Big Government Joins Battle Against ‘Food Apartheid’
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Mary Katherine Ham, Examiner, July 14, 2008
Seriously, this is a term, now.
Citing alarming rates of childhood obesity and a poverty of healthful eating choices, a city councilwoman is pushing for a moratorium on new fast-food restaurants in South-Central Los Angeles. . . .The proposed ordinance, which takes a page from boutique communities that turn up their noses at franchises, is supported by nutritionists, frustrated residents and community activists who call restrictive zoning an appropriate response to “food apartheid.”
Anyone want to launch a campaign to get this issue into the DNC platform? I bet we could manage it. “How can we, as a country, hope for a post-racial society when we cannot even promise the least among us post-racial potato products??? How can we integrate hope and change into our everyday lives when we segregate our health foods?”
A Los Angeles councilwoman starts by alleging that there are no food options other than fast food in South-Central Los Angeles, and goes on to allege that she is therefore forced to use government ordinances to expand choice by prohibiting an entire segment of restaurants from moving in—fast-food. The logic is lost on me, too.
As is the case with most justifications for heavy-handed nanny-statery, however, the councilwoman’s claims aren’t actually true:
So, a majority of South L.A. restaurants—55 percent—serve the non-fast-food options that the councilwoman claims her constituents don’t have.
An executive director of a local community group provides anecdotal evidence in support of “food apartheid,” which is also not actually true:
In fact, a Google Maps search of the neighborhood near her building reveals a Subway Subs and Salads shop about 2 miles from the Community Coalition. There are also several grocery stores (although some are mini-marts) within walking distance.
The Washington Post, not afraid to rely heavily on quotes and anecdotes, offers this observation:
“There’s no choice,” said Jessica Quintana, 15, leaving McDonald’s after a lunch of a fried chicken sandwich, fries and a soda. “It was nasty, but I ate it ’cause I’m hungry.”
There are actually several choices at McDonald’s, on the very menu from which Jessica ordered. There are 14 salads available at most McDonald’s, if you count all the salads prepared with each type of chicken, ranging from about 200-500 calories. Jessica also had the option to replace her fries with mandarin oranges and her soda with milk, but availed herself not. The WaPo also mentions a Taco Bell (9 options on a low-fat menu), KFC (6 salads), Pizza Hut and Quizno’s (5 salads, separate low-cal menu) in the neighborhood.
There are undoubtedly nutrition problems in America’s low-income neighborhoods, but they are largely a reflection of individual choices, not an unfair array of dietary choices that should be remedied by banning fast food. In fact, the fast-food industry’s shift toward healthier options in recent years has yielded a decent array of healthy choices for very low prices, which would simply be eliminated by Perry’s government overreach.
The irony in this situation is that Jan Perry has been on a years-long crusade to make healthy food more expensive for her low-income District 9 constituents:
In 2006, she backed an “ordinance prohibiting any buyer of a grocery store larger than 15,000 square feet from firing any employee in the first 90 days without sufficient ‘cause.’ Even after 90 days, cutbacks would be dictated in order of seniority,” according to an L.A. Times editorial.
Council member Jan Perry told The Times this week that the ordinance is intended to protect the “vulnerable.” Really? How about the vulnerable people in her district who would like a job? Or the slightly less vulnerable people who would like more convenient grocery shopping? After the 1992 riots, activists begged for grocery stores to do business in South L.A. Yet now the council requires giant retailers to survive an “economic impact report” before being allowed to operate in even the most blighted of neighborhoods.
In 2004, she backed an ordinance to keep one of America’s lowest-priced grocers (Wal-Mart) out of the area:
The L.A. ordinance would effectively ban big box retailers from selling groceries within a one-mile radius of “economic assistance areas,” a broadly defined expanse covering communities that have received city, state or federal funds to bolster commerce. Taken together, they could cover 40 percent of the city.
Someone should tell Perry that the last thing the people of District 9 need in their diets is more of her ill-advised laws.
Update: As I was saying . . .
The ripple effects are profound. Grocery prices drop an average of 10 to 15 percent in markets that Wal-Mart has entered, according to analysts cited by the New York Times.
Update: Baldilocks, who lives in the area, suggests a moratorium on shootings might be more effective in improving the public health, thanks Mrs. Perry:
Here’s another point: few non-franchise chi-chi restaurants are going to locate in such areas because they can’t afford the insurance and why should they spend the extra money? Who the heck would want to under such circumstances? I wouldn’t.All such a ban would do is depress the area further, deprive area kids of jobs and make gang-banging more attractive to some.
But maybe that’s part of the social(ist) agenda of LA. BTW, salad fixings are always available in Ralph’s and Vons. Free choice, folks. Every heard of it?
[Editor’s Note: A brief account of Jan Perry’s complaint can be read here.]
(Posted on July 16, 2008)
Comments
What? “Minority” whining that turns out to be false yet again?!?!
Heaven help us!
