Overreaction to Paula Deen?

Racism will NEVER go away until those that employ it and the "race card" find little to no value in it's use. It's usefulness as a point in rebuttal to an argument, unchallenged general statements on race and the MSM's compliciticy in it's use is the "Catch 22" that will guarantee it's perpetual existence

 

I choose to not keep repeating myself on multiple pages. If you go back from the start and reread my posts and discourse my position is very clear.

Others.

If Paula or any other makes a racist comment they are non gratis in my book and should be in yours also.


My final point is to say in so many words, when people say in so many words it's OK to be racist because others are IS the wrong message and the wrong opinion to back. That needs to stop. What should be said is this person made a racist comment and we should be aware of it.

This country has an ugly ugly ugly past of it treatment of African Americans. I'm not an African American but I can understand as should many the psychological impact of being told over and over that you are an inferior race simply by your birth right. That is dead wrong.

The problem with some of the posts I read is what I call conversational racism. It is some reason to justify racism. It's ok to be a racist because Alec Baldwin is ( i don't know if he is just using someones example) or similar examples people use. We are a Just and civilized society need to evolve and get beyond this. That includes teaching in our schools, telling our children, and believing there is so place in modern American Society to believe any race or people are better than another.

That is all. It's not up for debate. We live in a modern multi cultural society and are all equal and we should all be treated with dignity and respect.

PD in a recorded court deposition admitted to using the N word. She 5 days ago on national TV said nothing is wrong with it in so many words. If anyone does not think that is racism you have bigger problems. Many companies who care about Branding quickly moved to cancel her contracts. The argument that she should not be treated as harsh since others make similar mistakes. Perhaps her outcome would be different if she atoned for her mistake, took responsibility, made a genuine and sincere apology. She did the opposite. A few PR experts said what separates PD from others is she just messed up big time and others do not when it' time to apologize

At the conclusion of her Matt Lauer interview when she said "I is what I is" by itself is a racist comment. She sealed her fate within 48 hours she lost every endorsement and imploded her media empire.

 

You are beyond naive. You don't "know if Alec Baldwin is a racist"? Your just using "someone's example"? It's called google bro.

I got news for you. Every country has a history of degrading some sort of ethnic group. The difference between the USA and the rest of the world is our history goes back a few hundred years. The rest of the worlds goes back thousands. We have the opportunity to change our course and it will not change if we crucify one person while giving free passes to others. You are just as guilty of keeping racism alive as the racists if you do so.

 

Paula Deen is not being crucified she is losing endorsements and money because she is stupid on several levels and other corporations do not want to be involved with her or her brand.

 

There is no such think as a free pass. Companies choose to brand who they want and now Paula lost her sponsorship. That is just a matter of a corporate decision and one i support. Frankly i think Paula got off easy. Slander comes to mind.

 

Society gives the free pass. Just like you're refusing to acknowledge other celebrity bigots. I get it, you don't like Paula Deen. But if you really want to curb racism there are far worse offenders than a fat diabetic lady who got caught using a slur 30 years ago.

 

Agreed, because if there was any way PD's situation would make their brand stronger, they would have hung on to her. PD is damaged goods now. As big of a personality as she is, I'm surprised the people close to her have not counseled her properly on the right and wrong way to publicly handle herself. Maybe they did and she over ruled them.

 

I hate repeating myself, but apparently selective hearing is contagious.

"" There is not one person on this thread that has not made a derogatory comment, intentional or not, about some group that is different than themselves and their group...in there entire life...period.

Whether that difference is skin color, ethnic, cultural, religious, not religious, opposite sex, sexual preference, economic status, education, where they work, where they live, how they talk, how they walk, what they eat, drink, wear or drive...or just pick something else as I'm sure I left something out. ""

What Paula said 30 years ago was wrong then and now. Everyone is just as guilty, maybe not the "N-Word", but something equally hateful and hurtful. I have met just about every race, creed and demographic from here and around the world ranging from an ex president to the lowest human scum on earth, and anyone who says otherwise is a liar. Hate is Hate, and it is not selective.

I am not defending anyone, what I am saying is physician heal thyself.

