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Grillin' Out, Veggie Style
Mira S. (original recipe)
I started out in Montessori school but that was kind of expensive so, after a good foundation
that nurtured creativity and weirdness, I switched to public school to learn what normal is (though
it never really took hold on me). I bring this up because recess at Montessori school was basically
Lord of the Flies. In retrospect, I have absolutely no idea what girls at the school did during
recess. I know they were there only because I co-authored a poem about the class hamster with a
girl in the school paper (go figure).
At recess, though, I have no memory of girls. We were organized in gangs and boards were our
currency. I had a small but intimidating gang that maintained a fort on the edge of school property,
a line we commonly transgressed to show off what rulebreakers we were. The biggest gang maintained
a giant fort constructed from an impressive abundance of boards right in the middle of the field
(I know, so basic) I wish I could remember the gang leader's name. Anyway, George was a kid that we
were kind of mean to, hopefully not only because he was kind of fat (like Piggy!), but he led a small
gang that didn't have a fort so much as maintained a territory that was, as I recall it, a giant pile
of dirt.
My most vivid memory of George was one recess hearing the news, George had been hit in the head by
a rock, and then he was running past toward the school building, crazed expression, sobbing, head
bleeding, and it was pretty traumatizing to witness as a kid, he was bleeding from the head, but
there is a happy ending because George got stitches in his head and returned to school in exceptional
spirits. I guess it must have been a fun adventure? I'm honestly not sure, but he was fine,
cheery. I relate this story because of George, Georgia, see?
In public school in middle school kids used to spar with sharp pieces of scrap metal, I guess
they've probably replaced shop class, but anyway, I was too mature to participate in that, but
the point is even in affluent communities young dudes gonna form gangs and engage in gang violence
and maybe there is a lesson there waiting to be figured out.
When I went to grab Bernie Sanders's book from the library shelf, I happened to see Stacy
Abrams's book there too. I can't read a book for every state, nor do I want this blog to devolve
into check-ins with the prominent political personalities associated with each given state.
However, since the two books I've read for this project are both by old white men, I figured it
would lend balance to read something by a Black woman. Plus, Stacy Abrams is a published author
outside her role as a politician, so maybe it's actually well-written (perhaps a little steamy).
So there, I read it! (Now can I go see Dune 2?) Halfway in, I wasn't sure I should finish, not because it wasn't
interesting, but because I was falling so far behind on my posting schedule, but I thought that
would be like counting half the vote and, even only halfway into the book, I couldn't see doing
that.
Stylistically, it was definitely better-written than the last two books, and it was streamier
than I expected! For instance, lines like "On the evening of the fifteenth, Lauren's voice,
typically a rapid-fire volley of information and strategy, held a careful, solemn tempo." In
terms of substance, I have five pages of notes and we'll breeze through them as best I can.
How to delicately introduce this topic. I did a student exchange in high school with Germany,
and they know they f***ed up and are better for admitting it and growing. But the South
(and the North too! but especially the South!) could really show a little more humility. When you
read, state by state, about their histories (including not that long ago), while researching
their state abbreviation and outline, you realize how recent and f***ed up it all is, but white
Southern snowflakes (and Lynn Cheney, out west) want us to take pride in systemic racism.
Snowflakes? You think kids can't handle the truth! You don't want them to feel bad about history!
You are worried they will hate themselves because of what mostly dead people did! Have you MET
a young person? They are self-absorbed! They want to express THEMSELVES, they know it's a world
of s*** (at least until they get older). Is this some weird spin-off of ancestor worship?
With all respect to indigenous cultures, we can love our ancestors without being blind to
huge f***-ups. Maybe kids should take pride in all the progress we've made and all the progress
they will help us make going forward. You don't have to cancel your ancestors, just be real.
The history is something, but there is also a throughline from Jim Crow to what Abrams writes
about today, to present-day policies such as turning down federal funding for Medicaid expansion
or s***ty election policies. This is probably even more uncomfortable than acknowledging the
history. I guess they just want to hold onto power and are willing to sink really low to do it.
After all, your book says it is a book about power.
So here is one of the fun dichotomies. We must do both, fight them institutionally and try
to sway hearts. I haven't a clue how to do the latter. In college I learned about conservation
biology and we were taught, one reason to save biodiversity is intrinsic value, and we don't
talk about intrinsic value in this course, which is fine and OK, but intrinsic is the best
reason to save biodiversity, and likewise, not treating Black people like s*** has quite a
lot of intrinsic value, how can we make you see this? If only you would look for the racism
in your hearts!
I don't have a ton of personal experience down South. My ex-girlfriend's dad lived in Texas,
but he was English and his wife was Black, so aside from hearing about microaggressions against
their mixed family, I don't have a lot of insight into the most dire corners of Southern culture
(e.g., excuses for racism). His wife, who grew up in the South, was severely religious, a
condition I characterize as such because it interfered with her most basic and fundamental
understanding/acceptance of science. I don't think she was in a position to hurt anyone with
her ignorance, but certainly people in leadership positions could, and I worry that a worldview
that does not include science might also exclude other important "worldly" concepts like treat
Black people with dignity and respect even if they stand in your way politically.
Back to voting. Here is my main takeaway. I don't think I've waited more than 5 minutes to
vote, if that long. The prospect of waiting 15-30 minutes is somewhat daunting, and an hour or
longer wait seems to clearly violate a person's voting rights if polls tests and poll taxes do
(and they do). Unfortunately, we have a bad Supreme Court that probably disagrees with me.
Literally, it looks like we owe these people money, which can never undo the injustice (what
is the value of a vote?), although a well-funded federal mandate could begin to redress it.
I don't care if it affects election results. This is human dignity!
