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Saturday, June 29, 2013

IS PAULA DEEN A RACIST?


IS PAULA DEEN A RACIST?
 

A Cranky opinion for cranky opinion Saturday

The following is the opinion of a cranky old man.  Opposing opinions are welcome (wrong, but welcome) please, no name calling, and that means you, you big stupid-head!

What is the hubbub?  Paula Deen admitted using the n-word thirty years ago in a deposition during a discrimination law suit.  There is some evidence of inappropriate behavior in the discrimination case, but the main issue seems to be that Ms. Deen admitted she once used the n-word. 

First of all, when will we grow up?  She said nigger.  It is an ugly word, but not so ugly that it can never be printed and we have to dance around like 4 year olds. “Ooh you said the n-word.” Who among us has never said nigger?  I’ve said it.  When? I don’t know, but I’m sure I’ve said it many times.

Actually, as a child before I even knew what "nigger" meant, it is what we caught by the toe after eemie, meenie, miny, moe.  

I’ve never said “I hate niggers.” I’ve never called anyone a nigger, I don’t believe I’ve ever referred to a person as a nigger, but I’m sure I’ve used the word.  I’ve used the words kike, wop, Pollack, mick, spick, wasp, fag, honky and towel head. 

Sometimes I’ve used these words in jokes. Sometimes I’ve used them because other people were using them.  I am not proud of it, but I will own up to it.  They are all mean words, and words can hurt.  A gay man once casually referred to me as a “breeder” and it bothered me as it was so demeaning. 

Hurtful words are not always an indication of what is in a person’s heart.  Some words are like bullets, dangerous, but only if aimed directly at someone.

Paula Deen used the n-word (nigger) 30 years ago following a traumatic incident in which an African-American man held Deen at gunpoint inside a bank where she was working as a teller. She said she believed she used the n-word when telling her husband about the incident.

I guess she should have told her husband that, “An African-American gentleman stuck a gun in my face today and wanted money.  I did not like this person, but not because of his complexion…pretty much it was the gun.”

Paula Deen’s problem is that she is a southerner.  She says “y’all” a lot.  She sounds like a racist.  That southern twang sounds racist.  Paula Deen is a southerner, she is famous and she once said nigger.  She is now poison, and sponsors are dropping her like a hot potato.

I am not a big Paula Deen fan.  I always thought she was an entertaining cook show host, but I will not really miss her shows or her endorsements.

She may be a racist, where there is smoke there is usually fire, but she should not be judged solely because she once used a word.

If that is the basis for a person to be branded a racist, then burn a big R on my A-word.  It is not in my heart, but I guess I am guilty, but I am guilty with a lot of people. 

Probably 99 percent of people in this country are also guilty though  half of them would say, “I’ve never said nigger…oops.”

The preceding has been the opinion of a cranky old man and not necessarily that of management…Mrs. Cranky.        

15 comments:

  1. yes, she's not a racist. I believe she's being hung out to dry for the one she didn't come clean on, diabetes, and nailing a pharmaceutical contract before apologizing. Her loyal public haven't thrown her under the bus, her corporate sponsors have.

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  2. You're a potty mouth! Be advised I'll no longer be using my all-clad non-stick Cranky Old Man cookware.

    Seriously, shouldn't we now bring ALL famous people before a tribunal and ask them under oath if they've ever used demeaning language refering to someone not of their race/creed/color/religion/sexual preference? Why should she be singled out when I doubt any of us could pass the same test?

    Besides, she hasn't even been given her day in court. Her sponsors have already bowed to political correctness and sentenced and executed her before the court even finds her guilty. Isn't that just bass ackwards?

    S

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  3. Methinks it is the media who are racist.
    They're the ones pointing fingers.

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  4. I am not a big fan, but it all seems like a tempest in a teapot with her as the very unfortunate victim.

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  5. I really don't know Paula Deen or anything about her.. and while there are some incidents, attitudes and behaviours that will forever brand a person, we can't lose sight of the fact that we are all (hopefully) a work in progress. I would cringe to be judged by some of my actions or thoughtless remarks from years gone by. Sadly, we're a society that throws stones very easily despite the construction of our own houses.. present or past.

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  6. If I said a lot of people have "goyisha kopps" (non-Jewish brains) would that be racist?

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  7. How right you are. Paula seems to be persecuted for being honest. It would be hard to find anyone growing up in the South, particularly someone Paula's age, who NEVER used that word. Someone said it best a long time ago: Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. It won't be me.

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  8. This whole Paula Dean thing is just silly. I mean, how can it be that we live in a society where it's okay to cheat on your spouse -- celebs do it all the time, famous athletes, etc...and do we stop going to their games and/or watching their movies and tv shows? No. We don't stop buying the records albums of those who sing and rap about killing, raping, mutilating women. And it's okay to assault your girl friend, or even murder your wife -- but someone says the N word 27 years ago and they are in the news, sponsors are cutting them, and hateful things are being said. Wow. Our society never ceases to amaze me.

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  9. I agreewith IT...it is the media that is racist. The media is so busy telling us what to think and who to dispise this week so we won't ask any intelligent questions. I read parts of her transcript, the parts they want to crucify her for and there by the grace of God go I. We didn't call Brazilian nuts, Brazilian nuts when I was a child...we read Little Black Sambo before it was removed from libraries and called horrendous...all in all I guess my sponsors should throw me under the bus too....wait!! I don't have any sponsors,and I'm not famous, that's why no one wants to treat me as shabby as they are tyreating Paula. She made a mistake, years ago, at least she owned up to it - most don't!!

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  10. Somebody's out to send a message using Paula Deen as the billboard. She's a big personality without much of a filter, but I don't sense that she is malicious.

    Whatever happened to "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me?" Now "bully" is becoming the new "racist". Are people so thin-skinned and unbalanced that they lose the will to live, or go on a psycho rampage if somebody hurts their feelings? Are we all Bubble Boys who must be hermetically sealed away from life?

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  11. When I heard of the Paula Deen hoopla, I thought a lot about Martha Stewart's mess. Martha was actually guilty of insider trading and went to jail, but she came out of it okay and is now doing just as good as ever. I believe Paula will be all right in the long run. In my humble opinion, I think some people like to bring down big stars and others to make them out as an example. These sad individuals lie in wait, hoping for someone to screw up so they can get on their soap box and scream at the top of their lungs. We are all human, and so are mucky mucks and sports heroes. But some small minded people like to rub their boots in the faces of those who dare to work hard and achieve big things, then, heaven forbid, become successful. If they make a mistake, it's even more satisfying for certain individuals to cry foul. It disgusts me. I'm not a huge fan of Paula Deen, but I wish her well. I think she's getting a bum rap.

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  12. Wait, she said it thirty years ago? I haven't really read anything about this, mostly because I had no idea who she was so I didn't bother, but it seems like a lot of drama for something that happened back in the 80's.

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  13. She is truly being hung out to dry over something from long ago.

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  14. In addition to your post, I've also read the comments. I think we're mostly on the same page, as in this whole thing is ridiculous. We have gone SO overboard in being politically correct, that as you implied, we can't even write the word "nigger,' let alone, say it.

    The companies who are dropping her: what are they afraid of? That we won't buy their products? And who are "We?" Blacks? Whites? Chinese?

    I haven't been following this story, so maybe I've missed something. Eventually, I'll surf the web to read opinions of black people, but based on the 3 or 4 black people who have put something on facebook, some of us aren't trying to take her down. It seems like the media is doing it. What are they waiting for; black people to stand on a pedestal and say, "You're forgiven, or it's okay." Is that when the media will turn it around?

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