Can I tell you something embarrassing? I ate two whole watermelons in four days. By myself.
They are only JUST coming into farm stands and really aren’t that sweet yet, but I can’t stop. The fresh, clean, perfectly bright smell that permeates my house when I cut into one is, alone, honestly worth the cost of buying one. I’ve made cocktails, and salads, and this week, I tried Bryant Terry’s Basil Salted Watermelon, and damn. It was good and I’m not even a traditional watermelon-salter.
But down here in Mississippi (and I guess all over the country, these days) watermelons have had a shadow cast over their perfection.
I bet you know what I mean. Chances are that at SOME point in your life (even if it’s only in the past few years) you’ve heard a racist joke or offhand, offensive comment that linked Black Americans to watermelon.
But, the thing is, I never got the joke.
What’s funny about a super amazing golfer (who’s also black) winning the Master’s and wanting a meal that included watermelon? If someone is in their right mind and has sense and taste buds, regardless of race, then they’d also request a watermelon slice included in the biggest and most important meal of their life.
Or what about the cartoon that joked that the President might want watermelon flavored toothpaste? Let’s be real… watermelon is hella refreshing. It smells cleaner and fresher than lemon any day. Besides, why is mint our nation’s go-to toothpaste flavor anyway?
Regardless of my opinion of this perfect fruit and it’s appropriateness for oral hygiene products, watermelon was linked to laziness, messiness, stupidity, and poor judgement by our southern white forefathers and foremothers. (Gee, thanks, ancestors. Yet one more thing you ruined for us.) I still didn’t totally get it, but this super informative Atlantic article gave me all the details about how and why this trope came to be… and then this article broke it down a little simpler. (I highly recommend reading at least one of them. #1 is longer and more in depth, fyi).
Anyway, the watermelon controversy is a mess. (ha! I made a pun! It really is a mess!) But what do we do?
From where I sit, reclaiming the symbol of watermelon just isn’t an issue when compared to the issue of the inherent and systemic racism it supports. We gotta learn about it, and listen for it, and speak out about it when we see it… and love each other in the process.
And maybe sharing a meal together is also a good place to start.
- Watermelon slices (or cubes or balls)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil
- ⅛ Cup Sea Salt
- In a spice grinder or food processor, blend the sea salt and basil together. Sprinkle lightly over your melon for a fresh, sweet (the salt brings out the sweetness) palate cleanser or dessert.
I just added your RSS Feed on my RSS reader, it is so nice to read your blog.;-*;: