CHICKEN THEORY

CHICKEN THEORY

Drawing and Essay by Karen Kay Remus

Ever noticed how chicken in its prepared "food for sale" form is often associated with the military?

For example, the Chinese have "The General's Chicken," Americans have "The Colonel's Chicken," and we also have "Popeye's Chicken."  Popeye is a "sailor man"--most likely a Navy Seaman, first class.  Then there's Chick-fil-A, the "A" undoubtedly standing for "Airforce" and/or  "A1C" (Airman, first class).

But what about "Church's Chicken?"  It stands alone (like the cheese).  Perhaps this is a nod to "separation of church and state."

And let's not forget "Chicken Florentine," obviously suggestive of the military structure and power of Florence Italy during the 13th & 15th centuries.

Last but not least, a draft-dodger, who runs "a-fowl" of the military, is sometimes called a "chicken,"* which flies in the flightless face of chicken theories everywhere.


*I would be a "chicken" in this sense, because I have this thing about not wanting to kill or be killed.
**I couldn't even kill a chicken, but hypocritically, I'll occasionally eat one that's been killed for me.
***I'm conflicted about ** above, because chickens are cute--like I have rendered the chicken above.
****I dislike it when restaurants or stores use cute animals as the mascots for their food  specialty.  Like Piggly Wiggly.  Piggly Wiggly is actually dressed as a butcher, which is especially disturbing.