All the issues she raises are valid, but I am hung up on waiting times because it is
such an obvious indicator that there is a problem. Early voting, absentee voting, etc.
mitigate the dangers of long wait times, but I feel like someone should be able to wake
up on Election Day, finalize their choices, leave for lunch a little early and vote without
hassle before returning to life's other distractions. Making Election Day a holiday is a good
idea, but to those whose likelihood to vote is diminished by life circumstances, responsibilities
have a way of creeping into weekends and even holidays. Like early voting, etc., making
Election Day a holiday mitigates the issue of long wait times but is insufficient to address
this concern on its own.
Isn't it America-style to brute-force our way through, make Election Day a holiday, make it
quick and easy to vote on Election Day? Suitable alternatives are important but we shouldn't
lower our standards even if they are stupid and narrow and even if there are other good ways
that are not mutually-exclusive. Long wait times are not merely a process measure (important,
valid) but are instead a status measure of our (failing) elections systems. I say we say enough!
Somewhat past the midpoint of Abrams's book, I remembered that I had skipped whole chapters
of the Bill Gates book, and so I decided to believe Stacey Abrams on the importance of the
National Census. The book is good but I have places to be and I need to keep moving. I
realized I'd reached the lightning round. What bogus excuses can I make up to skim or skip
reading as much of the rest of the book as I can! E.g.,
-I studied to be Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts in my social studies' class Model
Constitutional Convention so, even though I stayed home sick, I will skim the section on
gerrymandering.
-This section is called "End the Electoral College". We all know this is never going to
happen, not in some tidy outright way it won't, but I did pitch a compromise so let's see
what she tackles next...
-I have strong (negative) feelings about monuments to Confederate leaders so I will skip this
section.
-Now she is making the case for courting unlikely voters. I can skip this because I was a
Barack Obama early adopter (before he decided to run for President!) and I believe whole-heartedly
in his (and Party Chairman Howard Dean's) Fifty State Strategy, which meant wasting campaign
resources in places that weren't likely to vote Democrat, for a number of reasons but most
fundamentally to strengthen the Democratic Party in all reaches of the country, for the people
there as well as our collective strength to chart a national course. Look at the jerks in
Georgia who won't expand healthcare access even though it's federally allocated money! Georgia
may have two Democratic Senators today which is great! But clearly you need help in your
statewide elections, to rid you of these jerks, so when we go hunting for Blue votes in
Red states, that's kind of like courting unlikely voters, voters that are not counted,
rather they are counted out, and that may be a way to win but it's no way to wield power,
not nearly as legitimate a basis of power as including the voices of the marginalized, be
it due to personal or political circumstances.
-Now she's talking about tax law, I don't think I need an excuse to skip ahead.
-Now she's talking about foreign policy, and polls show nobody cares. And the Afterward
is about COVID or something, I think I'm done!
Georgia, I feel like I know you a little better now. I see what you are going through.
Like too-often ignored Red states who frack themselves, we here in the North will try to see
your problems not as isolated issues, but the stuff of promises, promises we all made
together and must keep together. We are separate states with separate citizenry and
separate governance, but if we are United in anything, then surely it must be in this
way, working together to keep our nation's promises to ourselves.
Black Bean Burgers
- 3/4 cu. (1/2 15-oz. can) Black beans, rinsed and drained
Carrot Salad
- 1 Tbs. plain vegan Yogurt
Avocado Spread
Preparation
Warm oil in a pan. Over medium heat, saute shallot for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook
another 1 minute. Then add beans, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Let cool, then
pulse in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Empty food processor into a bowl and add
breadcrumbs and Just Egg. Refrigerate while you make the salad and avocado spread.
For the salad: Combine all ingredients.
For the avocado spread: Mash together ingredients.
Heat oil in a saute or grill pan. Form two black bean burgers and cook 4-5 minutes each side.
Serve with avocado-smeared bun, tomato, and salad.
Discussion
Another Jew, another veggie burger! I might have liked Yonah's better, or maybe it was just my first
time scratch-making a veggie burger, maybe it will always be special, dunno, but Mira's burger was also
better than anything from the freezer and it outshines my memories of meat. She, like Yonah, had a
compelling story about her creative motivations.
In this case, she loved the experience of her school's outdoor grilled lunches but as a
vegetarian, there was nothing for her to eat! Like Stacy Abrams, a self-avowed agitator, Mira
wasn't going to sit idly by while others participated without her in a system that failed to
recognize her individual needs and circumstances, that denied her humanity. Instead, she took
action, creating the recipe we enjoyed today. This recipe was her personal ticket to the celebration,
but in doing so, she stood up not just for herself but for other vegetarians or would-be
vegetarians who are too often excluded from outdoor grilled lunches, a minority that could
easily fall through the cracks, but with Mira's example, can embrace their identity while
simultaneously demanding a seat at the table.
I hope it's not offensive to compare the act of voting to dietary inclusion in a school grill-out,
but it must be brave to be a vegetarian child in the Deep South and to stand up for yourself in a
way that is minimally threatening but true to your core convictions. As I've written, I didn't stop
eating meat until I was 18, and by now you've guessed the fact I grew up in possibly the most
liberal county in the country. I can only imagine being in Mira's shoes. I don't have a lot
to go on, but based on her blurb in the pdf, she seems well-adjusted about it. But time and
time again, I read about the more-conservative areas of this country, and my heart goes out
to liberals and other misfits who find a way to exist there when I can tell you, it ain't easy
being a straight white man in the most liberal county in the country, those of us lucky enough
to have meaningful political representation send our hearts to you and all our strength, we've
turned our backs on you before, e.g., we agreed to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and the brave
Northerns who defied it were labeled criminals by the complicit Northern governments, but it's
impossible to take this journey around the country and not be moved by acts of resistance, like
grilling a lone veggie burger.
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Mississippi