Uptown Notes

I was recently sent a clip from This American Life from 2007 that covers “The Weiner Circle” in Chicago, a local late night eatery on the north side. The story begins benignly discussing the “insult culture” of the late night destination for post-bar drunken attendees. The story of course gets interesting when the racial reality of the place is covered. The employees, almost exclusively all Black and the clientele, exclusively all White. And yes, the owners of the shop are White men. Chicago’s notorious hyper-segregation meets in the little diner and results in epithet slinging and even request for  a “chocolate milk shake.” I’ll let you watch the story to find out what this all means.

If it’s not embedded for you, click here.

I am undoubtedly late to this, but I am most interested in what happens when the “rules of engagement” are lifted and people “speak freely.” In a society where so much is corked and coded around race and gender, does it really help to uncork these sentiments?

Hat tip to  SW via FSL