El Técnico – In Mexican wrestling, the heroes are los técnicos, the experts, the aces. They’re the ones for whom we hoop and holler, but they are typically vulnerable to defeat because they fight fair and follow the rules.
El Rudo – The villain. Boo. Hiss. The name means literally "the heel," the bad guy, the dirty fighter, and, ultimately, the chump who will fall to the técnico’s expertise.
I put it to you that it’s absolutely this stark and binary in the food industry right now, with bad actors versus good actors, b.s. artists versus companies who want to play by the rules and build trust. From your local farmer to the wretched hive of scum and villainy in Washington D.C., from your mom’s fresh bread to the wonder-crap that can be kneaded right back into white dough "fresh" from the bag, we are faced with very stark choices when it comes to food and how it’s created.
So here’s what I’m looking for. I want to know what the terrain looks like here at Fair Food Fighter — I want to hear about your heroes and villains. Yours. You, personally. Tell me who the players are, in your mind. Praise your champions. Take pics of your favorite brands in a grocery store with your cell phone and post your pics here. Shoot a video of an all-local breakfast. Write a profile of your favorite farmer, food-sane politician, or corporate saint. Your garden. The line cook at your favorite diner.
But let loose — I’m looking for some passion here, Food Fighters.
And what if your passions are ignited by villainy? Hey, I’m down. Tell me: Who galls you? What rudo needs to be called out, unmasked, and publicly spanked? Which corporation forced your favorite farmer off her farm? Tell me the story. Make me seethe.
And to the victors go the spoils. If you sign up for a profile, blog it up, and let us have your mailing address, I guarantee you will get free stuff in thanks for lifting up your hero or laying low your enemy. (I also guarantee we won’t give your address to anyone. We want an army of irrationally enthusiastic foodies, and we want your trust. Nothing more.) You’ll also receive a sneak peek at what we have planned next…
You down? Then let me hear you yell, Food Fighter.
