It’s Not About Chicken
Posted by Michelle Moquin on August 25th, 2013
Good morning!
This would be funny if it were not true. Some people are just so ignorant, and racist – as we know, politicians are no exception. A write from Think Progress:
Colorado Legislator: Poverty Higher Among ‘Black Race’ Because They Eat Too Much Chicken
BY JOSH ISRAEL ON AUGUST 22, 2013 AT 9:04 AM
Colorado State Sen. Vicki Marble (R)In a meeting of the state’s Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force Wednesday, Colorado State Sen. Vicki Marble (R) delivered a long monologue suggesting that the reason for poverty among certain minority groups was that they eat too much chicken and barbecue.
Discussing statistics about racial disparities in the poverty rate, KVDR Denver reports, Marble claimed that the studies ignored drug addiction and poor diets common among Latino- and African-American families.
MARBLE: When you look at life expectancy, there are problems in the black race: sickle-cell anemia is something that comes up, diabetes is something that’s prevalent in the genetic makeup and you just can’t help it… Although I’ve got to say, I’ve never had better barbecue and better chicken and ate better in my life than when you go down south and you — I mean love it and everybody loves it. The Mexican diet in Mexico with all of the fresh vegetables. And you go down there and they’re much thinner than when they come up here… they change their diet.
Listen to the hearing here.
A July study by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization found that obesity rates are actually higher in Mexico than in the United States.
Another task force member, Rep. Rhonda Fields (D) responded, saying, “The title for this committee is Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction; and one of the things I will not tolerate is racist and insensitive comments about African Americans, the color of their skin. What you mentioned that we eat — I was highly offended by your remarks.” She added that she would not “engage in a dialogue where I’m in the company, where you are using these stereotyped references about African American and chicken and food… this is not what this committee is all about… it’s not about chicken.”
The chairman then adjourned the meeting so the task force’s members could “all take a deep breath.”
In a statement Wednesday night, Marble said, “My comments were not meant to be disparaging to any community… I am saddened they were taken in that regard. I take my responsibility seriously and I hope our work on this committee will offer real solutions to the health and financial challenges of our vulnerable populations.”
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Readers: You’ve got to listen to the tape recording. How this woman got elected to be a Senator of the United States, I’ll never know. Vickie “Marble” - how apropos.
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August 25th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
Some white people are just sick.
August 25th, 2013 at 7:30 pm
I miss you my love. I hope you’re doing good.
Ym
August 25th, 2013 at 10:11 pm
Ignoring the obvious racial stereotypes for a moment (they pretty much speak for themselves), I’m finding it somewhat mind-boggling that Marble appears to be suggesting that poor diet causes poverty, instead of the other way around. At least, I THINK that’s what she’s trying to say — her speech comes off as word salad.
While foods such as fried chicken, pork barbecue, and anything swimming in thick gravy are staples here in the South, African Americans aren’t the only ones who enjoy them. White people who live here do, too. But we also eat plenty of vegetables, including leafy greens, squash, root vegetables, legumes, etc.
Except for those in poverty (regardless of color). For those unfortunates, vegetables and fresh meats are harder to come by. These people tend to dine a lot on starchy fatty processed foods that are cheaper.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:17 pm
My advice to Colorado State Sen. Vicki Marble (R), it’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool then open your mouth and remove all doubt.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:24 pm
She has the nerve to even bring up sickle-cell anemia, which affects African Americans almost exclusively and has been hugely underresearched because it’s not a white people problem.
And her “apoology” read more like “I’m sorry you got so offended and took it the wrong way.” It put the blame on the victim.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:25 pm
Yep, people don’t suddenly “get” sickle-cell anemia. It is almost exclusively an African-American disease because it developed in Africa over many generations as a natural defense against deadly malaria.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:27 pm
To borrow phrasing from a well-known commentator on this subject, let me tell you something, if you don’t like chicken, watermelon, and barbecue, something is wrong with you, motherfucker, something is wrong with you!
August 25th, 2013 at 10:28 pm
That bitch is further proof that the education system in this country is in serious decline.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:28 pm
if she is so saddened by how people react to what she said, she should halve kept her big mouth shut!
August 25th, 2013 at 10:30 pm
Consider that slaves got the fattest crappy food for generations and that might explain the related health issues. Add to that the fact that many inner city neighborhoods have no decent grocery stores.
There are diseases isolated to other ethnic groups. Ignorance really must be bliss because that’s the only way to explain these fools.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:30 pm
They say it and then they say they didn’t mean it and then they say they were only trying to help and then they say – oh crap, they said it, meant it and don’t give a shit.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:32 pm
I wonder if the citizens of Colorado consider Senator Vicki Marble to be their version of Sarah Palin?
August 25th, 2013 at 10:33 pm
Now we know why the Republican men are so stuck on “vaginas”. As a Southern “white” lady who has never traced her ancestry, we don’t serve chicken and bar-b-q and watermelon every day, and the black people I know eat what us “white folk” eat.
Stick it lady, you must be running on your looks because you have no brain.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:35 pm
Brenda, the GOP has yet to learn this – or maybe they have, but have yet to realize what fools they are.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:37 pm
Stacie, the only way to “avoid” sickle cell anemia has nothing to do with diet, economics or lifestyle, outside of getting genetic testing and counseling, and if you are a carrier, not mating with another carrier.
Although I suppose one could argue that poor people with no insurance can’t afford the genetic testing so they know ahead of time not to partner with someone with whom they are likely to produce offspring with sickle cell, or afford in vitro fertilization with genetic testing for viable blastocysts that do not carry the genes for it. In that respect, it could be called an economic issue.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:40 pm
How stupid can this woman be. Doesn’t she have any friends to warn her from making these dumb remarks. Sorry to spoil your day, but the Mexican diet is not all that healthy – good though.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:41 pm
Sanjiv. I love all of it! But I love my body, my health and my life so I do stay away from it. Her comment was not intended to hurt anyone but unfortunately she should have left the black and Latinos out of it. Racism in USA are higher than poverty.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:43 pm
The “bubbleverse” of the far right keeps them ignorant AND offensive to anyone with a modicum of knowledge and experience.
August 25th, 2013 at 10:45 pm
The worst of it is that they don’t even realize how ignorant they are –it is so much a part of them, their thinking and their lives, their ignorant comments just come out naturally — as natural born and bred racists.
August 25th, 2013 at 11:08 pm
Well, she’s been out of school for a while so I would have a hard time blaming the education system for her failure to look beyond her own privileged neighborhood, or read a paper, or attach herself to any community ornganization connected with anti-poverty efforts, educational efforts, justice efforts or health care.
No, at some point we have to take personal responsibility for not using any of the myriad of educational opportunities all around us and I think she is solely to blame for her idiocy.
August 26th, 2013 at 6:27 am
#12 Bolan, that made me lol – SP comes in blonde now, yay!
#18 Teresa, bubbleverse, great word coining there, I’m using that one.
Luv, Zen Lill