Paula Deen's use of the "N"-Word

[Kevin]

With impunity? I don't believe I've read the same things you have. I read that she admitted to using the word "in the past" at a deposition, not that she uses it currently with impunity.

My father, who is around 70, grew up in NW Oklahoma. They had a black guy who worked for their family occasionally who went by "N_ Jim."

It was a different time.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Kevin

With impunity? I don't believe I've read the same things you have. I read that she admitted to using the word "in the past" at a deposition, not that she uses it currently with impunity.

My father, who is around 70, grew up in NW Oklahoma. They had a black guy who worked for their family occasionally who went by "N_ Jim."

It was a different time.

Calling a man "N_ Jim", even with his permission, is racist.

As for Ms. Deen, when asked if she used the N-word, she replied "of course".

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Calling a man "N_ Jim", even with his permission, is racist.

As for Ms. Deen, when asked if she used the N-word, she replied "of course".

And by today's standards, in Enid, Oklahoma, everyone was racist. That was the culture. And if you're not from here, maybe you wouldn't understand, but "of course" is the only truthful answer anyone who grew up in the South in that era or even South-adjacent would say. It was very much like the movie, The Help My father, for a lot of his childhood, grew up in a similarly ostracized manner. His mother was courageous enough to get a divorce from his alcoholic, physically abusive father, and she was not accepted in polite society until she remarried (and she did pretty well in that department).

My father's step father was from Alabama, and was directly related to Gen. Joseph E. Johnston of the Confederate Army. They went on a tour of the Deep South during the 1960s, which included a trip to the old Plantation. At that time, the Plantation was up and running, they had black employees who resided in the former slave barracks who were compensated with company scrip, only redeemable at the company store, and for all intents and purposes, they remained slaves. The owner of this Plantation was the grandson of the General. He was an elderly man in a wheelchair who had a confederate flag blanket in his lap. He lectured them about the wrongs of the Civil Rights movement and whatever else you might imagine would be perfectly horrible to say.

People are a product of their times and cultures. Was it wrong by today's standards? No question. Are folks who are a product of their time and culture redeemable? Why not?

[Mizeree I2K]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Calling a man "N_ Jim", even with his permission, is racist.

".

It is. And folks who were raised up by dudes like that hold the same or similar attitude. Dude probably laughed like it was a joke when his dad told him that.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Mizeree I2K

It is. And folks who were raised up by dudes like that hold the same or similar attitude. Dude probably laughed like it was a joke when his dad told him that.

Laughed? No... More like disbelief at how much we've changed in so short a time. This was only 50-60 years ago. The folks who used to be comfortable addressing someone as "N_ Jim" wouldn't dream of it today and only tell those stories to illustrate how we were, not how we are.

That's how when I hear about Deen saying she had certainly used that word, I'm not reading into it as much as others here. It's how things used to be.

[Mizeree I2K]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Laughed? No... More like disbelief at how much we've changed in so short a time. This was only 50-60 years ago. The folks who used to be comfortable addressing someone as "N_ Jim" wouldn't dream of it today and only tell those stories to illustrate how we were, not how we are.

Short period of time? Really dude? It took a lot longer than 50-60 years of struggling. I'm talking over 400 years. And we still have a long way to go. These legal documents still crack me up. Everybody is some kind of "American". African American, Asian American, Native American, and the list goes on. I'm still waiting on "European American", when is that going to be added to the list? We haven't come a long way. Race is still an issue, and white folks TODAY are still the ones benefiting from all the oppression and bullshit they put us through.

Originally Posted by Kevin

It's how things used to be.

And today it's the same shit different toilet.

[Kevin]

So if you were to produce an antebellum movie, would you include white and asian slaves?

[Kevin]

Well, now you're claiming to know her motivation there. It could have been just for historical accuracy. It's also important enough to know she had the good sense not to go through with it. None of the articles really goes much into the context of the discussion or how far the idea got.

[lovespink88]

Notification from my CNN app: "The Food Network says it "will not renew Paula Deen's contract when it expires at the end of this month."

[Xidelt]

What's that noise? Is it the sound of an empire beginning to fall?

[agzg]

Oh, Paula.

[LXA SE285]

Talking Points Memo hit the nail on the head in describing her as "a racial Mr. Magoo."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archive...l_mr_magoo.php

[agzg]

To quote one of the collegians I met last weekend, "She's the conductor of the Hot Mess Express."

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by agzg

To quote one of the collegians I met last weekend, "She's the conductor of the Hot Mess Express."

I'm stealing that.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

I'm stealing that.

You can thank one of our sisters for that one! I almost spit my dinner across the table.