Paula Dean fired from Foodnetwork for using a racial slur.

SPIRITED · June-26-13, 12:45 PM

It's a witch hunt just the same. Paula's use of a racial epitet decades ago is being used and costing her a career. Being a communist sympathizer n McCarthy's era cost people theirs.

**rb336** · June-26-13, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by old guy

Actually, you might want to study the McCarthy era, J. Edgar Hoover era a bit more before making a ridiculous statement like that.

um, there is nothing factually wrong in spirited's statement

**Papasito** · June-26-13, 03:38 PM

I don't understand why a comment she made long before her contracts were made and signed and was long forgotten should have caused her to lose her job. These were pre-existing conditions and were brought up only to create racial uproar. She doesn't act that way now, and has had a pretty clean persona to be in a position where all those contracts were created and her face and mouth put on national TV.

Based on this woman's situation, are we saying that anything anyone made at any point of their lives can be drug up years down the road to end someone's career if it is something that offends?
Where does this racism witch hunt end?

I don't see Jamie Foxx losing any contracts after saying on national TV that he enjoyed doing Django Unchained because he got to kill a bunch of white people...

**rb336** · June-26-13, 04:02 PM

Difference - Jamie Foxx was doing satire. the relevant comparable to Foxx would be that classic Pryor/Chase bit.

**old guy** · June-26-13, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

um, there is nothing factually wrong in spirited's statement

Sorry. I'm having a hard time equating the two situations. I understand where you see similarities, but isn't this merely a civil law suit filed by an employee.

**Jimaz** · June-26-13, 06:20 PM

I think at the time this video was made, part of the joke was that no one thought a black man could ever become president. Little did they know!

Richard Pryor, 1st black President

**Danny** · June-27-13, 05:46 AM

Kanye West comments on Paula Deen:

'Paula Deen doesn't care about Black people!'

**ejames01** · June-27-13, 09:03 AM

Using a racial slur isn't even the main issue. She was being sued and [[ended up getting fired) because the racist, sexist and homophobic environment at that restaurant.

Anyone that would be OK with that is obviously an awful person.

**ejames01** · June-27-13, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

It's only okay for those of color to use the 'n' word. Which they do all the time.

Really? I wasn't aware of that.

**oladub** · June-27-13, 12:54 PM

What would have happened to Paula Dean if she called someone who was annoying or even harassing her a "cracker"?

**firstandten** · June-27-13, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by oladub

What would have happened to Paula Dean if she called someone who was annoying or even harassing her a "cracker"?

Same thing, when as a celebrity you are a brand, you need to walk a lot of lines as to not to offend those that made you what you are. If you can't do that then maybe Paula should just stick to writing cookbooks and running her restaurants and fighting lawsuits

**rb336** · June-27-13, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by old guy

Sorry. I'm having a hard time equating the two situations. I understand where you see similarities, but isn't this merely a civil law suit filed by an employee.

Not saying the two situations are the same, that is strictly a matter of opinion. I'm saying the comments were correct about McCarthyism. I can see the argument - anyone accused of being racist can lose their job because of it. but there is a bit more smoke to the Paula Dean situation, although I think it is more ignorance and insensitivity than malice

**ejames01** · June-27-13, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

Not saying the two situations are the same, that is strictly a matter of opinion. I'm saying the comments were correct about McCarthyism. I can see the argument - anyone accused of being racist can lose their job because of it. but there is a bit more smoke to the Paula Dean situation, although I think it is more ignorance and insensitivity than malice

That just isn't true. Everyone who gets accused of harassment at work DOES NOT get fired. BUT, if you are a public figure, companies aren't going to keep them unless they are a big earner.

**Zacha341** · June-27-13, 03:30 PM

And he by default does? ---

---

Originally Posted by Danny

Kanye West comments on Paula Deen:

'Paula Deen doesn't care about Black people!'

**old guy** · June-27-13, 11:45 PM

I guess I do see some similarities, but having read so much information about McCarthyism over the years, I just see it as a period in our history that was so dark that to compare it with this situation of a celebrity that hasn't actually been charged with anything other than a civil lawsuit yet, seems a bit over the top.

Back then, people were convicted of being communists and sent to prison. Even some of their attorneys were sent to prison for representing them. People were hauled before Senate sub committees without reasonable cause and their careers were ruined. To date P. Deens book sales have skyrocketed, and although many of her corporate sponsors have dropped her, her popularity is soaring. She has the means to fight all this in court and might even file countersuits.

I can't even believe I'm spending this much time talking about her.
Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong. I just don't see the validity of comparing her case with McCarthyism, even though it's now used as a general term for numerous wrongdoings.

