Paula Deen racist?

[scrapquitler]

http://www.wdam.com/story/22637831/paula-deen-admits-to-use-of-racial-slurs-during-deposition

What do ya'l think about this?

It makes me sad that famous southerner has done this. We have a hard enough time fighting the "racist" reputation we have without someone who is nationally loved making it look too true.

I don't understand how she can excuse using racial slurs.

I think that people should be forgiven for whatever nasty things they say when someone has a loaded gun pointed at their head by someone who intends to use it.

 

[FireDancer]

I don't think Paula Deen has been a "nationally loved" personality since it became public that the foods that she promotes caused her diabetes. She then she hid that illness and continued to promote her foods until she found a pharmaceutical company willing to pay her to pimp their drugs. It was completely unethical.

She is a twit all the way around.

Well, yea, then there's that. She is quite easily hateable for a number of reasons.

 

[Acklander]

I think that people should be forgiven for whatever nasty things they say when someone has a loaded gun pointed at their head by someone who intends to use it.

In the heat of the moment yes - I was once robbed working at a drive thru a gazillion years ago. After I emptied the cash drawer, I told him to hold on a minute, I'd go get more money. In hind site that was a pretty stumped comment. But telling the story years later??? And to continue to use the word even when not talking about the robber? And Wanting to dress the staff as if they just stepped off the plantation but wouldn't think the press would accept it shows that she wasn't making the statement out of ignorance

 

[Sanchez]

If you don't listen to hip hop or Jamie Foxx JayZ types you can avoid it, though. I don't even know a song by them.

That is true. But it does not seem that they are labeled as racist and their businesses certainly are not suffering. It certainly appears that whites, Asians and Hispanics are punished by the media, but not blacks. If people truly wanted to cut down on use of the word the people who claim to be most offended by it would stop using it.

 

[Buckalew11]

She said this back in the 60's. She used it more than once a long time ago. She could have lied under oath and saved her *** but she told the truth--yes, I have used the n-word. It is not acceptable to her now.

The wedding scenario is a strange one, but like someone else said, it was a thought, a theme, an experience she had at another restaurant and she was sharing that idea--much like an idea for a play that was set in that time period and the things you might see that set the stage. It was a horrible idea, obviously she figured it out that it was a bad idea. I don't think she wanted the waiters to tap dance and serve. I think the tapping was brought up because she was referencing the old movies.

I do not think Paula Deen is the horrible monster she is being painted to be.

On GMA this morning, they did not even tell anything about the gunman. All they reported was that under oath she was asked if she had ever used the n word and she said, "Yes, of course." I'm not sure where that "of course" comes from...but that's what she said and that was all they told. CBS's morning show told the whole story. Yes, it still makes her look bad but I'm sure we all have something in our past that could make us look bad.

 

[DizBelle]

I'm totally confused....

You're response to:

"What if it just so happened that everyone that applied to be a server at this catered affair was black? And therefore everyone serving at the affair was black. Would this be considered racist?"

Was:

"Yes. And insulting."


So, you would have to cancel the event or be called a racist for having only black people as servers at the event. Never mind that ONLY black people requested the job as a server.

 

[ironpig70]

Why is it racist for a white person to use the "n" word but if a black person does it, its fine?


I say if dont like a word get over it as its just a word.

I dont get out of shape of redneck, cracker or honky. They are just words.

 

[FergieTCat]

But there's also a difference between racism and ignorance. Just because someone is rich and famous doesn't mean they're necessarily smarter than the next guy.

I always thought racism WAS ignorance.

I never doubted that racism is alive and well. You hear it all the time, whether it's veiled or not.

But, I will agree, fame does not equal intelligence.

 

[Acklander]

That is true. But it does not seem that they are labeled as racist and their businesses certainly are not suffering. It certainly appears that whites, Asians and Hispanics are punished by the media, but not blacks. If people truly wanted to cut down on use of the word the people who claim to be most offended by it would stop using it.

