Jackie Robinson and the Burrito Barrier

April 15 has been designated as “Jackie Robinson Day” by Major League Baseball (MLB). In tribute, all players wear his number 42 which has otherwise been retired by MLB. It was 64 years ago on April 15 1947 that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in MLB at Ebbets Field. Next to Rosa Parks refusing to give up her bus seat, and Dr. King’s March on Washington & “I have a dream” speech, I think that this event in 1947 may have been one of the single most significant events in the Civil Rights Movement. I can’t imagine the courage, and for lack of a better term, the balls that it took for him to look bigotry and racism right in its ugly face without ever blinking an eye. Despite all of the jeers, name calling, racial slurs, and intentional physical abuse by opposing fans and teams, he was able to perform at a level almost unparalleled in the league during his career. I take my hat off to MLB today for recognizing Jackie Robinson, who I view as a true American hero.

While not nearly as harmful as racism, there is another evil that lurks in this country, cuisineism. I am afraid to tell you my friends that in some parts of this country the burrito is a second class dinning choice. Some will tell you that the burrito is disgusting, others fatty. Some think that burritos are icky, others say they just don’t like the taste. The disdain for burritos is upfront by some, while others are more subtle, trying to favor sushi, or tofu, or salads, or some other flavor of the day crap over a good, wholesome burrito. Even worse, there are people who don’t even know or care about the burrito and its plight. This may seem shocking, but did you know that there are cities, and in some cases entire states, where outside of going to Chipotle or Taco Bell, you cannot even procure a burrito (Minneapolis, New Orleans, and the entire State of Delaware, I am looking in your direction)? People’s priorities are in the wrong place, and things need to change.If Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, or Dr. King were on the burrito case, our country would be fixed in no time. Unfortunately, these visionaries are no longer alive, and we need to find a new leader. We need to find the next person who will take the burrito as their cause and put an end to cuisineism. We need to find the next who will make the burrito a first class dinner choice. If MLB was able to break the color barrier, why can’t we break the burrito barrier?