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

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

You are on a roll.

I'm just wondering if she's attempting to insult members of every sorority on UVA's campus? She's gotten KD and Theta down...14 more to go! She can see what it's like to "tow" that line when recruitment comes round.

There can't possibly be THAT many PNMs from Birmingham going through at UVA, right?

[Missouri Ivy]

Especially with the rather distinctive name she used in her very first post. It seems like an odd alias, so it's probably real.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Missouri Ivy

Especially with the rather distinctive name she used in her very first post. It seems like an odd alias, so it's probably real.

I agree...why make up a name when you already have a username?

[SWTXBelle]

Given the p.r. mess occasioned by the Maryland e-mail, I imagine most chapters would very much like to avoid pledging new members who don't have a firm grasp of what constitutes appropriate communication, be it via e-mail or in a chat group.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by UVA17

That's the beauty of being able to pass for either when the mood strikes. And there are no doubt still books that could be written on what you don't know as a menopausal shrew.

Bless your heart.

[SWTXBelle]

Cross menopausal shrews at your own risk.

TEAM MENOPAUSAL SHREW!

[amIblue?]

I think that in a deferred recruitment scenario, these women often unwittingly out themselves over the course of a semester.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Cross menopausal shrews at your own risk.

TEAM MENOPAUSAL SHREW!

I really need that on a tshirt.

[TonyB06]

I just watched the Paula Deen-Matt Lauer interview and thought it was compelling. Lauer asked tough questions, and, undeterred by her tears, asked the follow-ups that were necessary, which was good. I thought she answered honestly, and sincerely.

I was a fan of PD before, so her comments and thoughts caught me off guard. But given her sincerity, and in looking at the totality of her life, I can get past this.

I wish Paula Deen better things going forward. Anyone else seen the interview? if so, thoughts?

[SWTXBelle]

Wait - we're going back on topic?

I haven't seen the interview yet - but here's an interesting take:

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/c...wpisrc=flyouts

"Paula Deen is America’s racist grandma, and we should treat her as such. Racist Grandma may be racist, but she’s also your grandma. You can’t just disown her.

And, contrary to what some might think, having a racist grandma isn’t entirely bad. No doubt there are many white families where racism is passed down generation to generation like some cancerous gene. But for others, seeing that gene and knowing you’re predisposed to it is a warning sign, a nagging reminder to take preventive measures for yourself. I say let’s push racist Grandma back to center stage and let her keep talking."

[DrPhil]

First off, this entire thing is not just about that specific racial slur. It is about a whole bunch of craziness going on at "Paula Deen's crib", some of which is race-related.

I saw parts of the interview and it reminded me of Dog the Bounty Hunter's Larry King interview. Like I said 3 pages ago:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

**It is interesting that quite a few power minority groups around the world eventually speak out against perceived injustices (Jews, LGBT, etc.). Only certain power minority groups are told to relax and to not use their voice and purchasing powers to protest and potentially get money makers shut down. That is one of the reasons why social change is so difficult. The power dominant groups are still the ones who determine whether the concerns and potential for social change are worthwhile and valid (for example, people in this thread saying "talk about Mandela instead" and "this is glitching").

As always, certain minority groups are asked to have a "Come to Jesus" meeting and decide as a collective to silence all of the dissents. I would love for the mainstream to petition to other minority groups (such as ethnic Jews, LGBT, etc.) to definitively forgive and shut up about the topic. But, that will never happen. (No, not everyone in a group holds the same opinion. We do not have the same brain, thought processes, opinions, and behavioral patterns.)

I do not dislike Paula Deen. Responding to these types of things does not require hatred or dislike for a person. It takes much more than this unexcitedly stereotypical scenario to elicit such response from me. What these types of issues require (not from everyone but from those who are moved by the topic) is intolerance for certain actions and dynamics. It is not about changing personal opinions and changing whether they do racially intolerant things in their spare time. It is about voicing an opinion and showing purchasing power for Deen and companies that sponsor her. It is also about telling people that we cannot change your mind but we can hit your pocket if your mind begins to translate into hiring practices, workplace dynamics, and overall treatment of people. It is about saying that we will leave you alone about your individual personality quirks and controversial sense of humor if you will shut the hell up and not force other people to endure.

