Paula Deen racist?

[ironpig70]

Woah, easy there. That is a loaded gun of a statement.

And its a true statement. I am not a minority and was denied classes due to it. And that makes me hostile.

So I ask how is Paula doing anything different than what the administration wants? Fortune 100 companies? Private and public colleges?

 

[chobie]

And its a true statement. I am not a minority and was denied classes due to it. And that makes me hostile.

So I ask how is Paula doing anything different than what the administration wants? Fortune 100 companies? Private and public colleges?

There is a legal definition for a "hostile work environment," one person being resentful does not a hostile work environment make,

 

[djm99]

And its a true statement. I am not a minority and was denied classes due to it. And that makes me hostile.

So I ask how is Paula doing anything different than what the administration wants? Fortune 100 companies? Private and public colleges?

Are you certain it was because you were NOT minority or because you just were not - please forgive my frankness - good enough for that cut. Minority INCLUDED not just blacks, but ALL non-white males. In every statistical article I've ever read about Affirmative Action states that white women have benefited from Affirmative Action more than any other 'minority'.

 

[Acklander]

And its a true statement. I am not a minority and was denied classes due to it. And that makes me hostile.

So I ask how is Paula doing anything different than what the administration wants? Fortune 100 companies? Private and public colleges?

If you don't agree with the supreme court - and I don't agree with every decision they make (citizens united) there is a process to add amendments to the constitution. Start a grass roots movement and go at it.

This has nothing to do with the Paula Deen case and to tie the 2 together is beyond ridiculous.

 

[Jessica14]

I read Paula Deen's deposition & the official complaint filed by Lisa Jackson.

Although I'm southern & fond of southern cooking & traditions, I've never really held all that much love for Paula Deen.

From things I've read & heard, Paula Deen is not exactly like her TV persona.

Anyway, after having read the deposition & the complaint, I'm not so sure Paula Deen is a racist. Instead, I think she is turning a blind eye to her brother & has been for many years. I absolutely think her brother is a racist & is guilty of harassing his employees.

Paula is 7 years older than her brother & still calls him her "baby brother." In the deposition, she continually makes excuses for him. Apparently, at one point some years ago, he was in rehab for alcohol & cocaine addiction. She blamed that on his wife (who he divorced). She didn't know he was also addicted to cocaine until he went to rehab. He still drinks a lot, & she said something to the effect of "all the men in my life drink socially." In regards to the pornography on the computer, pics passed around at meetings, & the sexual jokes told, her replies basically say, "boys will be boys."

And I really think that's what it comes down to. She, as the official head of Paula Deen Enterprises & the two restaurants, didn't pay close attention to what was going on &, many times, turned a blind eye.

When Kyle Schumaker, her accountant or business manager (I'm not really sure what/who he is), came to her & said, "You need to do something about Bubba," she chalked it up to Kyle being "judgmental" & said he was the "moral police."

In her traditional Southern world, "boys will be boys," & she learned to play the game w/ the boys & expected Lisa Jackson to do the same. She turned a blind eye to the pornography & racial/sexual jokes & couldn't understand why Lisa Jackson wouldn't do the same.

Lisa Jackson was the first woman to have any kind of authority in any of Paula Deen's businesses. According to the complaint, the other men resented her & all had salaries higher than hers. At one point, there was talk of having Lisa Jackson manage or oversee both restaurants, & the comment was made that the manager of Lady & Sons & Paula Deen's sons would NEVER cooperate w/ a woman in a position of authority over them. The manager at Lady & Sons, who is reportedly a best friend of Jamie Deen (her son), is also apparently not a very nice man.

Just like when she came to our town & she was too busy & rushed to really meet w/ the women, she was "too busy" to read the report that the human resources consulting firm left for her & she was "too busy" to oversee the operations of Uncle Bubba's & Lady & Sons.

In fact, at the beginning of her deposition, she says something like, "It's all my fault. If I had worked more closely w/ Bubba & helped him more, this wouldn't have happened." She goes on to say that "running a restaurant is hard work" & she didn't help Bubba enough. It's almost like she realizes she wasn't there to "cover" for Bubba & blames herself. Again, she thinks of him as her "baby brother" & continually makes excuses for him & defends him.

The thing that is most disturbing to me, if it's true, is that African Americans were not allowed to use the front door at Uncle Bubba's & were not allowed to use the regular restrooms & had their own restroom facilities.

Regarding the N-word, she admitted she said it years ago - when a black robber held a gun to her face.