Posted by Obscuratus at 6:36 PM on July 16
I can’t find any grits and cornbread outlets up here in Washington State. I think I will contact my attorney.
Posted by Whiteplight at 6:39 PM on July 16
“There’s no choice,” said Jessica Quintana, 15, leaving McDonald’s after a lunch of a fried chicken sandwich, fries and a soda. “It was nasty, but I ate it ’cause I’m hungry.”
McDonald’s needs to include tacos on their menu, it seems.
Posted by Whiteplight at 6:41 PM on July 16
“There’s no choice,” said Jessica Quintana, 15, leaving McDonald’s after a lunch of a fried chicken sandwich, fries and a soda. “It was nasty, but I ate it ’cause I’m hungry.”
No Quintana - you ate it because you’re black. If you had been merely hungry you would have had their grilled chicken sandwich, salad with low-fat dressing, some orange juice or water - and would have skipped the “eyes on the fries”. And for dessert, Quintana - I’m sure they’ve taught you about A Dream Deferred - ever hear about An Ice Cream Deferred?
Posted by HideouslyWhite at 7:40 PM on July 16
A few years back, a grocery store on Buffalos’ black east side closed.
The black community was angry but they took no responsibility for how they drove the store out of business by actions of individuals and the ineptitude of black managers. Apparently, the customer service was abysmal which likely was a reciprocal reaction to abysmal customers (among other problems).
Blacks can be the most irrationally demanding customers. They believe they can act like jerks and yet expect to be treated like kings and queens. Their behavior is what drives businesses to fold and pull out of their communities.
Once it goes black, you don’t want it back.
Posted by sbuffalonative at 7:45 PM on July 16
Maybe if they didn’t rob and burn the grocery stores down,they might still be there.
Posted by Todd at 7:55 PM on July 16
Rather than doing away with fast food joints, I think a better option would be to force minorities (except Asians), by law, to order salads only. Any minority (except Asians) caught with a non-salad food would also be fined $100 per pound — based on their weight, not the meal’s weight. Of course, like civil rights laws, this law will not be written to protect white people, so whites will be negligently left to eat whatever they choose — let’s face it, who really cares if a bunch of whiteys die from heart disease? And Asians are skinny, anyway, so it’s all good!
This will solve the problem, meet everyone’s needs, and will certainly be hailed by minorities nationwide. After all, bigger government leads to better lives. And Oprah would love it, too.
Just imagine young Jessica Quintana’s joy when she learns she will be protected from having to consume nasty fried chicken, fries, and soda! Only the best green lettuce, sliced tomatoes, raw onions, and crusty croutons for you, girlfrien’! That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout…
Posted by Pat Henry at 8:00 PM on July 16
Recently, I’ve been losing quite a bit of weight following what is known as the Shangri-La Diet (I can’t recommend the book by that title enough to those who need to lose weight). The author has made an important discovery related to the tastiness of food and obesity. Eating tasty food changes something biologically that makes you eat ALOT more and put on weight. Alot of weight. The tastier your diet, the fatter you get. It’s part of a mechanism that exists to make sure you eat as much as possible when the “good” food is available, so as to survive later on when food is scarce. Certain people (cough….certain races) have a stronger mechanism than others….having more cause to survive starvation.
This is the reason blacks in our country are so fat. For thousands of years they never developed the skills or inclination to create a steady supply of tasty food (farm raised meat, a variety of planted foods etc.) Instead, they ate whatever was on the ground. Being more vulnerable to famine and tasty food being far rarer and more precious, this survival mechanism is FAR stronger in blacks.
Contact with whites, in an EXTREMELY short period of time, evolutionwise has created a glut of tasty foods for blacks. This constantly stimulates them to eat and eat and eat. Until they eat themselves to death. White generosity, not any conspiracy to keep nutritious foods away from them, is the culprit here.
One could argue convincingly that a great many nasty things having to do with blacks, both in the western world and in africa, are aided and abetted by white generosity. Blacks were never meant to live in our world. And this mutligenerational drive to uplift them is, at best, misguided, and at worst, a total disaster….not just for us but for them. And it comes through in every single little thing….even something as small as getting a happy meal at McDonalds.
Posted by at 8:05 PM on July 16
The following is the only retail full line supermarket grocery business model (complete with organic health food selections) that will work in a place like South Central LA:
A- Customer presents legibly written (form) shopping order with payment (cash or EBT) at high security bulletproof window.
B- Order is picked, checked, and packed by employees under a video surveillance workplace regimen.
C- Order is hand delivered to customer on opposite side of building where shotgun toting guards bid customer farewell with orders to vacate premises.
Posted by Flaxen-headed Strumpet at 8:44 PM on July 16
Never ending search for some other reason for black problems. Why don’t they understand that people are starting to get really really tired of this stupidity and are not deaf to it. Even many liberals are not quite so quick to jump on these types of bandwagons anymore.
Posted by realist at 9:27 PM on July 16
Just more proof that liberals don’t really care anything about the practical consequences of their ideas.
