Watermelon jokes about the White House! So funny I forgot to laugh.
How old do you have to be to be the mayor of Los Alamitos?
Because I can't believe that the guy who sent out this stupefying email is more than six -- at least his sense of humor, and that may be underestimating six-year-olds.
The Orange County Register reported that Dean Grose, the Los Alamitos mayor, sent an email from his personal account that shows a picture of the White House. On its lawn are rows of watermelons, and the caption reads, ``No Easter egg hunt this year.``
I'll pause for a moment here while you recover from the gasping guffaws, the belly laughs that are no doubt incapacitating you right now as a consequence of that devastating thigh-slapper from Mayor Grose....
Do people really still tell these so-called jokes? Do people really still find them funny?
One recipient of the email was Los Alamitos council member Keyanus Price, who is black. Grose told the Associated Press that Price is a friend of his, he didn't send it to offend her or African-Americans, and that he was unaware of the racial stereotype about black people and watermelons.
Uh-huh.
I'm white as a polar bear's belly and I'm offended.
Mayor Grose, according to voter registration records, is 65 years old. He was a grownup when the Civil Rights Act was signed, an adult during the decade of protests. I hope -- I hope -- that we may just now be bringing up a generation that doesn't recognize these stereotypes. What a breakthrough.
But for Mayor Grose, a man old enough to receive Social Security, to suggest that he didn't know about the stereotype makes me wonder what he was doing during those years of change and assassination and social awakening.
And if he didn't know about the stereotype, what's the point of sending out the email? Is it some insight into the state of American eggculture and agriculture? Why would there be no Easter egg hunt at the White House this year? Does the mayor of Los Alamitos have some inside information about a pending egg shortage? Or that the watermelon industry needs serious economic propping-up, and that's why watermelons will be used in lieu of eggs, coincidentally in the very year that an African-American president first occupied the White House?
I just don't know whether this whole thing is more sad or offensive. I do know that it's not funny, that it never was funny, and that if there's ever a standup comedy night fundraiser at Los Alamitos City Hall, Mayor Grose better stick to taking tickets at the door.
Top photo credit: The Orange County Register website. Bottom photo credit: Dean Grose's campaign website.
First off, I would like to say that I am a senior in high school and I immediately recognized the insensitive, not to mention, very offensive stereotype Grose addressed in his e-mail to his peers. I refuse to believe that a senior citizen had never before heard of this stereotype. It could be true that his African-American friend might not have found it offensive because she does not care if he makes that kind of joke – after all, they are friends – but it is still racist without a doubt.
Secondly I would like to say that while I am irritated and ashamed that racism and stereotyping is still a problem in present-day America, I feel a small ounce of gratitude towards my country that, to a degree, allows this. True, it cost him his job (through shameful resignation and embarrassment which he may have deserved), but he was not executed or convicted for being utterly disrespectful towards our nation’s leader. Simply put, he was exercising his right to free speech.
Posted by: Colby | March 26, 2009 at 04:28 PM
I am a black American and I see the watermelon differently.
The watermelon is a fruit that provides a natural
'cleanse' for the body.
Any/everyone who is considering a "cleanse", look at your skin beforehand. After the cleanse, most people will have smaller/tighter pores, hydrated skin, and years removed from their appearance. So, if black people love watermelon so much, perhaps this is one of the reasons our skin doesn't show signs of aging as quickly.
So, for those of you who want to be healthier, more vibrant (guys, you could lose the viagra), and feel good about the way you look--go out there and eat a lot of WATERMELON!!
Add to that greens, seasoned in cayene pepper to cleanse the lungs and liver, and 'baked' chicken BUT, if you choose to fry it, use olive oil--more skin enrichers!!
See, its all in the way you look at it.
I tried to post, previously and received an error message so, forgive the possible double post.
Posted by: Penelope | March 02, 2009 at 05:11 PM
lol
Posted by: Jimmy Pritchett | February 28, 2009 at 04:14 AM
I think it's VERY FUNNY!!!
Maybe throw a few CHICKENS out in the middle of that WATERMELON PATCH???
Posted by: Joe | February 27, 2009 at 10:49 PM
.... real people have lightened up, and all we see is a "man" in the white house, small unenlightened folks see a black man.........
Posted by: Woodrow | February 27, 2009 at 07:01 PM
People really need to lighten up!! We should be much more worried about what this black man in the White House is going to do to this once great country. Doing nothing is a bad solution, but haste makes waste as my mamma always told me.
