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ORIGINAL: JstAnotherSub

http://afroculinaria.com/2013/06/25/an-open-letter-to-paula-deen/

I post this not to stir the pot, but because it says my thoughts in many ways, better than I can.

I have never been anything but a female from the south. I am 51 and have seen change in so many things, especially attitudes about different cultures and races.

No matter how hard I try, I can not be surprised or upset that Paula admitted to the things she admitted to. It is not shocking to me, it is pretty much to be expected, being from Georgia.

I think of things I said in the past that now I realize were horrible, but when I said them, it was not out of hatred for anyone, it was just because it was there to say.

When the city of Atlanta was having dead children found in the Chattahoochee River back in the early 80's, that river was called the "Chunkanigger River" by many, my self included. I cried for the families that lost their kids too, the faces of those babies lost made me sick, even back then.

Am I proud of using that word? No. Does the fact that I said that 30 years ago make me any less the fighter for rights of everyone that I am today? No.

My son has never ever had a g/f who was white. Part of the reason my marriage broke up was because I would not stand beside my husband and tell my son he had no business dating a nigger. I tried to explain to my ex that he was being a moron, but, he stood fast and would not change. I find it funny in a not haha way that his daughter from a previous marriage just celebrated her 20th anniversary with her black husband, she has 2 kids that me ex now seems to adore, and the daughter of his son from a that same marriage is now engaged to a wonderful black man.

Whether he liked it or not, change of his attitude was forced upon him. That, or lose his family.

All this typing may make some angry here, and we are having discussions about this on Facebook also. It has in fact, caused me to delete a couple of folks as friends there, because while I can forgive ignorance, I can not forgive someone who refuses to learn.

Anyhow, I hope that eventually good will come out of this mess, for Paula and for all of us.

The end for now.

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ORIGINAL: Hillwilliam

Can we have it both ways?
Is a certain behavior OK for one person and not another?

It seems to be that way.

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ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

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So she's a public figure, and many will rant, "Well, then she's to be held to a higher standard!" I disagree, think that BS. If the public puts her up on a pedestal, she's still human, and the size of the "fall," in the public's eye's will be in direct proportion to how they've inflated/distorted her.

Problem is the businesses are not making those comments publicly. Let a CEO make that comment and watch how soon his walking papers come. Moral clauses are nothing new. Many are held to a higher standard than John Q Public because they are endorsing a product. Hurt the image, hurt the bottom line.

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ORIGINAL: TNDommeK

Paula dean in the news for racial slurs. Not just using the N- word but referring them to wear white gloves for Bubbas wedding to get a feel for history.
Thoughts?

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I will say, that I think the witch hunt is going too far for something that she said 30 years ago.

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ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

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I will say, that I think the witch hunt is going too far for something that she said 30 years ago.

It wasnt 30 years ago. I thought the same, however, the woman who is suing was employed starting in 2005 and left 2010.

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ORIGINAL: absolutchocolat
For me, an old ignorant white woman from the South using slurs doesn't bother me. I think the real reason she is getting the ax on so many fronts is the fact that she is being sued for racial and sexual discrimination. That makes her and her brand a liability more than anything she said, in my book.

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Amazing what a little news, be it even bad, will do for your selling potential.

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ORIGINAL: littlewonder

According to the news today she's pretty much finished. All of her products except her cookbooks and restaurants have decided to stop selling her stuff or stand with her. This means she's left with what she was originally making back in 2008 before she became a big hit.