Rhetoric Race and Religion
by Rashad Grove
R3 Contributor
In Toure’’s extraordinary text Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness an interesting conversation arises about the culinary inclinations of people of African descent. This dialogue stems from the question in that book that asks, “Would you be comfortable eating fried chicken in front of white people? Questlove of the Roots says, “I’ll be the first to order fish instead of chicken. If I’m on the Acela train, no. I’m not bringing no fried chicken on the train. I’ll eat fish. I don’t know why I still think that but it’s just like that. I hate to say this, but no, I will not eat fried chicken in front of white people” (Toure’ pg 29). That response was quite interesting.
Reverend Jesse Jackson expresses similar sentiments. While discussing a different culinary delight watermelon, Jackson says, “Eating watermelon in public? We’re not that free” (Toure’ pg 29). It’s quite amazing that the Eurocentric framework of what true “Americaness” is still has the potentiality to inform what is acceptable in the cultural production of Blackness. The Eurocentric value system still has enough power to establish the parameters of what is good enough, pleasurable, and acceptable for communities of color. The way how race is constructed in our society makes claiming the full realization of who we claim to be an arduous endeavor when under the microscope and seen through the gaze of “whiteness”. This perspective has impacted our theology, sociology, sexuality, gender roles, and yes even our eating habits. Anytime we fall victim to the labeling of someone else’s, oppression will always be the result.
It’s no secret that Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods do not like each other. As a matter of fact, that’s a gross understatement of the complexities of their tumultuous relationship. Over the last couple of weeks their verbal sparring has gotten just as much attention as their play on the green. But the latest comments from Garcia have taken their discourse into another realm of scrutiny. When Garcia was asked at a European Tour function if he would be inviting Woods to dinner during next month’s U.S. Open his response was, “We’ll have him ’round every night,” Garcia said, according to multiple media reports. “We will serve fried chicken.” “Fried chicken” references has always been a stereotypical association with African-Americans. These remarks reek with the same stench that fellow golfer Fuzzy Zeller conveyed about Tiger Woods around what he would serve at the Master’s dinner in 1997. Notice that Garcia did not make reference to what could be characterized as an Asian and even a Caucasian choice of meals but he went directly to the “Blackness” in Tiger Woods. This is because even Garcia knows the linguistic leverage of such rhetoric and he plays right into age old lie that still materializes from time to time in these “yet to be United States of America” that there has always been and will always be something inherently inferior in Black people and with Black culture.
Garcia’s remarks attempted to “other” Eldridge “Tiger” Woods in the most derogative, visceral way he could imagine. He thought he could accomplish this by resuscitating the most stereotypical aspects of what Black people “do”. This was a convenient return on the historical investment of the narrative of white supremacist thought that Garcia unleashed on Woods with the sole intentionality of making Woods seem to be “less than.” So pervasive is this ideology that a man from Spain can utilize it with great dexterity. Not less than because of his golfing prowess. Not less than because of indiscretion as a husband. He was attempting to frame him rhetorically as less than because of his racial composition. This was done in the contextual reality of professional golf which is still an orbit where racialized realties are still present. He forgot that we like Kool-Aid too.
In conclusion, Sergio Garcia’s comments reveal to us that personal bigotry and institutional racism are alive and well. I am not classifying Garcia as just another racist but I am suggesting that his remarks point to the fact of how one can extract and express the beliefs of a Eurocentric framework that have oppressive and historically dehumanizing overtones. I for one am never shocked or surprised when moments like this manifest themselves. It just reaffirms to me how race is deeply interwoven into the fabric of the American project. Race is not a biological inheritance but rather race is a sociological classification. To the naked eye Garcia’s comments were deployed to attack the person Tiger Woods but I believe that Garcia’s rhetoric attempts to push Woods to the bottom of the American sociological ladder. The prevailing idea is that you can be one of the greatest athletes of all-time but in one short instance, with racist articulation, you can be relegated the “other.” We have to accept our “Blackness” in all of its rich diversity without letting anyone else place boundaries and restrictions on it. Fried chicken and all. So to Sergio Garcia, we also like Kool-Aid. Especially Red.
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