But you also have to consider your audience if you're a public figure, alook at the oldest son from 19 and counting (or whatever the show is) he's made some choices to work with a group that's hateful to a certain demographic. Doesn't effect me since I didn't watch the show anyway, but will his audience accept it? Time will tell. If im a rap artist making my millions by putting down women, using the N word, and rapping about violence you have a specific audience you entertain. If all the sudden that rap artist decided to change hus spiel to all things rainbows and pixie dust he'd probably offend his audience. And it's not just rap artists, another example would be Ted Nugent. He has a lot of anger that a certain demographic enjoys the latest . If you're mainstream, you have to be more careful. Yes, you have free speech but it comes with responsibilities where you may be offending the people who support you. Just ask the Dixie chicks, or Mel Gibson. personally, I found what she said to be ugly and it's going to color how I feel about her. .

 

[Lynne M]

I think we're missing some context here. Here's the full quote from the deposition. I'm not posting the link to Salon in case some content is not DIS-friendly.

When asked what she thought about casting black men as slaves at a wedding, Deen said that a restaurant she went to with her husband inspired the idea: “The whole entire waiter staff was middle-aged black men, and they had on beautiful white jackets with a black bow tie.”

“I mean, it was really impressive. That restaurant represented a certain era in America … after the Civil War, during the Civil War, before the Civil War … It was not only black men, it was black women … I would say they were slaves.”

She wanted to hire people to pose as slaves, for her (white) family's amusement.

It's not about hiring only black people to serve food at an event. Of course that's not racist, and no one would claim it to be.

Hiring black people to pose as slaves for your entertainment? Yeah, I would say that's arguably racist.

How is this something that's appropriate festive entertainment at a wedding? These people were prisoners. They were waiting on the white folks at the plantation because they were ordered to do so by their captors, and they would be whipped, beaten or worse if they didn't obey? They were branded, for the love of pete. Their children were sold. It was a horror, a blight on our history, a shame our country will forever live with. Not wedding entertainment material.

Would she think it would be equally festive to have a concentration camp-themed wedding? With skinny Jewish people dressed up in prisoner's rags? Cause they used to have to dress up nice and wait on the Nazi officers at the camps, too, ya know.

Not much difference between slaves and concentration camp victims, I think. Both prisoners, both used and brutalized, because of their race.

Look, racism isn't just about the use of a word. It's an attitude. It's a belief that members of another race are inferior, simply because they *are* members of that race.

I can't say whether Paula Deen is a racist, I don't know what her private thoughts are about black people. But based on this, I can say she's ignorant, oblivious, and dumb as a bag of hair.

 

[Robinrs]

Why is it racist for a white person to use the "n" word but if a black person does it, its fine?


I say if dont like a word get over it as its just a word.

I dont get out of shape of redneck, cracker or honky. They are just words.

For your information to all black people it is not FINE. It is used, I'm told, in the hip hop world like the negative word for a female is because, guess what, it's for SHOCK. And that word is NOT acceptable, either, by decent people. Just because "hip hop" crossed over with it and made ignoramuses millionaires does not make it acceptable behavior.

I'm sure no one dragged your daddy out of bed and called him a honky or a redneck and made laws to make him part of a person. I'm sure that never happened to your daddy. But hey, it's just a WORD.

 

[BlovesC]

I dont get out of shape of redneck, cracker or honky. They are just words.

I'm guessing you're one of those people who also asks "Why isn't there a WHITE history month?"

 

[Shmily1]

Manager sounds like a money grabber as well as someone seeking their 15 minutes of fame.

I hear the N word often, its usually coming out of the mouth of a rap artist or other similar character or an older black person in reference to another. How is that okay and its not okay when Paula uses it to describe a person who held a gun to her head 30 years ago?

The wedding scenario was something she discussed with an employee. She had a "vision" of a theme and noted that even though she thought it would be a good theme, she knew it would not go over well. Sheesh, it was a conversation not an action.

The fact that it would not go over well IMO has nothing to do with being a racist it has to do with the propensity we as a society have to somehow right all the wrongs back to the beginning of time by removing all references or treating so many scenarios as offensive. Colleges are contemplating changing mascots because someone finds it offensive, there are folks that would rewrite novels (Tom Sawyer) due to the use of vocabulary that was acceptable at the time but is now viewed as offensive. Sometimes we just can't win. Can't please all the people all the time.
Have you ever used the N word? is a wide open question to ask a person of her age, who grew up in the South. Attacking someone for something said or done years ago is just ridiculous IMO. None of us have led perfect lives, why do we put others on such a high pedestal.

Agreed! Disney can't even release Song of the South because of the fear of the backlash from appearing racist. Geez, it's an old story from long ago. It's how it was and the story is a great one. I was way older when I realized that Uncle Remus was suppose to be a slave.

