These loons are even further gone than we thought
Republicans are again pushing to get popular foods renamed out of petty politics and faux outrage. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has declared that “New York Strip” steak should be officially renamed “Texas Strip.” After all, New York is apparently synonymous with woke, and so Patrick has vowed to introduce a resolution that would encourage restaurants and grocery stores in Texas to adopt the measure on their menus and signage.
As you may recall, House Republicans embarrassed themselves in 2003 when they tried to rename French fries in Congressional cafeterias, to be known as freedom fries. Unhappy with France’s opposition to the Iraq War, some GOP lawmakers wanted to deny letting France be associated with a food Americans enjoy. However, as the stunt began to fizzle former Rep. Walter B. Jones, one of the ringleaders, admitted in 2005, “I wish it had never happened” in an interview with The Guardian. “Freedom fries” quietly left the Congressional menus the next year.
Patrick is now trying to apply politics to a situation that is all about culinary history and tradition. The New York Strip Steak name is the result of the fact that Delmonico’s, a legendary New York City steakhouse, helped popularize that particular cut in the 19th century, which has since become a worldwide favorite.
Changing the name of foods with geographic terms is a silly waste of time and energy that also faces a very slippery slope. What about California rolls and Philly cheesesteaks, or Chicago deep-dish pizza, for example? What’s next? Indeed, this new lame GOP effort to “make menus great again,” as they might begin to call it, will likely join freedom fries in the GOP hall of shame after it fails to catch on. Patrick and his Republican colleagues in Texas should focus on real crises, such as their state’s growing measles outbreak and vaccination issues.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month