Hoots.
Letter to the Editor, plus strangely incensed response. Apparently my article "embodies offensive stereotypes." Interested?
To the editor, Huslter 4-11
Passover tradition dictates that, during the week-long holiday, no flour, wheat, soy, carbohydrates or legumes may be consumed. For the first nineteen years of my life, I have dutifully followed these rigid guidelines, to the point where I would refrain from eating anything containing corn syrup or soy lecithin. My downfall: a simple, unassuming peanut butter on matza sandwich from Rand’s Passover table.
When I came to Vanderbilt, I was assured that the school was doing its best to inspire religious tolerance on campus, and was actively recruiting students from a wide array of religious backgrounds, including Judaism. Given this background, you can imagine my shock when the only accommodations made for Jews during Passover were a small table in front of Rand, sporting matza, peanut butter, horseradish and honey. Even this, however, I grew accustomed to; I learned not to expect Vanderbilt to go out of its way to provide for students following different dietary guidelines, or to foster religious education along such lines.
This year it hit me: Vanderbilt’s Passover table, their only offered Passover staple, was not Kosher for Passover. Peanuts are legumes, and are thus anathema for Passover. The particular brand of peanut butter offered contains not only peanuts, but soybean oil and corn syrup- both of which violate Passover guidelines. Is this really the message Vanderbilt wants to send to its Jewish student population, that they cannot be bothered to research the very holiday they are pretending to celebrate?
A Kosher for Passover menu would not be hard to create. Most meat dishes are already Kosher for Passover- maybe a sauce or two would be thinner without their flour base, or breaded meats traded for grilled, or even pan-fried offerings. It is not necessary for Vanderbilt to change all of its food during the week of Passover; by no means am I campaigning for an impossible concession to be made by all of Vanderbilt’s population. I am simply asking for Vanderbilt to look into religious traditions while preaching tolerance, and to not go out of its way to make religious observance impossible.
Their response:
To the Editor,
"Religious topics require more research" was the most pathetic,
petty dribble to reach print in the last 4 years. I wanted to
vomit when I read "The particular brand of peanut butter offered
contains not only peanuts, but also soy bean oil and corn syrup,"
and then the column was concluded by stating that Vanderbilt goes
OUT OF ITS WAY to provide sacrilegious food services.
Listen folks, I don't expect smoked hams whenever Christmas comes
around, and I don't cry when I don't get apple pie on the 4th of
July. I'm blown away that Vanderbilt even set up a table to serve
a religious holiday. I mean the University has to be careful in
reference to Christmas. What kind of handouts is Miss White
looking for?
If Imus were to review the article you can expect it to go a little
something like this: You know there is a Kroger down the road, that
is, if you can fit peanut butter and crackers into your budget!
Miss White's attempts to criticize the University were haphazard at
best. Not only does she highlight special treatment for a target
demographic, but her article embodies offensive stereotypes.
Sincerely,
Mark E. Storolis
senior, A&S
/articles
1) Who is Imus?
2) Kroger, Harris Teeter, and Walmart were all sold out of matza.
3) Why would I want to buy peanut butter?
4) Pathetic AND petty. Sweet.
5) Vanderbilt did go out of its way to provide sacreligious food choices. Whether I believe they MUST provide for Passover is a moot point- my entire article is on the fact that they did provide for Passover, and failed.
6) They do serve pie on the 4th of July.
7) I'm still confused about the offensive stereotyping.
8) I have a meeting tomorrow with a lady from Vanderbilt Dining.
To the editor, Huslter 4-11
Passover tradition dictates that, during the week-long holiday, no flour, wheat, soy, carbohydrates or legumes may be consumed. For the first nineteen years of my life, I have dutifully followed these rigid guidelines, to the point where I would refrain from eating anything containing corn syrup or soy lecithin. My downfall: a simple, unassuming peanut butter on matza sandwich from Rand’s Passover table.
When I came to Vanderbilt, I was assured that the school was doing its best to inspire religious tolerance on campus, and was actively recruiting students from a wide array of religious backgrounds, including Judaism. Given this background, you can imagine my shock when the only accommodations made for Jews during Passover were a small table in front of Rand, sporting matza, peanut butter, horseradish and honey. Even this, however, I grew accustomed to; I learned not to expect Vanderbilt to go out of its way to provide for students following different dietary guidelines, or to foster religious education along such lines.
This year it hit me: Vanderbilt’s Passover table, their only offered Passover staple, was not Kosher for Passover. Peanuts are legumes, and are thus anathema for Passover. The particular brand of peanut butter offered contains not only peanuts, but soybean oil and corn syrup- both of which violate Passover guidelines. Is this really the message Vanderbilt wants to send to its Jewish student population, that they cannot be bothered to research the very holiday they are pretending to celebrate?
A Kosher for Passover menu would not be hard to create. Most meat dishes are already Kosher for Passover- maybe a sauce or two would be thinner without their flour base, or breaded meats traded for grilled, or even pan-fried offerings. It is not necessary for Vanderbilt to change all of its food during the week of Passover; by no means am I campaigning for an impossible concession to be made by all of Vanderbilt’s population. I am simply asking for Vanderbilt to look into religious traditions while preaching tolerance, and to not go out of its way to make religious observance impossible.
Their response:
To the Editor,
"Religious topics require more research" was the most pathetic,
petty dribble to reach print in the last 4 years. I wanted to
vomit when I read "The particular brand of peanut butter offered
contains not only peanuts, but also soy bean oil and corn syrup,"
and then the column was concluded by stating that Vanderbilt goes
OUT OF ITS WAY to provide sacrilegious food services.
Listen folks, I don't expect smoked hams whenever Christmas comes
around, and I don't cry when I don't get apple pie on the 4th of
July. I'm blown away that Vanderbilt even set up a table to serve
a religious holiday. I mean the University has to be careful in
reference to Christmas. What kind of handouts is Miss White
looking for?
If Imus were to review the article you can expect it to go a little
something like this: You know there is a Kroger down the road, that
is, if you can fit peanut butter and crackers into your budget!
Miss White's attempts to criticize the University were haphazard at
best. Not only does she highlight special treatment for a target
demographic, but her article embodies offensive stereotypes.
Sincerely,
Mark E. Storolis
senior, A&S
/articles
1) Who is Imus?
2) Kroger, Harris Teeter, and Walmart were all sold out of matza.
3) Why would I want to buy peanut butter?
4) Pathetic AND petty. Sweet.
5) Vanderbilt did go out of its way to provide sacreligious food choices. Whether I believe they MUST provide for Passover is a moot point- my entire article is on the fact that they did provide for Passover, and failed.
6) They do serve pie on the 4th of July.
7) I'm still confused about the offensive stereotyping.
8) I have a meeting tomorrow with a lady from Vanderbilt Dining.