The "Southern Plantation" wedding was for Bubba's wedding in 2005, I think. After she spoke her "idea" out loud, she admitted it wouldn't go over very well. Was it a stupid idea? Yes! Was it a racist idea? Yes! But, in my mind, it's no different than a party at the Playboy mansion where the servers are in bikinis & bunny ears. Exploitation is exploitation regardless of skin color or gender. And is wrong.

So, despite Paula Deen's age & southern heritage, she should not still be referring to anyone as the N-word, & she should know & be aware that someone w/ her celebrity status is going to be scrutinized far more than your typical 66-year-old southerner. Age or heritage doesn't excuse racism.

That said, I do applaud her for being honest. I do not think she should be persecuted for something she said many years ago. I'm actually surprised that the Food Network was so to quick to dismiss her.

I'm not sure that there are many people her age that could say that they've never used the N-word in their lifetime.

Anyway, I think her downfall is going to be her lack of oversee of her businesses & her blind defense of her brother.

Thanks for this! I agree with you.

Coming to this late, but I think the use of the word 30 years ago was the tip of the iceberg and Food Network knew that. They need to protect their brand as well. A few years ago, they fired the Restaurant Impossible host-Robert Irvine, I think. He was back after awhile. I think probably the same thing will happen with Paula Deen. I believe she is just oblivious to what is OK to say and what is not. For those of you who watched the Office at the beginning, it reminds me of the episode Diversity Day where the character of Michael Scott has no idea why he can't say some of the things he says about people's ethnic background. That's a sitcom of course, but life is stranger than fiction! Its kind of the same thing.

As far as all the restaurant things go, she is totally responsible for overseeing her business and all the goings on. I'm totally tired of "boys will be boys" as a defense for bad behavior, even in young children. I don't know if this will hurt her brand, but for now, she may need some sensitivity training at the very least.

Jessica

 

[TLSnell1981]

.

Sticks and stones...

Bad as this is, where is the outrage against Kanye, Lil Wayne, Jay Z and all the rest of those misbegotten rap singers who routinely use the N-word? When are we going to stand up for the women they refer to as b-****** and h-***?


*crickets chirping*

Definitely, a double standard...and so not cool.

 

[Nancyg56]

They need to protect their brand as well. A few years ago, they fired the Restaurant Impossible host-Robert Irvine, I think. He was back after awhile. I think probably the same thing will happen with Paula Deen. I believe she is just oblivious to what is OK to say and what is not. For those of you who watched the Office at the beginning, it reminds me of the episode Diversity Day where the character of Michael Scott has no idea why he can't say some of the things he says about people's ethnic background. That's a sitcom of course, but life is stranger than fiction! Its kind of the same thing.

Robert Ervine embellished his resume and for some reason, FN did not find that out during the pre employment reference check. He was brought back to the FN but his faux pas was way different than using racial slurs, creating or at least allowing a hostile work environment and goodness knows what else will turn up.
I do not see FN bring her back any time soon.

 

[luvsJack]

Thanks for this! I agree with you.

Coming to this late, but I think the use of the word 30 years ago was the tip of the iceberg and Food Network knew that. They need to protect their brand as well. A few years ago, they fired the Restaurant Impossible host-Robert Irvine, I think. He was back after awhile. I think probably the same thing will happen with Paula Deen. I believe she is just oblivious to what is OK to say and what is not. For those of you who watched the Office at the beginning, it reminds me of the episode Diversity Day where the character of Michael Scott has no idea why he can't say some of the things he says about people's ethnic background. That's a sitcom of course, but life is stranger than fiction! Its kind of the same thing.

As far as all the restaurant things go, she is totally responsible for overseeing her business and all the goings on. I'm totally tired of "boys will be boys" as a defense for bad behavior, even in young children. I don't know if this will hurt her brand, but for now, she may need some sensitivity training at the very least.

Jessica

To the bolded: That doesn't say much to her intelligence does it?

I mean how on earth can someone sit here in 2013 and be oblivious to this word and some of the other things as being wrong? I

I have met many, many little old southern ladies that were raised in a much different time than now, and even THEY know its wrong. Many will say, "back when I was a girl. . ." "we said xxxx or did xxx, but we didn't really know it was wrong or how it made someone feel" and they will go on to say that now that they know different, they wished they could go back and apologize to whomever they thought they had insulted. They certainly are not still doing and saying these things because they were raised differently than you or I.

I don't know that she should have lost her job over this, but to say that she was raised in a different time or just doesn't realize is a cop-out imo and very much like the "boys will be boys" sentiment that you mention.