White Men Can’t Jump was a 1992 American film featuring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. At that time, it seemed to be a funny comment upon white stereotypes; a sort of tongue-in-cheek reply to the other racial stereotypes that had been featured center stage for so long, prior to that. In an incident some time back, in an Indian restaurant in Southall, West London asked a burning question about hot curry but also a question about reverse racism – is it OK? It is racism or is it the privileged classes or races being thin-skinned and taking offence at nothing much?
“VERY MILD” curry for white people
So 44-year-old Stuart Lynn went to an Indian restaurant in his locality and ordered a venison curry, asking that it should be kept very mild. When his order arrived, it came with a receipt that said the following: ‘VERY MILD, WHITE PPL’, which offended him and his companion very deeply. He felt this was a slur and he complained to the management of the restaurant. He was so put off by the “rude” comment that he said he wouldn’t be patronising the restaurant again.
So tempest in a teacup you say? Or in this case tempest in a dinner dish? Most certainly one would say; really not something to make a big deal out of. The man seemed upset not so much by the implied racial stereotype; the assumption that white people prefer bland food, but the personal allegation that he himself could not tolerate spicy fare. He seemed rather indignant at the assumption that he cannot eat spicy food and hastened to assure all and sundry that “I do like a hot curry sometimes. I just fancied a mild one for a change.”
So that’s alright then… he is strong and macho enough to deal with hot curries because, you know you have to be really tough and need to have a really strong bowel to deal with the after-effects of a hot, hot meal! So he can, he just didn’t in this instance! Sorted.
Mr. Stuart’s personal feelings of hurt culinary pride aside, is this not racial as well? If white people are judgmental and sometimes offensive about Indian people and our eating habits, isn’t this also a case of some of us being judgmental about theirs? While I’ll concede that there are some good reasons why roast beef and Yorkshire pudding were replaced by chicken tikka masala, let’s not all of us assume that all white men can’t swallow spice! When it comes to racism, turnabout is not fair play.