Posted by: Jamie | February 27, 2009 at 05:58 PM
Los Alamitos is the loser here, showing it has an immature leader, with the quick thinking wit of a crow bar.I spent large amounts of time in south central in the seventies , and relating to the brothers, this kind'a joke would be a "laugh at"kind of joke... and Los Alamitos shot itself in the foot for allowing this small minded person be in charge, good luck Los Alamitos , for any future sewer projects
Posted by: Woodrow | February 27, 2009 at 05:32 PM
It's really funny how people are always telling blacks not to be so sensitive and get over slavery and racial remarks like it's a part of the past and racism no longer exists. Maybe we could get over racism if we didn't have idiots photo shopping pictures of the white house with a watermelon field and comic strip portraying a dead monkey asking "who's going to sign the stimulus bill"; which are obvious racial sterotypes of blacks (for white people who don't know ask your grandparents and parents I'm sure they'll be able to explain it). I wonder how people who are not minorities would react if there was a picture of a white man dead with the caption "who's going steal land, lynch african americans, make it a felony to cross into Arizona from Mexico illegally, start wars, and strip minorities of the culture?"
Posted by: Amber Williams | February 27, 2009 at 02:46 PM
The shock that a Mayor would pass on this cartoon to
anyone let alone a black person can be funny although
serious in itself.
Because the news services have passed on this same cartoon
to blacks everywhere has the same effect on racists
also everywhere.
Posted by: Joe | February 27, 2009 at 02:43 PM
"but It appears to me free speech in this country only applies to Blacks."
Tell us something we don't already know. Most minorities are sick and tired of the NAACP and its cronies. Even a second generation hispanic or asian in this country can't even say anything reasonable without being accused of being anti-black. Now we understand what all the white guys have been complaining about the last 30 years...
Posted by: Angelina, Fresno | February 27, 2009 at 01:47 PM
There is a very earnest group that is legitimately advocating that the White House lawn be turned into a vegetable garden.
http://www.eattheview.org/
You can't make this stuff up.
Posted by: yellojkt | February 27, 2009 at 01:01 PM
so i'm white and if someone has bratwurst lined on the white house lawn, then i should be offended because it's white people's food. besides, who said watermelon is black food? can't i like watermelon? next thing is you'll say chicken is black food. FALSE. it's a people food. the racists are the ones who say are offended by this.
Posted by: mc | February 27, 2009 at 12:43 PM
I really don't see a problem with it. It is a little funny. The same way 'white men can't jump' or 'white people have no rhythm' is funny. I'm white and that stuff doesn't offend me at all, I find it amusing and love to watch the comedians on BET which make plenty of jokes about whites, blacks, hispanics, orientals, etc...
I think laughing about many of these stereotypes helps break down some barriers and helps to show just how ridiculous they really are. It's nice when we can all just have a nice laugh together.
Though, when you are a political figure you should definitely be intelligent enough to know that is something that should have been deleted immediately.
Then again, anyone that stupid deserves whatever backlash they catch over their idiotic action.
Posted by: Whatstheproblem | February 27, 2009 at 12:25 PM
To all of you sick white racist folk....You say we as blacks are whinning...not all of us are whinning, but it is ignorant things like this that keeps us Americans down. I am 38 and have encounterd many jokes about watermelon and blacks...The mayor should just be a man and say this is what he meant...yeah we can laugh at jokes, but this is directed at The President of the United States. Dana lets talk about welfare, there are far more whites on welfare than blacks..so your research first...there are many successful african-american men and women.....you so called white racist did not see anything wrong when we had the dumbest president in history of presidents....yes we all have freedom of speech but this was beyond that he was being a stupid racist
Posted by: ericka | February 27, 2009 at 10:39 AM
First, I am African American and proud to be an American. I love watermelon because it is healthy and has antioxidants. Also, more than likely the Mayor did not vote for President Obama. I not only voted for him but I volunteered and donated funds to his campaign. I am a bona fide President Obama supporter.
Having said that, we are taking this much too far. Why should the Mayor resign over this. We have this so called politically correct society but we fail to recognize racism for what it really is. The e-mail that the Mayor was silly but he had a right.
I feel so sorry for this Mayor. We have elected the first African American President and we put "race" in a box so we can mow over the real stuff.
Mayor - take back your job and go about doing the people's business.