**Crumbled_pavement** · June-28-13, 06:16 AM

HA! The plot thickens. Now Jesse Jackson is getting involved. Will people know whose side to support through knee-jerk reactions? Will they have to "think" about what they believe.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...rthy-redempti/

**firstandten** · June-28-13, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by Crumbled_pavement

HA! The plot thickens. Now Jesse Jackson is getting involved. Will people know whose side to support through knee-jerk reactions? Will they have to "think" about what they believe.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...rthy-redempti/

I don't think people will have to think at all. Nothing changes, Paula is a bigot who views were made public and now its hurting her in the worst place of all...her pocketbook. Jesse is a civil rights mercenary who is trying to stay relevant. Its a perfect match. Paula calls on Jesse to stop the financial bleeding and in return Jesse gets a nice fee and soul food for life.

**noise** · June-28-13, 10:07 AM

Is the conservative-cause-du jour about defending the right to make racist comments or defending employers' rights to fire employees?

**oladub** · June-28-13, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by noise

Is the conservative-cause-du jour about defending the right to make racist comments or defending employers' rights to fire employees?

That's any easy one. Censorship is usually a liberal thing [[e.g. Army personnel are not allowed to read about NSA scandals as reported by the Guardian , hiding one's records by executive order, "fair speech" laws, shouting down conservative speakers at universities, etc.). Besides, the First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech no matter how offensive. That leaves the employers right to fire employees for what they say and do that violates their contract or damages the image of the company. For instance, pro sports players regularly lose their sponsorships and sometimes even their jobs when they get caught drugging themselves or killing someone.

SPIRITED · July-01-13, 07:22 AM

Originally Posted by firstandten

I don't think people will have to think at all. Nothing changes, Paula is a bigot who views were made public and now its hurting her in the worst place of all...her pocketbook. Jesse is a civil rights mercenary who is trying to stay relevant. Its a perfect match. Paula calls on Jesse to stop the financial bleeding and in return Jesse gets a nice fee and soul food for life.

When will Al Sharpton chime in? There is money and attention for whores like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton when it comes to racism. If those offended just took this at face value and accepted her apology this wouldn't be getting so much attention. And I'd go to the extreme that if any private business doesn't want a certain "type" of clientele in their establishment, being a private business I support their right. Although it might be a stupid one. Ultimately the ones to suffer the aftermath of these types of business decisions are the business owners.

**firstandten** · July-01-13, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by SPIRITED

When will Al Sharpton chime in? There is money and attention for whores like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton when it comes to racism. If those offended just took this at face value and accepted her apology this wouldn't be getting so much attention. And I'd go to the extreme that if any private business doesn't want a certain "type" of clientele in their establishment, being a private business I support their right. Although it might be a stupid one. Ultimately the ones to suffer the aftermath of these types of business decisions are the business owners.

An apology starts to ring hollow when a person has a history of bigoted behavior and history of bigoted statements. In Paula case people felt the apology was given only to stop the financial bleeding on her income statement. Like I said before when you become a "brand" like she is there is a price to pay apology or not when you start to offend people. She's paying that price now.

**rb336** · July-01-13, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by firstandten

An apology starts to ring hollow when a person has a history of bigoted behavior and history of bigoted statements. In Paula case people felt the apology was given only to stop the financial bleeding on her income statement. Like I said before when you become a "brand" like she is there is a price to pay apology or not when you start to offend people. She's paying that price now.

Rush Limbaugh can [[sort of) get away with his bigoted, anti-women, homophobic BS because that IS his brand. I included the "sort of" because his empire is being held afloat by money from various right-wing groups. Almost every major company has pulled their money from his show

SPIRITED · July-01-13, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

An apology starts to ring hollow when a person has a history of bigoted behavior and history of bigoted statements. In Paula case people felt the apology was given only to stop the financial bleeding on her income statement. Like I said before when you become a "brand" like she is there is a price to pay apology or not when you start to offend people. She's paying that price now.

Paula's statements were ignorant. Dropping her from Foodnetwork and others was done out of fear of backlash. Angry public opinion is just hatred. Forgiveness has gotten so rare these days.

**rb336** · July-01-13, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by SPIRITED

Paula's statements were ignorant. Dropping her from Foodnetwork and others was done out of fear of backlash. Angry public opinion is just hatred. Forgiveness has gotten so rare these days.

that is a good point

**firstandten** · July-01-13, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by SPIRITED

Paula's statements were ignorant. Dropping her from Foodnetwork and others was done out of fear of backlash. Angry public opinion is just hatred. Forgiveness has gotten so rare these days.

I don't have a problem with forgiveness, something said or done in the heat of the moment yes, one should forgive. However when someone exhibits a pattern of offensive behavior and only apologizes because the endorsements and money stop flowing. She can take my forgiveness and stick it where the sun don't shine