People should support Paula Deen if they like her products. However, if they support Paula Deen because they respect her freedom to not censor herself when appropriate, those supporters can choke on it. Would Paula Deen and her sons have started preaching if Deen's money wasn't messed with? Maybe, maybe not.

I know one thing, it annoys me to no end when people use phrases like "he who is without sin cast the first stone" for these types of things. When Paula Deen said that during the interview, I wanted to smack the TV screen. Idiots around the world, you WILL be judged for certain things by imperfect people. Think about that before you show your ass. We all make mistakes but do not preach to people, just APOLOGIZE and face the consequences. Idiots. The fact that Paula Deen used excuses about her background and the "he who is without sin" thing instead of just apologizing and facing the consequences, made me think she isn't really sorry. She's just saving face and saving her brand/money. It is one of the oldest tricks in the book.

[PiKA2001]

This post is in regards to the allegations against Paula Deen-

After seeing some clips of her interview and reading more articles about this story I'm still unsure if Paula Deen is the worst racist of 2013 or if this is just character assassination from a disgruntled former employee. I've been waiting for all of the other people who've been around Deen to come forward with their own experiences of her racism and so far..crickets. It still seems to be she said/she said. If this was all trumped up just so she could win her lawsuit, I feel bad for PD..but of course if what is being alleged is true, actions have consequences and PD is going to have to live with them.

[FSUZeta]

Here is a thoughtful, thought provoking, open letter I read on Facebook:

http://afroculinaria.com/

[DrPhil]

I think there is enough stuff posted in this thread out of Paula Deen's own mouth. Even her joke about her Black friend's Blackness will not be found funny by everyone. People who do not find it funny have every ability to be pissed. It is certainly not the first time that people respond to other people (comedians included) for making jokes that seem more driven by an uncomfortable belief system rather than "rough humor." Such is life.

I would be interested to see how this would go if this was about Paula Deen talking about another group of people--let's use LGBT as an illustration. If Paula Deen admitted to using a gay slur in the heat of anger or was taped making jokes with a homosexual friend that not everyone found funny; Paula Deen ranting about how homosexuality is traditionally frowned upon in the Deep South therefore she is an innocent and mindless product of her environment; and Paula Deen saying that she doesn't see what's wrong with HER USE of gay slurs because some of her chefs who are gay use them around each other (she said that about the racial slur). Yeahhhhh...I would love to see the LGBT community (as a collective, not individuals) say "haha...you're hilarious...have fun!!" Yeahhhhh...I would love to see people TELL the LGBT community that it was innocent and mindless fun on the part of an older white woman from the Deep South...therefore...there should be no negative opinions and potentially no negative consequences. I would also love to see companies underestimate the purchasing power of the LGBT community and the supporters of this community and say "nooo, we're keeping Paula Deen...but don't take this to mean that we are making a statement against you...."

Yeahhhhh...I won't hold my breath waiting for things like this to happen.

Whether or not Paula Deen is racist would depend on whether her prejudices are manifested into actions that negatively impact other people. Annoying people, angering people, not being considered funny, or hurting people's feelings are not the crux of racism. That is why diversity trainings and rainbow pissing ponies designed to get people to smile at each other don't work.

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Here is a thoughtful, thought provoking, open letter I read on Facebook:

http://afroculinaria.com/

I did not understand much of what this culinary writer was saying. But, I gather that this writer is saying "I understand...it's how things happen...let's get together."

I respect that writer's opinion but some of us can multitask. We can talk about Paula Deen and tackle larger issues regarding the structure of racism. Yes, there are people of the African diaspora who were and still are consumers of Paula Deen. I was not and still am not among them but I enjoyed seeing her commercials.

[SWTXBelle]

I didn't realize Paula Deen might have been referencing an actual specific restaurant: http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2..._nostalgia.php

"I knew immediately which restaurant she was referring to -- Pittypat's Porch, named for the slave-owning Gone With The Wind character, which claims to be the longest continuously operational restaurant in Atlanta. It opened in 1967, and hasn't changed much in the intervening decades. It aims for "an atmosphere similar to an old plantation."

I always associated waiters (black and white) in white dinner jackets with older restaurant traditions (since I have family from New Orleans, my main experience was with Galatoire's, Brennan's, Antoine's, The Court of Two Sisters, Tujaques) but not with slavery.