Posted by Dwayne O. at 10:47 PM on July 16
Obviously they have been living off the fat of the land (at taxpayer expense) Now it’s Whitey’s fault they are obese…
Posted by at 12:57 AM on July 17
Their diet is just the beginning of the carping, wait until the medical bills come due and they have to wait thirteen hours in an emergency room. Avoid these blacks at all costs, now I know a good reason why smart Whites are mostly at the pinnacle of health, to avoid obama’s constituents in a medical setting. In obama’s world Whites living healthy will be construed as racists. obama ‘08/universal bankruptcy ‘09
Posted by Lars at 10:38 AM on July 17
I’m surprised that AmRen posters do not realize that most of the residents of South Central LA are now MEXICAN. “Quintana” is not a Black surname.
Posted by The Takeover at 12:33 PM on July 17
The market decides what kind of restaurants will move into a neighborhood.
Fast-food is a no-brainer industry. It should be called ‘food assembly’, because it has little to do with the discipline of cooking. In the end, it’s about property rent. The real reason fast-food thrives is because it can make a margin of profit where others can’t.
There are fewer people who will take up the challenge of running a real restaurant, when the customers aren’t willing to spend 30-40% more on ‘real’ food. The pre-packaged fast food, assembled by minimum wage transient employees, wins because of its price-point advantage.
Posted by at 1:15 PM on July 17
“In 2006, she backed an “ordinance prohibiting any buyer of a grocery store larger than 15,000 square feet from firing any employee in the first 90 days without sufficient ‘cause.’ Even after 90 days, cutbacks would be dictated in order of seniority,””
That actually makes sense though I shudder to think of the Reasons that would be given by the black city council lady.
Posted by at 1:32 PM on July 17
- “obama ‘08/universal bankruptcy ‘09”
Posted by Lars at 10:38 AM on July 17
You must be young and healthy - feeling the immortality of youth.
I do not support Obama but one thing as one with a 25 year health care system career behind me, I agree with the idea of universal health care for AMERICANS. I lived and worked in Europe for several years and most have a better life than Americans, including the smug ones with good jobs and lots of health insurance. One thing they have over us is a lack of worry over what will happen if they should get a serious diagnosis. I have a friend in Slovenia who has just had his fourth operation for an eight year old diagnosis of osteo-sarcoma - a very serious cancer. During that time, he has married his second, younger wife and had two babies with her. They have been building a very nice home that would cost at least a million dollars here. And his country has not gone bankrupt covering their citizens. Contrast to what usually happens to Americans with a similar diagnosis; they loose their home, sometimes their spouse and end up impoverished - even if they have health insurance, because our health care delivery system is designed for profit taking, not health care delivery.
Posted by Whiteplight at 2:01 PM on July 17
I suppose you can argue that most whites are hardly different from Quintana in that they like fried chicken, soda pop, and french fries as well. But what is essentially black about Quintana is that she lies about it to get attention - and what is essentially white about this story is that whites, and white journalists, take her seriously and give her demonstrative dishonesty legitimacy - and reward. The Cycle of Black/White Relations can be simplified as followings: Black: I want salad - gimme some money! White: Here’s some money - buy yourself a salad. Black takes the money and buys more fried chicken. The cycle starts all over again, and it never ends.
Posted by HideouslyWhite at 7:58 PM on July 17
While it might be argued that in third world countries, there are not enough nutrious foods available. In America that is far from the case. Our so-called poor minorities aren’t emmaciated and thin, they are obese from eating too much, and excerising too little. It’s an outrage when they try and make it look like White America is starving them, when so many of them are covered in rolls of fat and flab, from lack of self control around pizza and potato chips.
Posted by at 9:27 PM on July 17
I’m surprised that AmRen posters do not realize that most of the residents of South Central LA are now MEXICAN. “Quintana” is not a Black surname.
Posted by The Takeover at 12:33 PM on July 17
Blacks can call themselves anything they want and one never knows just WHAT the blacks may be calling themselves at any given time. Just think, a playboy cartoon years ago depicted a white man speaking to a black man and he says “hey! bro” he then pauses and says “just what are you people calling yourselves these days?” imagine the furor that would cause now!
Posted by Skip at 1:25 AM on July 18
Whites get blamed for not rescuing starving 3rd world minorities who are malnurished and skinny. Then they get blamed in their own countries, for minorities who get enormously fat because they can’t stop eating.
Posted by at 7:19 AM on July 18
Several years ago 7-Eleven closed sixty two store’s, in Memphis, Tn., Horace Jackson the district manager said they were being shoplifed out of business. In the black area’s all of the chain restaurants are closed. Major shopping centers are boarded up and other business’s have iron bars and bullet proof glass. Most whites have moved to Collierville, Tn. or Fayette County, Tn. paying $150.00 per ft. for new homes, trying to get away from blacks but the blacks keep following them and buying their homes for $60.00 per ft.
Posted by at 5:44 PM on July 18