Posted by: Maxine | February 27, 2009 at 09:05 AM
This mayor should be black balled... or will we have to change that term now? I am a strong Barack Obama supporter and it is people like Dana who commented about the "black agenda" and the misuse of welfare by blacks who give American people a bad name. People like her need to get out of the country and go elsewhere because as far as I am concerned the "black agenda" is to take back the country we built with our blood sweat and tears while the useless shiftless white slave masters sat back drinking lemonade while our skills and talents were utilized to build a country they stole from the Native Americans in the first place. Dana and the rest of you racist people in the world are just like the rest of the jealous people who stole the talents of blacks who constantly keep coming with new ideas, new skills for all you Elvis' and what have you to rob and steal from us! KEEP TRYING! You will never have the soul your ancestors could never take from us! We are rising back to the Kings and Queens we originally were before your hatred and jealousy came and destroyed everything our Lord and Savior stood for! Have that mayor blackballed and make an example for the rest of the racist idiots still left in the world
Posted by: Mayo | February 27, 2009 at 07:56 AM
Jon, I think its pretty self-evident that Hancock is referring to his own experiences in Chicago which then, as now, is largely segregated; no doubt 'Watermelon Man' (ie. the seller) and his customers were all black in Hancock's mind. Indeed I remember seeing a fairly documentary about jazz (PBS?) where the piece was played against the backdrop of a 1950s or 1960s clip of black urban youth buying watermelons off a cart piled high with the fruit. Couldn't find the clip, but I am sure it exists.
You say Hancock's tune has no words, neither did Grose's picture have any distorted caricatures of black folks. It was simply a mild joke about Obama's race/ethnicity. In the era of 'Stuff White People Like' this seems fairly trivial.
None of this would be important enough to waste time on except that Morrison's post is an illustration of a world-distorting mindset. Grose's minor faux pas is somehow blog worthy and will doubtless go national. However -- to take a spectacular and tragic example -- events like the murder of Jan and Quiana Pietrzak get cursory reporting and absolutely no comment by the major SoCal paper. They just don't fit the 1960s narrative.
Posted by: Mitchell Young | February 27, 2009 at 07:49 AM
That is one of the funniest emails I have seen---thus far. If you are offended - get a life!
Posted by: reformed2 | February 27, 2009 at 06:58 AM
"I hope -- I hope -- that we may just now be bringing up a generation that doesn't recognize these stereotypes. What a breakthrough."
I'm in my mid-20s and had no clue that there was a racial link between blacks and watermelons... I also thought the claims of racism with the chimp cartoon was a stretch, it definitely wasn't the first thing I thought of (I followed the exact line of thinking that the artists claimed).
I guess we're at least progressing, though of course we're not all the way there. I also agree with the sentiment in a few of the prior comments that progress in quelling racism has to come from all angles.
Posted by: Wonderboy | February 27, 2009 at 06:47 AM
This guy is way stupid. Like hell he didn't know about the racial stereotype! He really should've have known better. Did he really think there would be no protest?!
Posted by: Ginger | February 27, 2009 at 06:18 AM
I don't agree with this stupidity but It appears to me free speech in this country only applies to Blacks.
Posted by: Jack | February 27, 2009 at 06:01 AM
SICK!
Posted by: BIGDADDYSTHOUGHTS | February 27, 2009 at 06:00 AM
For whites who think black people are thin-skinned or
should just get over it try educating yourselves by going to www.authentichistory.com Look it the racist images
used depicting blacks and other minorities. The only reasons whites used racial slurs or cartoons in the past (and many still do) was to degrade or demean blacks so they could feel superior. I'm sure for many insecure whites Obama's presidency threatens them on many levels.
Posted by: Brannon | February 27, 2009 at 05:48 AM
Really? Watermelons in the white house? Really? How such ignorance can be spouted today I'm not surprised. I'm a 17 year old African-American living in what could possibly be the most confederate NC County ever. This isn't right. I'm not saying we should be ultrasensitive because that doesn't solve anything, but to turn a blind eye especially since the Huffington Post cartoon came out recently is out of the question. To those who think this joke is innocuous are as ignorant the person who created it. I’m weeping. I’m weeping that have to rub salt in the wound of racism. I’m upset that this won’t be the last race cartoon for the Obamas. It hurts. And this is not just hurting me. This is hurting America.
Posted by: L.Angie.Y-NC | February 27, 2009 at 05:35 AM
Mitchell, "Watermelon Man" doesn't have lyrics (aside from the chorus, "Watermelon man!"). So how can it be viewed as a racial commentary? The fact that Herbie Hancock is black doesn't mean he's saying blacks like watermelon, does it?
Because that's what the mayor's joke, which he picked up from somewhere unknown, is saying. The president is black, and "most black people have a fondness for watermelon," as commenter Roncee writes (evidently in all seriousness) (he/she must know a LOT of blacks), therefore he'll somehow be inclined to turn the White House lawn into a watermelon field. You don't see the problem here?
And Media Scatter, you're right -- watermelons have nothing to do with blacks. But there's an unmistakable connection between watermelon and *stereotypes* about blacks. That's the issue here. It's not like Jimmy Carter and peanuts. There's no personal link between Obama and watermelon, AFAIK. If there were, maybe this would be a harmless joke.
Posted by: Jon Healey | February 27, 2009 at 04:57 AM