INTEGRATION UNWELCOME

"how do tacos help gumbo"?
Two news articles I saw the other day that I thought were worth considering.

First of all, the NY Times reports on how socio-economic diversity in schools can lead to greater racial segregation. In other words, while such post-affirmative action school admission policies can create greater class diversity in certain schools, it does not always lead to greater racial diversity. They cite the case of San Francisco's Abraham H.S. which, despite a notable range of kids from different class backgrounds, is still over 50% Chinese American:

"San Francisco began considering factors like family income, instead of race, in school assignments when it modified a court-ordered desegregation plan in response to a lawsuit. But school officials have found that the 55,000-student city school district, with Chinese the dominant ethnic group followed by Hispanics, blacks and whites, is resegregrating."

A few key issues/questions raised here are:

1) Even if socioeconomic diversity doesn't result in greater racial/ethnic diversity, is it merely a red herring or is it actually a goal worth achieving? My sense is that when we typically talk about "diversity," it's usually meant in terms of race but there's less open discussion about the importance of class diversity, especially as a social benefit.

2) Along the same lines though: if class diversity is seen as part of the public good, then wouldn't that same logic also then apply to trying to push for greater racial diversity? How can one advocate for one and not accept the importance of the other?

2) In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decisions, what kind of feasible public policy could exist that would encourage both class and racial diversity? Does the political will exist to enact such policies? And if not, what will America look like in the next few decades?

The other interesting story appeared in the LA Times and it's about how taco trucks are being targeted for removal by officials in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans. Apparently, the trucks represent a cultural (read: racial as well) element that is unwanted in the area.

"To advocates of reclaiming the old ways, new establishments that do not build upon the city's reputation, and may not even be permanent, represent a barrier to progress. As New Orleans City Council President Oliver Thomas recently put it in an interview with the Times-Picayune, "How do the tacos help gumbo?"

The legislation being enacted in Jefferson Parish is especially nefarious in how it cloaks what is an obviously focused attack on a specific industry without having to name that industry. It's very reminiscent of street laws in San Francisco in the 1800s designed to harass Chinese businesses - and only Chinese businesses - without ever having to state what was obvious to everyone else. At the very least, it's a rather unhanded and cowardly way to practice discrimination. (Notably, the city of New Orleans has yet to enact this kind of legislation and Mayor Ray Nagin has indicated that he has no interest in pursuing Jefferson Parish's lead.)

One can agree with the larger issue here - the preservation of culture - but banning taco trucks seems like a remarkably backward way to go about it, especially since people's culinary tastes are extremely hard to dictate. As the article notes, it's not just newly arrived Latinos who frequent these trucks: it's native Southerners too.

Of course, for a piece on culture clash, there are a few lighter moments:

"So far, the revolution looks one-sided: Latino laborers don't seem to care for shrimp Creole, oyster po' boy sandwiches — or even hamburgers, as long as there is Mexican food around.

"Crawfish? The little lobsters? I tried it, but to be honest it did not suit me," Abel Lara, 33, said as he stopped at a taco truck during a quick break from his job laying floors at a medical center. "I don't understand why it's so popular."

(Of course, one could say the same about cabeza but let's not take it there).

--O.W.