wanting to start a fight with myself. 

GD&R
Bev

[Cindi Jones]

Yep, all my ancestors were either English, Scot or Irish.  I keep wanting to start a fight with myself. 

GD&R
Bev

Now that is funny!   

Cindi

[SusanKay140]

from Melissa:  Posted on: February 15, 2007, 04:14:09 PM

Sounds like a paradox there.  If you don't give others the right to take away your rights, then you are taking away their rights, but if you do give them the right to do that, then you lose your own rights.  You got that, right?

The Girl has the definition of paradox down tight there.  And ... the definition presents the position of many who, finding their statements challenged, insist that so being so audacious as to challenge them is a violation of their rights!  (Not directed to any member of the forum, by the way.)

from Ricki:  Posted on: Today at 06:09:30 AM

Failing to do what one believes to be right is not hypocrisy

How true and wonderful.  I can add nothing.

Susan Kay