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My Favorite Aunt and Uncle
By Joe Facinoli
Growing up, we ate a lot of pancakes, and waffles, and french
toast. Cheaper, I guess, for our parents to feed us 5 kids (all
born within 9 years), on my Old Man's school principal's, nothing
salary.
Mom had to shop wisely (which means almost always buying the cheapest
grocery products), but some of the syrups she brought home were barely
passable. We ended up using more of the lousy ones, just trying
to find some taste.
Kids don't know from budgets, nor politics, they just want stuff that tastes good.
But when she would treat us, and bring home "Good Ol' Aunt Jemima", we
would be ecstatic! Made those 'cakes and toast taste
soooooo much better.
Auntie J. was the standard no one else could even touch. And not
only did we not care what color Ms. Jemima's skin was, we didn't even
really know, and never asked. Subject never came up.
All we knew about was the distinctive shape of that precious dark brown
bottle, and how good that wonderful syrup was, inside of it.
It went the same for my kids, and it's still the same for me today.
Even though I have cut out almost all sugar from my own diet, I always
keep a bottle of the one and only Aunt Jemima around and handy, for any
random "visitors", who might happen to stay over for breakfast. I
know that it will always be a hit, and I don't even look for anything
else.
This current "cancel culture", and "re-imaging" of everything, is just
so ridiculous. I hope someone comes to their senses (not likely),
and puts Aunt J. back where she rightfully belongs. She has
earned it. And I still don't care what color her skin is.
Pancake lovers everywhere, should boycott the new brand completely, until SHE comes back.
And pulling her name is actually "Reverse Racism".
Here's someone, and a product, who has earned their place of fortune
and fame, through hard work, doing all the right things, and producing
the top product in their field, throughout our entire country, and over
many decades.
Yet she, and it, are dishonored and removed, because a few random
idiots think they are offended, or worse, think OTHERS may be offended
(these people that they have never met, nor even talked with), and they
think they know what's best, for all the rest of us.
Then they proceed to change everything, arbitrarily, despite it all
having been duly and responsibly earned, and just because it doesn't
fit a current political agenda.
And why? Simply because Aunt Jemima is black (which was news to
me, as well as my brothers and sisters, and my sons), and because in
these same random idiots' teeny little minds, she "may" represent some
terrible history, and some cultural inequity, from over a hundred years
ago, which they think is still relevant.
All despite her, and the company and product she represents, making a
ton of money, as well as the best of reputations, from that very REAL
and honest image, which she has proudly represented for these many
decades.
Pure female blackness, making good in the white man's capitalism, who woulda thunk it?
But.... POLITICS, AND CULTURAL AWARENESS, HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH PANCAKES.
And should never.
Everyday life, especially things which have been around for decades,
not bothering nor offending anyone, until this crazy new "woke"
consciousness showed up, should never be changed indiscriminately,
simply for the sake of change.
Btw, same goes for Uncle Ben's. We didn't care whose Uncle he was, all we knew was Ben made the best rice.
Doesn't get more bottom line, and more the "American Way", than that.
Intelligent response encouraged... joefacinoli@gmail.com
(c) Copyright Joe Facinoli, 7-10-2020
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