John Rankine Art

The Artwork of John Rankine

  • Home
  • John’s Blog
    • Personal Blog
    • “Art Attack” Newspaper Columns
  • About J.R.
  • Mixed Media
    • Found Object Assemblage
    • Clothing
    • Print Design
    • Ceramics
    • Art Shows
    • Video
  • Photography
  • Recent Work
    • 2010 to Current
  • Past Works
    • 1980’s Art
    • 1990’s Art
    • 2000 Art
  • Contact
  • Bleach It & Dye
You are here: Home / Blog / Stupid is as stupid does

Stupid is as stupid does

June 24, 2015 By John Rankine Leave a Comment

 

Kirt MoodyAlmost 30 years ago a friend opened a restaurant in Key West that proudly displayed the confederate flag.

The restaurant was called Savannah with a focus on good old-fashioned Southern cooking.

I approached my friend and stated I could never eat in his establishment as long as that flag was flying.

A white, gay man who was raised in the south, Garth was genuinely clueless that the confederate flag was offensive and a symbol of hate, intolerance, oppression and intimidation to many.

After a lengthy discussion, Garth took down the flag, and I, to show my support, made a reservation for dinner at his restaurant.

Delighted to see a “Vegetarian Plate” featured on the menu, I ordered the combination of black-eyed peas, corn bread, corn-on-the-cob, mashed potatoes and collard greens.

Our food arrived and I immediately noticed a big hunk of animal fat sitting on top of the collards.

I called Garth over and calmly asked him why there was meat on the “Vegetarian Plate?”

“Honey”, he replied, in his thick Southern drawl, “You just can’t make collard greens without ham hocks.”

Garth was not a mean or stupid person, just woefully uninformed and steadfast in his Southern beliefs and traditions.

It never occurred to him, until confronted, that the flag he flew was a racist symbol or why a vegetarian would be upset when a piece of meat arrived on their Vegetarian Plate.

This country, and especially the South, is full of Garths, and they are being confronted full speed ahead.

Backlash? – you bet, but the confederate flag, just like the word nigger, will never be uttered or now proudly flown without mainstream condemnation.

 

 

 

Related posts:

Can we really end hate? The last time I saw Richard

Filed Under: Blog

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter Sign Up

SONY DSC

Sign up to receive John's newsletter for his upcoming art shows, new works, and musings on life and art

We respect your privacy. No Spam. Ever.

Follow John on Facebook!

  • 

Recent Posts

  • Homage or Rip-off
  • Rubbing Elbo’s
  • On My Morning Walk
  • Welcome Melonheads
  • Killing The Messenger

Categories

Search John’s Site

Copyright © 2014. John Rankine Art and Photography. All Rights Reserved · Website Design by Red Buffalo Studios

If you would like to use photographs of John's art in your blog, article or publication, please email us for permission first.

We simply require full attribution and a link to our website in return for usage. John's Artwork or photography may not be printed or re-sold in accordance with state and federal law.