 

Well said. I haven't read or interpreted anyone's comment on this thread that would lead me to believe they condone or promote racism on any level, and yet JMD seems to believe that since we don't speak or think exactly the same way he does, that we do. Nothing if further from the truth. It's clear PD and many people of her generation have changed their attitudes on not only what they say, but also what they believe, because they have grown along with the rest of society as our world continues to get smaller. What I don't understand is if PD said something years ago and NO ONE said anything or did anything to condemn her then because of the different societal or cultural norms that existed, why is it okay for a future generation to condemn her now for it? To hold her accountable now because our parents generation wouldn't do so - well I think they're barking up the wrong tree.

 

I don't know her. But what she did is inexcusable, similar to me not liking distracting from the heart of the issue which is there should be no excuse for racism and to say racism is ok because others get away with it is a flawed theory and one that I call conversational racism. It is this type of thought that allows racism to be added from generation to generation. What is sad is you don't see it.

 

I have no more to say on this subject.

My close follows.

 

I believe the rebuttals are just repeating themselves and are very simplistic and flawed. Much of what I read from some people I support. Some of what I read scares me that racism is alive and well in America.

What I can say with confidence is I'm proud of the Corporate companies who fired PD. Taking all the circumstances I believe they were left with no choice.

PD dug a hole and jumped in.

Warren Buffet said it takes 20 years to build a positive reputation and only a few minutes to destroy one. Paula knows that all to well.

Unfortunately this will follow her forever and ever thereafter. It is already a case study at some MBA programs. Perhaps PD legacy is teaching future Executives how to manage risk in Public Relations.

 

Why is PD treated so differently? Her apology should suffice as it has for untold number of others who have uttered or used racial terms in the pejorative.

“Dreams of My Father.” page 229, "There were no cigar chomping crackers like bull Connor out there."

further on Obama wrote . . .

that his paternal grandfather had been a servant to rich whites. He wrote in “Dreams” that the revelation caused “ugly words to flash across my mind. Uncle Tom. Collaborator.House n_gger. - Barack Obama

Those obsessed with race see everything through racially tinted lenses and thus propagate the very thing they claim to abhor, racism.

 

What myself and others are trying to say is that there is no excuse for racism at anytime from anyone. The fact that you choose to ignore other examples of racists and give them their free pass is what is keeping racism alive. There are plenty of celebrities out there you should be boycotting besides Paula Deen. Ignoring them while condoneing her makes you just as guilty as those that are using the language.

 

I responded to that already

 

If only the world was perfectly black and white as JMD seems to believe it is, because then it would be very clear what the right answer is. What is not grasped on his part is there is a lot of gray matter out there that HAS to be dealt with. You can't ignore it. Not one person has stated what PD did was okay - it's not, that is very clear. I personally take offense at his supposition that many of us are still holding racist views and tendencies and that we are somehow keeping racism alive. Just because you keep repeatedly saying it is so, does not make it so. Having such a hard and narrow view point is discriminatory in nature because of the refusal to see or consider all the facts - just as bad as being labeled a racist in my book.

 

I have read the disposition and read through the interview transcript and watched the video. I also posted links in earlier posts on this thread. In reference to this particular events I see no grey matter as you say. PD made a Huge mistake and paid a big price. No getting around that JH from South Carolina. The benefit of this thread and what happened to PD is perhaps some will see that times have changed in America for the better and when you don't have a updated modern view you can lose. PD may have gotten away with the N word and believing it's not racism years ago but not today. Anything else is just noise.

 

It appears since you pointed out I am in SC, you are inferring by my location that I have a certain belief system. I am not native to the southeast, having grown up in CO, then moved to SoCal Orange County for a period of 11 years, before moving here 10 years ago. The gray matter I referred to was not about what PD did or say, it referred to what everyone else is talking about and pointing out that you seem to disregard or disagree with. I agree with you that times have changed in America. What was acceptable or tolerated in the past is not today, and the flip side that what wasn't acceptable or tolerated in the past is accepted today. I agree that PD and many, many others got away with using the N word and believing it's not racism in the past, AND that it's not acceptable today. What I don't agree with is today's generation, me included, holding someone like her accountable for something she did in past that was considered acceptable or tolerable then by that previous generation.

 

Than perhaps this article may shed some light. It seems many corporate sponsors see PD as a Liability since they do not want to associate with a racist who can tarnish the brand.


Paula Deen's Biggest Failure: Not Heeding Warren Buffett’s Advice (SHLD, TGT)


JH I don't think your caught up on the facts of this case. Her most recent racist rant was 5 days ago on the Today Show interview.