We Will Always Wash Our Meats… Mind Your Business

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Ugh. Yes. It is that time of year. The big feast is upon America. The holiday we await all year long. Food, family, football, and a whole host of shenanigans. It is a tradition, and so is that oh so friendly reminder to not wash your turkeys. Of course, this message comes from the same demographic who is often loud and proud about not washing their bodies with soap and water every single day. Of course, those same people would be the ones with the food hygiene advice. And of course, for large swathes of people who don’t look like them, don’t wash like them, and damn sure don’t cook like them, we promptly ignore their well-meaning advice.

All the scare tactics, the technicalities aside, the so-called concern, all the bullshit that comes out your mouths, understand this; what someone else eats will not make you shit. Worry about your own plate, period.

What always gets me when this type jumps in comment sections and their PSA’s is the energy of their messaging. It always comes across as I know best, and the government backs me up so everyone should follow what we say. To be fair, this isn’t strictly about turkey either. You can never be a moral authority when you have no morals. When your humanity has been defined by your positionality in relation to others in a position of oppressor, you will never be able to override the natural inclination to spurn your advice and question your integrity.

You care so much about my washed turkey but give two fucks I can’t pay rent. You care so much about the droplets in my kitchen but could care less if I can’t receive food stamps. You will donate to a charity for dogs before you ever help the homeless woman you pass every day at the intersection. You will shoot a lost Black person down for knocking on your door but somehow you care about us getting salmonella. Miss me with the bullshit okay.

I am a meat washer. All of them will get that rinse. Bacon and sausages will get those rinses, too. I will continue to wash my meats. All of them. I will enjoy my meals, and I will ignore your well-meaning advice because you don’t care about me or the other me’s. You want to position yourself as the rightful authority of any and everything instead of yourself. We got Black women in labor being rushed out of hospitals, yet somehow we are supposed to believe the medical establishment and government entities care about our Black asses washing the poultry we eat. Right, Sam. Absolutely , right….

In conclusion , worry about your likely nasty, dry ass plate of turkey straight from the package to pan. Work on worrying about yourselves and what you and yours do. Look at that headaches away, anxiety lowered. If all else fails, remember arguing with a fool is foolish. Someone observing will likely struggle to know who is who. Just saying.

Happy Thanksgiving To The Eaters of Washed and Unwashed food!