The Paula Deen Issue

By now many of you know the Paula Deen story. Paula Deen and her brother Bubba are being sued by a former employee at their Savannah based restaurant for discrimination (sexual harassment and racial slurs). During her deposition in May, Deen was asked about her racial attitudes and if she thought using the N-word as a joke was appropriate. Her response was that “I can’t, myself, determine what offends another person.” Deen was also asked if she had ever used the N-word. Her response was that she had, that she used the word to describe African American’s from time to time and that because she grew up in the South during the 60’s that was the language that was used. Paula even admitted that she had thought of hiring an all African American staff to work as waiters at her brother’s wedding. After allegations of Deen’s racial tendencies started to surface, more claims of discrimination and inappropriate comments have come out. A video of an interview with New York Times conducted in 2012 depicts Deen explaining how devastated her great grandfather was when the Civil War ended and how he couldn’t figure out to run his plantation without “workers”. Paula defends the owning of “workers” by saying that they were seen as part of the family. After commenting on how the South is less prejudiced, Deen says that her African American “friend” Hollis Johnson is as “black as that board” behind her. As a result of the Paula Deen racial backlash The Food Network decided to end her contract and QVC will no longer sell Paula Deen branded items. While both companies have taken the right steps after the scandal, many fans are outraged. Social media fans have vocalized their support for Deen, promising to boycott the network and all products related to the network. This weekend fans showed up in droves at Paula’s restaurants in a show of support. Even former NYC Housewife Bethany Frankel tweeted in support of Deen by saying “U think @MTV & hip hop should be held to the same standard? If ur African American can u use the N word? Lead by example? It’s derogatory.” The thing I cannot understand is that this isn’t the first time Deen has gotten herself into trouble. A couple of years ago there was a scandal involving the fact that Deen promoted unhealthy eating through her recipes and cooking show while she was diagnosed with Diabetes and trying to land a deal hawking Diabetes medication. People were outraged and called her a hypocrite. Now with the racial scandal Deen fans are supporting her more than ever and some reports are even calling her firing and being dropped from QVC outrageous. The real issue isn’t the fact that Deen used the N-word in the privacy of her own home, it’s the fact that she brought it into the work place and public. For Bethany to defend Deen by saying the African American rappers should be held just as responsible for the word as white people are is ridiculous. The N-word has a dark history and when anyone other than an African American uses it the word, it is offensive. To think that Deen should just get away with her comments because she’s from the South and that’s the lingo down there is obscene. The only thing about this whole scandal that really bothers me, other than Deen’s language, is how forgiving her fans are. While the media is burying Deen for her actions, her fans seem to want to forgive and forget, that’s what makes me sad for the whole situation. Racism isn’t something that should exist any more. There is no excuse for racial discrimination or language.