BY SEN. SAM SLOM, R-HAWAII KAI – DIAMOND HEAD – For the past decade I have witnessed silently the growing and aggressive attack and prejudice on a defenseless, but beneficial, member of our society. No one has risen in defense nationally or locally. There is no protection based on sexual orientation, race, creed, color or national origin.
As a conservative, I am compelled to speak out in the defense of one who cannot speak.
Of course I am referring to broccoli.
From Presidents (George H.W. Bush) to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on forcing people to buy insurance, broccoli has been used as a scapegoat and an example of what big government may do next to punish you. New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg who hates salt, sugar and all comfort foods, it has been suggested, may use broccoli as a threat to unhealthy Americans.
Broccoli has even felt the sting of award winning Hawaii cartoonist John Pritchett.
It’s not fair. It’s not right. I am proud to come out and declare, along with my well known love of Pepsi and Hershey products, I love broccoli. It tastes good.
Brassica oleracea, broccoli, is green for goodness sakes! You can eat it boiled, stir fryed, microwaved, steamed, or raw. You can eat all parts—unlike the pretender, that tasteless white cauliflower. (Remember there is “cauliflower ear,” but no such body part abnormality in nature associated with broccoli).
Broccoli came to America from Italy where it had thrived and provided energy and power for more than 2,000 years. The Roman Empire was nurtured by broccoli. It has many nutritional and medicinal properties.
All right, most of the world’s broccoli now is grown in Communist China, followed by India. The U.S. (mostly California) is third. Is this because of the unrelenting hate and bullying campaign in America against the green vegetable?
And what about Hawaii? We have grown or are growing most of everything. Be revel in our diversified agriculture here. We debate Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). But I’m not aware of any major broccoli production. Why? We have basil and lavender and fruits and grains and all kinds of vegetables—except broccoli. Is this a conspiracy?
Maybe the Legislature should stop funding undersea cables, wind turbines, Ho’opili housing and steel rail and concentrate on incentives for broccoli. No mandates mind you, just solid support.
We could have broccoli cook offs with our top Hawaii chefs. School cafeterias could find 100 ways of providing broccoli lunch and snacks. Yum!
Go green, go broccoli.