When I went on a gambling cruise, all the dealers were in white tuxedo jackets, black pants, and black bowties. I didn't think they were suppose to be slaves, but I did think it was very nice looking. Made me want to gamble more!! Justas a footnote, I'm by no means a racist person. I am for equality for everyone with equal effort and certainly not defending her, but am stating things I see as obvious.

 

[DizBelle]

Agreed! Disney can't even release Song of the South because of the fear of the backlash from appearing racist. Geez, it's an old story from long ago. It's how it was and the story is a great one. I was way older when I realized that Uncle Remus was suppose to be a slave.

When I went on a gambling cruise, all the dealers were in white tuxedo jackets, black pants, and black bowties. I didn't think they were suppose to be slaves, but I did think it was very nice looking. Made me want to gamble more!! Justas a footnote, I'm by no means a racist person. I am for equality for everyone with equal effort and certainly not defending her, but am stating things I see as obvious.

FTR the timeframe of SOTS is after the abolition of slavery. Uncle Remus was not a slave.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

And the problem with SOTS is that it is NOT "how it was".

 

[luvsJack]

Agreed! Disney can't even release Song of the South because of the fear of the backlash from appearing racist. Geez, it's an old story from long ago. It's how it was and the story is a great one. I was way older when I realized that Uncle Remus was suppose to be a slave.

When I went on a gambling cruise, all the dealers were in white tuxedo jackets, black pants, and black bowties. I didn't think they were suppose to be slaves, but I did think it was very nice looking. Made me want to gamble more!! Justas a footnote, I'm by no means a racist person. I am for equality for everyone with equal effort and certainly not defending her, but am stating things I see as obvious.

The difference, imo, in the the cruise and the wedding is the theme of the wedding was the old south. that theme can be accomplished without slavery being depicted and that is definitely what would be seen in these black waiters.

Paula should have known that and been sensitive to it.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

I'm guessing you're one of those people who also asks "Why isn't there a WHITE history month?"

 

[iheartdisney]

I'm sure no one dragged your daddy out of bed and called him a honky or a redneck and made laws to make him part of a person. I'm sure that never happened to your daddy. But hey, it's just a WORD.

Technically, that hasn't happened to anyone's daddy, unless they are a hundred and fifty years old.

To someone's ancestors, yes it did happen. And not just to blacks, Read about the Mormon Execution Order which wasn't officially rescinded until 1976. Japanese Internment camps- and there you will find peoplebwho are still alive today who's "daddy's" were dragged out of bed. History is alive with unjustice. The difference is if you continue to let it define you.

 

[brockash]

Am I reading this correctly? She called a black man that held a gun to her head the N word? I would imagine she would try to find the lowest, most hateful word for an animal like that.

As for the black, period-dressed servers at a plantation wedding? I am uncomfortable with that. But, I am sure there are many actors/servers that would grab the chance to do it. I have seen gay themed wedding where beautiful male servers with tight pants and no shirts (rubbed down with oil, of course) walked around with drinks.

I have also seen parties where women with large breasts are serving in bikinis.

All of the above are stereotypes we are trying to break.

BUT, as long as there are people lining up for the jobs, I suppose my discomfort with the situation does not matter.

Just had to jump in here. I was robbed when I worked at a bank...he happened to be black. There is NEVER a time that I would EVER use the N word. It's just not in my vocabulary. That's the difference...it is a racist term, and I was not brought up that way. Would I call the guy a piece of s*** or a sorry SOB, absolutely, but the color of his skin would make no difference to me, and I would never use a racist derogitory term in any scenario. I would never use the N word, just as I would never use any other racist slur.

Like I said, I think a lot of it has to do with how, when, and where she grew up, but it is a racist remark and it does say a lot about her (or anyone elses) character that would say something like that. At the very least, they are beyond ignorant.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Technically, that hasn't happened to anyone's daddy, unless they are a hundred and fifty years old.

To someone's ancestors, yes it did happen. And not just to blacks, Read about the Mormon Execution Order which wasn't officially rescinded until 1976. Japanese Internment camps- and there you will find peoplebwho are still alive today who's "daddy's" were dragged out of bed. History is alive with unjustice. The difference is if you continue to let it define you.

You think lynching and Jim Crow laws ended 150 years ago?