Our Honolulu
Eat Spam to show patriotism
By Bob Krauss
Advertiser Columnist
Today I will put my tongue firmly into my cheek and write about patriotism.
Have you heard that it's very patriotic to drive an SUV? Forget about global warming and saving energy. Stick a flag on the fender and think about what's good for that great American institution, the auto industry.
Writing a song about how much you love your country has become patriotic and profitable in the music business. And the World Wide Web is loaded with ways to show your patriotism: coins you can collect, vacations you can take, organizations you can join, patriotic Christmas gifts you can buy.
In Our Honolulu, showing your patriotism is a little more complicated. However you do it, be sure it's true-blue American. But it also has to be done in a local style. Don't forget what happened to the flag on top of 'Iolani Palace.
After studying all these examples, I've decided that the best way to show your patriotism during the holidays is to serve Spam instead of turkey for Christmas.
What's so American about a turkey? How many battles were won during World War II by soldiers eating turkey? No, sir, they ate Spam. Ask Dwight Eisenhower: He didn't like it, but he ate it.
Spam spread the blessings of U.S. capitalism around the world long before MacDonald's made its first hamburger. Nikita Krushev said Spam stood between the Russian army and starvation.
What was the one thing we accomplished by the Korean war? We taught the South Koreans to eat Spam. In 1988, they ate 1.1 million cans or 12 pounds per person. Not only that, but Spam gave our soldiers over there lessons in the free enterprise system.
The General Accounting Office reported that occupation forces in Korea consumed huge amounts of Spam because they were selling it on the black market.
Best of all, nothing is more local than Spam. Poi used to be in contention, but that was long ago. Dan Inouye said he ate Spam as a G.I. in Italy.
In Hawai'i, former governors John Waihe'e and George Ariyoshi are big-time Spam eaters.
"I love Spam," said Ariyoshi. "I've been eating it for years. I like it fried with eggs. I have Spam 'n' eggs 'n' rice at least once a week."
Waihe'e goes for Spam musubi.
Many cities in the United States are known for preferring foods that they consider "local." A recent survey shows that residents of Des Moines eat the most Skippy peanut butter per capita; people in Dallas, Texas, eat the most Fritos; Miami consumes the most prune juice; and Pikeville, Kentucky, the most Pepsi.
People in Hawai'i are far and away the champion Spam eaters in the United States. The tiny population of Hansen's disease patients at Kalaupapa, Moloka'i, alone consumes 50 to 60 cases a year. The per capita consumption for the state is six cans per year.
Is that patriotism or what!
Reach Bob Krauss at bkrauss@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8073.
