Let's pretend for a moment that Paula Deen is a racist

That would be terrible, both for her, and for those whom she hates. Hating a race of folks because of their race is awful, irrational, and for that matter an impossibility (because it doesn't really make sense).

But doesn't she have a right to hate someone? Doesn't she have a right to hate British folks, or Asian folks, or black folks?

Since when is it okay to have word police that are so micromanaging, that one WORD out of your mouth can be self-destructive?

I hope Deen doesn't hate blacks (and I doubt she does).

But I'll defend her right to hate anyone she wants to, won't you?
And I'll defend her right to use any word she wants.

Hasn't progress slowed to a halt for blacks and Indians because we've DOUBTED their ability to heal without our 'eager help', as opposed to BELIEVING IN their ability to heal, using their own amazing talents and abilities they have born into them?

 

which is worse, the hatred espoused by the bigot or the hypocrisy of the hatred aimed at those who betray their bigotry through word or deed?

 

When I heard she said those things in 1986 (a year before my birth) I immediately shut off my ability to care.

 

She absolutely does have that right. And her private employer has the right to not respect her opinion or beliefs and not renew her contract.

 

Absolutely they do. But the point is that I think it signals a sickness in society to be aggressively worried about the use of words. And it is because of this sickness that would cause her employer to lose money, and therefore the employer felt he had to fire her. And all of this because of society's obsession with race, racism and words which may or may not signal the former.

Let us start focusing on the blacks' ability to succeed, instead of focusing on OUR ability to help blacks succeed.

If the Pilgrims or Founding Fathers would have had some paternal organizations "forcing" tons of help, food, money, supplies on them for many, many years, I doubt that America would have turned into as strong a country as she did.

 

I doubt the Food Network would lose much money given that Paula's audience tends to be old white ladies who think Paula can actually cook. But the publicity is terrible. It's just not worth it.

 

I honestly have no words for this...

No one is arresting her for her alleged racism. Companies and people are refusing to associate themselves with someone who is a racist. Food Network is celebrating their first amendment rights by cutting off their ties with Paula Dean just as much as Paula Dean has her right to be a racist or a bigot if she so chooses.

 

I'd probably defend her right to hate anyone, but that's where you and I part ways with Baby Jesus. I don't even know why we're copping a "Christian nation" attitude.

 

I knew all of that when I wrote the post. Now maybe you want to re-read the post and see if you can get out of it what I intended that you would.

 

I'm interested in the "them" you are drawing a parallel to the Pilgrims or Founding Fathers. Are you suggesting that "them" (black people) are the only group receiving said "tons of help, food, money, supplies on them for many, many years?

 

Let's pretend for a moment that Paula Deen is worth paying attention to.

 

her opinion? You mean to not respect what she said in a high-intensity situation three decades ago, before she had any show?

 

She used the word three decades ago. 50 Cent used it yesterday. Is this the new Red Scare?

 

If you think 50cent and Paula Deen are in the same category for entertainment purposes, then sure.

 

Ah, so then why do private companies not have the right to choose who they hire or serve based on their own individual criteria? If they can discriminate against people for expressing politically incorrect beliefs, why can they not also discriminate for other reasons?

Unless you agree with people like Ron Paul and John Stossell that companies should be able to set their own policies on discrimination, then it sounds like you're just policing what's allowed to be discriminated against.

 

Let's pretend for a moment that Paula Deen is racist..she did support obama both times..admits to being a long time democrat...hmmm typical democrat

 

Indeed. Quentin Tarantino just released a movie six months ago that used the same word repeatedly throughout the film. That film was nominated for five Academy Awards.

Talk about selective outrage.

 

And do we know that was the "real" reason for dropping her. She was in negotiations for a new contract to be effective in July. Do we know the Food network planned to re-sign her, or was she asking too much money and they got a real easy out?

 

Well, that's a different argument, isn't it? That's entirely possible. My point is simply that if we are to argue that the free market works in eliminating discrimination, then where is the logic in policing the hiring and serving practices of private businesses?

 

She can hate anyone she chooses to, she just can't expect everyone else to be unaffected by it, including her employer.

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Bit of different context, don't you think?

Was Paula Deen doing a civil war cooking show where using that language was contextually relevant?

 

Was Tarantino's movie a historical documentary or a glorified revenge flick of pure fiction?

 

The whole n-word thing will always involve a certain amount of faux outrage when you consider that rappers use it in every other sentence.

 

I don't know, I didn't see it, but if it's set in that time period, it's not too surprising that he would choose dialogue that was appropriate for it.

Honestly, I don't care whether Paula Dean is a racist or not. I've never watched her show. I just think it's silly that people are mad she didn't get renewed over this. Was any other outcome really to be expected here?

 

It was just as much a historical documentary as Inglorious Basterds was....

 

Yes, she has a right to be a racist. The company she works for has a right to fire her for it, because minorities do not tune in to watch racists, and the company was founded to make money, not advance the career of Paula Deen. Freedom is not without consequences.