Is It "Racist" to Dislike Spicy Food?

From the Telegraph [h/t to Judith]:

The National Children's Bureau, which receives £12 million a year, mainly from   Government funded organisations, has issued guidance to play leaders and   nursery teachers advising them to be alert for racist incidents among   youngsters in their care.

This could include a child of as young as three who says "yuk" in   response to being served unfamiliar foreign food.

The guidance by the NCB is designed to draw attention to potentially-racist   attitudes in youngsters from a young age.

It alerts playgroup leaders that even babies can not be ignored in the drive   to root out prejudice as they can "recognise different people in their   lives".....

The guide goes on to warn that children might also "react negatively to a   culinary tradition other than their own by saying 'yuk'".

Do you suppose these same people would think it "racist" if some people with strong religious beliefs refuse to eat pork? What if they refuse to drink milk at certain times during or after a meal?

I used to eat very spicy foods, but when I realized that (a) I didn't like my food that spicy, and (b) I no longer had to eat spicy food to assert my masculinity, I stopped. I really don't think this change in my eating habits and my food tastes has a thing to do with racism.

Comments

[Rebekah K]

Seems to me, some of us are going to be in trouble if these people find out we'll opt for tasty fruit pie rather than huevos rancheros or couscous or kashi for breakfast.

Is that racist? Or just diabetes waiting to happen?

[EclectEcon]

For those who don't know, Ryan and I had cherry pie for breakfast two mornings in a row while staying with Rebekah's parents last weekend.

[Rondi]

Who is Ryan? You keep mentioning him. Who is he? Should I know?

[EclectEcon]

Ryan was my roomie while the Goderich Laketown Band was on our concert tour to Western Illinois. He plays clarinet.

[Rebekah K]

And, for the record, Mom was quite pleased with the reaction to her having baked the treat. Her π r squared.

We encourage you (all the band members, for that matter) to come back any time, & we'll make more π. And, maybe some other foods, as well.