POLITICS! Ugh.
We all hate politics.
But food and politics are intrinsically connected for many reasons on many levels. I have a personal list – as I’m sure many of you do — of things I won’t eat, places I won’t go, and individual people I don’t support with my dollar bills, all based on my personal, or their public political stances. I try to avoid foie gras, for example, and all commercially raised animals as much as I can. I respect and support the Vegan diet, politically, even if I am not practicing it. I also don’t spend my money at Chick-Fil-A, mostly because they spend their money on anti-LGBTQ propagandists. (Also I ain’t eatin’ no fast food, or supporting any company that spells their name that way. Jesus eff.)
I recently posted a link to a story about how Chick-Fil-A still supports anti-LGBTQ causes, and some guy posted in the comments section, saying, “And? Buh bye Stu Helm: Food Fan.” Oh as if, Larry. (his name is Larry)
Boo hoo hoo. I’m totally sad and lamenting the fact that some A-hole who loves fast food and hates gay people is no longer following me.
Buh bye indeed.
Over the years, a few other annoying Facebook people have told me that they are not following me anymore because I bring up politics, and to all those people I say a heartfelt and sincere, “See ya wouldn’t wanna be ya!” Straight-up. I’ve got opinions that I’m willing to share, and I want to hear your opinions as well! That’s part of what makes life — and food — interesting!
So, please, I’m curious, tell me in the comments sections below…
WHICH FOODS DO YOU AVOID FOR POLITICAL REASONS?
And yes, Vegans, I am opening up this thread to you as well. Give it your best shot. I was Vegetarian for 10 years, in the 1990’s, and I loved it. Then I slipped.. on a piece of bacon.
Please everybody, try to stay civil and talk about your own beliefs, rather than judging others for their beliefs. I know that’s hard to do, but we can try!
Example: “I don’t eat kittens,” rather than “George Bush sucks because he eats kittens!” President Bush has made his choice, and we need to respect that.
NOTE: ALL COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG REQUIRE MY PERSONAL APPROVAL.
As soon as you post to the comment section below, I will be notified via email, and your comment will be approved, unless it is truly atrocious, hateful, or offensive.
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From left: Chef Jacob Sessoms of Table; Chef William Dissen, The Market Place; Chef Steven Goff, Standard Foods; Chef Katie Button, Curate; Chef Joe Scully, Chestnut and Corner Kitchen; Stu Helm; Chef John Fleer, Rhubarb; Chef Karen Donatelli, Donatelli Bakery; Chef Peter Pollay, Posana Cafe; and Chef Matt Dawes, Bull & Beggar./ Photo by STEWART O’SHIELDS for ASHVEGAS.COM
Stu Helm is an artist, writer, and podcaster living in Asheville, NC, and a frequent diner at local restaurants, cafes, food trucks, and the like. His tastes run from hot dogs and mac ‘n’ cheese, to haute cuisine, and his opinions are based on a lifetime of eating out. He began writing about food strictly to amuse his friends on Facebook.
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Stu Helm: Food Fan 
Hi Stu – thanks for asking. I love food. I’ve been paleo, vegetarian, lots of friends with food issues…so it’s something I’ve thought about a lot.
I don’t eat factory farmed meat because the animals AND the humans in those places are treated worse than the dog shit I stepped in yesterday. I do eat eggs, dairy, and occasionally meat (with gustatory delight!!) that has been raised in a way that doesn’t make me gag and feel like I just hurt someone I care about. When you think about all the immigrants tied into that system, the environmental degradation due to all the excrement, and just the pain and terror in the meat, it seems like a political act to me to say no. Though I’m not doing it FOR political reason – they are much more personal. I had too much cognitive dissonance.
I am angry at the entire middle sections of mainstream grocery stores – they sell us non-food and call it food. I’m angry at cereal because of what that cute box of Rice Krispies represents – big agriculture that devastates the soil, takes healthy food and strips it down and then adds a bunch of chemicals and sells it to us using words like blueberry and pomegranate on the package with NO rules saying it HAS TO contain blueberries or pomegranites. WTF? I don’t buy any of that shit (unless I do once in a great while) because Nestle, Kellogg, Tyson, and a ton of other food companies sell us things that are anti-life and then send us to the health care system to handle the impact of their life’s work. Oh and they go to other countries and rape them for resources. They can fuck off (especially Nestle).
Lastly, I don’t drink soft drinks. I saw an sign at a 7-11 a few years ago saying that if you bought the giant big gulp, $1 would be donated to the juvenile diabetes foundation. Seriously? Soda manufacturers can fuck off too.
Thanks Stu. That was a fun little rant.
Lauren
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Eff yes to all of that!
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Eff that all indeed Lauren!
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