I think everyone who has been clicking like on all these "I support Paula" Facebook pages ought to take a look at the complete deposition, the complaint, the interview from 2010 where she talked about not being able to see a black man standing in front of a black board, and her autobiography where she admitted to having an affair with a married man for 10 years. I couldn't "support" someone like that.
People who do not want to let facts get in the way of their opinion will not blink at these thing. They focus on the word, say it was a long time ago, and then vilify anyone who wants to hold her accountable for her actions.
But really, people, is this public enemy #1? All of you who find her reprehensible have never, ever said anything inappropriate? Never laughed at a questionable joke or social media post? Is she perfect? Nope. Neither are any of us. Could we withstand the scrutiny she currently is undergoing? What will make her judge and jury happy? Pushing her to suicide?
There is a vast difference between looking into your past and acknowledging that you have words and actions that you wish you could change, and having a history of bigotry and racism, not only in your private life, but within the companies that bear your name. Maybe this is not the hill you die on, but do you have a hill? If someone who was in business and made money based on your purchasing power crossed that line, would you be complaisant? Would you resent it if other folks told you to stop being so sensitive and get over it?
Ridiculous. Tell me anyone over the age of 50 who hasn't said the n word.
Really?
Me. As a child, I never heard my parents use that word. I never used it as a teen, as an adult and still have not used it. It is not a bad word. It is a foul word used to degrade a human being. There were words my Dad, who never laid a hand on me, would have clapped me on the mouth if he ever heard I used. The N word is one, and since I am Irish, he had another that he found to be particularly offensive.
Whenever a word is used to dehumanize a person, there is no way to rationalize that it is just a word.
When Matt brought up the comment she made about stereotypical jokes - that most jokes were about Jewish people, black people, etc - and she said she couldn't tell what people found offensive or not in that regard I thought - seriously?? You really can't think it out that some people might find jokes about their religion or race offensive?
I'm sure her fans will continue to support her. Personally, I'm ok with the fact that she had been dropped by Food Network, Wal Mart, Caesars and Smithfield. She's a public figure and she is her brand and therefore what she says reflects on the people who do business with her.
There are people who are so closed off from words and what they mean that they do not understand how those words and jokes affect others. My first husband's sister used a slur she heard very often in her home when she was just chatting with her employer. She was shocked when he told her that saying she "got jewed" at the market was not acceptable. She was so used to hearing that term and then saying it, that she honestly thought it was simply a phrase, and was even more upset that this confession was even more offensive to him than the phrase itself.
I do not think that being oblivious is an excuse, I just do not.
I'm only tired of the "oh poor Paula!" posts from people who have paid zero attention to the actual case, and yet rant and rave on here and on FB like the woman is being publicly flogged.
This is, essentially, all that has happened:
1)Court testimonies from celebrity's own mouth reveal numerous examples of racism and bigotry
2)General public says "woah, that's really not cool."
3)Corporations nix association with said celebrity to avoid fallback
This is all about business. No one is burning the woman at the stake. I'm sure many of Paula's fans don't care she's a bigot, but the rest of the nation does, and thus as a celebrity product with her 'likability' tarnished, she is no longer a good investment. She's already earned many, many millions of dollars. She'll be just fine, I assure you.
The numerous excuses for hate-speak that have been posted on these threads make me seriously question the example you're all setting for your children, since apparently, two wrongs do make a right now.
Also, apparently I need to go visit my father and grandmother and bow at their feet, because although they're each over 60, they've never used racial slurs in my presence or taught me to tolerate hatred. I never knew that such guidance was as rare as a unicorn.
It was not rare, my own parents practiced this. I also belive that employers are responsible for the ethical behavior in their companies. In this case she was not, she needs to be held accountable. Her employers...sponsors, etc, are responsible for how they react and they are taking this very seriously.
I'm sorry, that is patently false. The "n" word was certainly a slur in the 1960s and 1970s, it was just apparently acceptable to use racial slurs where you grew up.
It was not acceptable. It never was. People did use these slurs, but they did so in order to set a racial divide. Not everyone did this.
Guess they were wrong. Here is the more accurate info & details. 
